An article on the Vinmec Hospital website said that although sweet potatoes contain starch, they are low in calories and sugar. This food contains a lot of fiber, helping patients feel full longer, reduce food intake, and maintain blood sugar.

Glycemic index of sweet potatoes

100g of sweet potatoes contain about 28.5g of carbs with a low GI of about 50. The processing of sweet potatoes will also affect the glycemic index of this food.

The glycemic index of boiled or steamed sweet potatoes is only about 44. Fried sweet potatoes have a GI of 75. Baked sweet potatoes have a GI of 82.

The way potatoes are boiled also affects the amount of blood sugar when they enter the body. Patients should boil sweet potatoes for as long as possible. Boiling potatoes for 30 minutes has a low GI value of about 46, but boiling for 8 minutes has an average GI of up to 61.

Does eating sweet potatoes increase blood sugar?

Eating too much sweet potato can cause sugar to accumulate in the blood and cause blood sugar to spike after eating. However, when used in moderation and properly, sweet potatoes can bring many benefits to people with diabetes.

Sweet potatoes contain Carotenoids, which regulate blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance.

Ingredients such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene in this root vegetable help improve the immune system, bringing many benefits to eye health. In particular, these are also 2 powerful antioxidants, capable of eliminating free radicals that are harmful to cells.

Many research documents also show that sweet potatoes have a high iron content, helping red blood cells produce oxygen and transport nutrients throughout the body.

This food is capable of providing a source of vegetable protein, helping to keep you full for a long time and promote weight loss, thereby contributing to increased insulin sensitivity.

In addition, some types of sweet potatoes have also been shown to be beneficial for people with blood sugar problems and obesity. Not only are sweet potatoes rich in nutrients, they also contain properties that can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

How should diabetics eat sweet potatoes?

In fact, sweet potatoes contain only a certain amount of sugar, and are completely safe for people with diabetes. The important thing is that you need to use this food properly.

The best time to eat sweet potatoes is in the morning, to provide energy for the body effectively. For lunch and dinner, you should eat less sweet potatoes and replace them with other foods to add more protein and vitamins to help improve your health.

People with diabetes should only eat 1⁄2 of a medium-sized sweet potato per day (equivalent to about 15g of added starch). To ensure safety, you should still consult a doctor or nutritionist to find the most suitable diet.

In addition to the portion size, you should also pay attention to how you prepare sweet potatoes, because some methods can increase the glycemic index of this food. According to nutritionists, you should use potatoes to make boiled dishes instead of grilled dishes.

Because sweet potatoes contain a lot of starch, you should limit the use of starch from other foods.

You also need to eat more green vegetables and fruits to provide enough vitamins and fiber to reduce sugar absorption in the blood.

You should not eat sweet potatoes too often, you need to pay attention to balance and supplement other food groups to provide adequate nutrition for the body.

Families should also not use raw sweet potatoes because this will adversely affect the digestive system of people with diabetes. In addition, raw sweet potatoes have a higher sugar content than cooked sweet potatoes, so it can cause blood sugar to increase.

Choose sweet potatoes suitable for diabetics

Whether sweet potatoes are good for diabetics depends on the type of sweet potato you choose. Here are three suitable types of sweet potatoes that you can consider:

Orange sweet potato : This is a type of potato commonly grown in Vietnam with a reddish-brown skin on the outside and orange on the inside. This type of potato also has a low glycemic index, so it is considered a good choice for people with diabetes.

Purple sweet potatoes: These are purple both inside and out, and are considered to have a lower glycemic index than orange sweet potatoes. Not only do they provide essential nutrients for health, purple sweet potatoes also contain anthocyanins, considered polyphenolic compounds, which can prevent the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes thanks to their ability to improve insulin resistance.

Japanese sweet potatoes: This type of potato is purple on the outside and yellow on the inside, containing high levels of caiapo, which helps reduce fasting blood sugar levels and blood cholesterol. This is an important factor in limiting complications of diabetes.

So, regarding the question of whether eating sweet potatoes increases blood sugar, the answer is that if used in moderation, this food is very good for diabetic patients. Patients need to pay attention to eating in moderation as well as preparing it properly. In addition to using sweet potatoes, diabetics also need to pay attention to using other suitable foods to ensure nutrition for the body and effectively control diabetes.