Managing your diabetes can be challenging, and finding new foods can become a difficult task. Beans are full of many nutrients that are a beneficial part of your diabetic diet, but they do provide carbohydrates so you should portion out your serving ahead of time to avoid consuming too much. Additionally, food manufacturers often store beans in a sugary substance during canning to extend shelf life. Avoid unnecessary carb and sugar intake by purchasing dry beans and soaking them overnight. By dinner time the following day, you'll have a healthy, high-protein food that is beneficial for your diabetic diet.
Beans and Exchanges
If you follow the diabetic exchange diet, which portions foods based on how they affect your blood sugar levels, beans are part of the plant-based protein meat substitute group. One exchange of beans, equivalent to a 1/2-cup serving, offers one starch and one lean meat exchange. This serving size contains 125 calories, 15 g of carbs, 7 to 10 g of protein and 4 g or less of fat. Healthy bean options include a variety of beans such as black, garbanzo, kidney, lima, navy and pinto beans.
Beans and Blood Glucose
Beans, a type of legume, are low on the glycemic index, meaning they provide carbs, but the carbs digest slowly, according to a research review published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2004. This allows your blood glucose, or blood sugar, to rise slowly and stay within a normal range for an extended period of time. Foods that are high on the glycemic index, such as refined sugar, cause your blood glucose to suddenly spike and then rapidly drop to below-normal levels. Beans also provide a large amount of fiber, which can also help stabilize your blood glucose.
Beneficial Fiber
For a healthy diet, women need 25 g of fiber daily, and men require as much as 38 g, says the Mayo Clinic. Each 1/2-cup serving of beans provides 3 g of fiber or more, depending on the type. Beans contain mainly soluble fiber, which is especially beneficial in diabetes management. Soluble fiber binds with water in your digestive tract, creating a gel-like substance that slows digestion. Since high-soluble fiber foods sit in your digestive tract for an extended period of time, sugar is absorbed at a steady rate, rather than all at once. Enjoying a serving of beans, rich in fiber, as part of a balanced meal can help maintain your blood glucose levels for hours.
Nutrient Dense
Beans are nutrient dense, meaning they are rich in nutrients but provide minimal calories. In addition to healthy carbohydrates and high-fiber content, beans offer an array of other nutrients. Beans offer several B vitamins, including niacin, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B-6, all of which work together to metabolize the foods you eat. A serving of beans also provides the mineral iron, which helps carry oxygen to cells, tissues and organs. Last, beans provide essential zinc to keep your immune system working at its best and magnesium, a mineral that works with calcium to keep your bones strong.
References
- ChooseMyPlate.gov: Why Is It Important to Make Lean or Low-Fat Choices From the Protein Foods Group?; June 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- "Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists For Diabetes"; American Dietetic Association; 2008
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Cereal Grains, Legumes and Diabetes; B.J. Venn and J.I. Mann; November 2004
