Sweet potatoes can be good for people with diabetes.
However, you still should eat them in moderation.
Sweet potatoesmay be high in carbohydrates, which can elevate your blood sugar.
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However, their glycemic indexhow quickly they raise blood sugarcan change depending on how you prepare them.
It ranks foods based on how quickly they can raise your blood glucose levels.
Pure glucose is the top reference point with a GI of 100.
How Sweet Potatoes Affect Blood Sugar
Sweet potatoes are rich incarbohydrates.
They generally have a medium to highglycemic index.
Foods with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar to spike and then crash.
Foods with a low glycemic index give you sustained energy because they are digested and absorbed slowly.
The overall impact on your blood sugar also depends on portion size.
Aim for a small sweet potato (about a half-cup serving or less).
Although sweet potatoes may be high in carbohydrates, they may still benefit individuals with diabetes.
They contain magnesium, fiber, and many other healthful components.
The key is to eat them in moderation.
They can connect you with resources and dietitians (RDNs) to help.
This amount of fiber may help modulate your blood sugar to a small extent.
Purple-Flesh Sweet Potatoes
Purple sweet potatoes are known to have many health benefits.
The purple varieties have more anthocyanins than orange sweet potatoes.
Compared to orange and white sweet potatoes, they also have significantly higher concentrations of phenolic acids.
Phenolic acids may have a positive effect on diabetes by helping with insulin sensitivity.
Orange-Flesh Sweet Potatoes
Orange-flesh sweet potatoes may be confused with yams.
However, yams belong to a different botanical family.
Sweet potatoes naturally contain sugar, but how much is in your meal will depend on preparation.
They are rich in the following vitamins and minerals:
Vitamin Ais an important vitamin for vision.
It can help with eyesight, including in low light.
Dietary fiberis good for you because it helps make you feel full.
It also helps with digestion and can prevent constipation.
Although starch is sometimes considered bad, some starches are better than others.
Some sweet potatoes, like the purple sweet variety, have resistant starch.
Resistant starch is only partially broken down in the body and helps prevent spikes in glucose.
As with any food, its important to be mindful of serving size and cooking methods.
The powerful nutrients contained in these colorful tubers may be able to prevent blood sugar from spiking after eating.
The way you prepare them can also affect how blood sugar levels will respond.
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