What are the best Vegetables for diabetics?
The best vegetables for diabetics are those that provide essential nutrition while not raising blood sugar levels. Diabetes need all the best nutrients that vegetables can provide. So, diabetics must eat vegetables as part of daily diabetic meals. However, we do not want vegetables to raise blood sugar levels dangerously. High blood sugar levels are every diabetic’s nightmare. Regular high blood sugar levels can result in diabetes complications. Hence, experts say best vegetables for diabetics are those that have low glycaemic index (GI) high fibre and nutrition.
Examples of the best vegetables for diabetics include lettuce, cabbage, spinach, kale, courgette, tomato, green beans, cauliflower, eggplant, capsicum, celery beetroot, pumpkin etc.
Tomato is low in glycaemic index and calories but high in nutrition and water. This makes tomato great for a diabetic to eat. Similarly, broccoli, spinach and cabbage are great for diabetics as long as you keep portion size moderate. Eggplants are about 92% water and low in calories or sugars. Green beans are high in nutrition and make a great meal for diabetics.
Why should a diabetic eat lots of vegetables?
A diabetic can eat vegetables as part of daily diabetic meals. Every balanced meal includes vegetables. Vegetables are nutritious and rich in fibre. Being the main source of dietary fibre, vegetables must be part of every diabetic meal plan. It is hard to find an alternative for vegetables or a person who can keep good health without eating vegetables. So, every person needs to eat lots of vegetables to keep good health. Diabetics are no exception to this rule. Vegetables can eat a balanced combination of starchy and non-starchy vegetables to get variety of nutrition into the body. Another tip is to include vegetables of different colours in a meal. This helps keep good health and regulate blood sugar levels and keep diabetes complications at bay.
What vegetables should diabetics avoid?
You would be tempted to think that diabetics should avoid all vegetables that are high in carbohydrates. However, experts say a diabetic just needs to cut down on the portion size of starchy vegetables and up the portion size of non-starchy vegetables.