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Last Updated on May 5, 2023 by Team THIP
To maintain a healthy diet while managing diabetes, it’s crucial to consume a diverse range of nutritious foods from all food groups, as prescribed by your meal plan. This article aims to explore whether carrots are good for individuals with diabetes and why healthcare professionals often suggest them as a valuable addition to their diet.
Are carrots a good choice with diabetes?
Yes. If you have diabetes and are closely monitoring your blood sugar levels, carrots can be a healthy addition to your diet. Not only are they a non-starchy vegetable, but research has found that carrot supplementation can significantly lower blood glucose levels, though not to the same extent as a controlled level. In fact, studies have demonstrated that consuming carrot juice may reverse metabolic abnormalities caused by high fructose intake in rats and can even help lower body weight and BMI in diabetic subjects.
Furthermore, anthocyanins derived from black carrots have shown promise in controlling diabetes. However, it’s important to note that while carrots can be incorporated into a healthy dietary regime, they are not a substitute for proper medical treatment for diabetes. Ultimately, carrots can be a beneficial addition to a balanced diet, but they should not be relied upon as a sole solution for managing diabetes.
Why are carrots good for a diabetic patient?
The GI (Glycemic Index) of raw carrots is 16. The GI for boiled carrots ranges from 32 to 49 which puts carrots in the low glycemic food group. Low GI foods release sugar slowly into your body, giving it more time to store or use it. Your body digests foods that rate high on the scale faster than low ones. Hence, carrots have very little impact on blood sugar.
Also, Carrots are high in fiber, which helps slow down how quickly they release sugar. Glycemic load is the measure that combines the glycemic index and the serving size to determine the overall effect on your blood sugar. Eating low glycemic index food might raise the glycemic load. Hence, it is important to keep a check on glycemic load also. Two small raw carrots have a glycemic load of about 8. That also puts carrots in the low glycemic load group.
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