Purslane, often considered a weed, offers benefits for people with diabetes in a number of ways. Incorporate this raw green into salads or cook it in soups, stews and casseroles to help you control your diabetes and ward off problems associated with the condition. Talk to your physician about including purslane in your diet for diabetes.
Anti-Diabetic Properties
Consuming purslane may benefit diabetics due to the plant's compounds, including alkaloids, omega-3 fatty acids, oxalic acids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. A study published in the March 2009 issue of the "International Journal of Molecular Science" notes that animal studies indicate that consuming this vegetable may prevent hyperglycemia, improve insulin secretion and decrease cholesterol. Researchers suggest human studies to confirm that these findings correlate to both men and women.
Vitamin C
The vitamin C in purslane might help to improve nerve problems associated with diabetes. Evidence available in the April 2011 edition of "Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice" indicates that consumption of vitamin C and other nutrients could benefit type-2 diabetics by easing nerve damage. A 1 cup serving of raw purslane contains 9 mg of vitamin C; men and women require 75 mg to 90 mg of vitamin C each day.
Vitamin A
Gestational diabetes is a potentially dangerous condition developed during pregnancy. Research in the May-June 2010 "Revista da Associacao Medical Brasileira" links vitamin A deficiency to the development of gestational diabetes, but eating purslane can help you get more of this vitamin in your meal plan. One cup of raw purslane contains 568 IU of vitamin A. You need quite a bit more of this vitamin in your diet each day -- 5,000 IU -- but you can increase your intake more by serving purslane with vitamin A-rich foods such as liver or ricotta cheese.
Manganese
A simple wound can turn into a limb amputation if diabetics don't carefully monitor the scrapes and lacerations they sustain; manganese may contribute to healing. Animal research on the effects of manganese on certain cells appears in the December 2010 issue of "The Journal of Clinical Investigation." It indicates that manganese helps to close wounds in diabetic mice. Researchers must complete human studies to research whether this mineral affects men and women in the same way. Purslane is a source of manganese, containing 0.1 mg of manganese per cup. Include 1.8 mg to 2.3 mg of manganese in your diet each day.
References
- "International Journal of Molecular Science"; Hypoglycemic Effects of Crude Polysaccharide from Purslane; F. Gong, et al.; March 2009
- "Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice"; Improving Neuropathy Scores in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Using Micronutrient Supplementation; M.S. Farvid, et al.; April 2011
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Purslane, Raw
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid); June 2009
- "Revista da Associacao Medical Brasileira"; Vitamin A and Gestational Diabetes; L.Q. Lira, et al.; May-June 2010
- All About Vision; Vitamin A and Beta Carotene: Eye Benefits; G. Heiting, OD; October 2010
