Diabetes And Potatoes: Are Potatoes Safe For Diabetics?

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There is no doubt that nutrition and physical activity play an instrumental part in having a healthy lifestyle, especially when you're living with diabetes. It is also beneficial in helping you maintain a healthy blood glucose level, which is also called blood sugar, at a level within your target range by following a healthy meal plan.

It is critical to balance what you eat with physical activity and diabetes medicines, if you are taking any, to manage your blood glucose. In order to keep your blood glucose level within the range that your healthcare team recommends, you must consider what you choose to eat, how much you consume, and when you consume it [1][2].

As one might expect, previous research has not conclusively shown that eating a diet rich in vegetables reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. There is a possibility that this may be the result of including potatoes as a vegetable in studies. As a result, it is confirmed that vegetables without potatoes do reduce the risk of diabetes [3].

Are Potatoes Safe For Diabetics?

Here are the important points from the study:

Point 1: According to a new study published in Diabetes Care by researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, potatoes may be responsible for vegetables being collectively put into the diabetes risk group. According to the study, vegetables generally do reduce the risk of diabetes, except potatoes, which are frequently included in studies as vegetables.

Point 2: According to the study, participants who consumed the most vegetables - excluding potatoes - had a 21 per cent lower risk of diabetes than those who did not consume significant amounts of vegetables.

Point 3: In addition, the study found no additional benefit for individuals who consumed more than 150 to 250 grams of vegetables each day.

Point 4: Depending on how potatoes are prepared, the study says, they can either have no effect on diabetes risk or actually increase it.

Point 5: Plain, boiled potatoes - and presumably plain baked potatoes, though they were not considered in the study - neither reduce nor increase the risk of diabetes, according to the study. However, potatoes such as fries, mashed potatoes cooked with butter and other ingredients, and potato chips increase the risk of diabetes.

Point 6: The vegetable most closely associated with a reduction in diabetes risk were green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables [4].

Point 7: When including all the forms in which people eat potatoes - excluding fries and chips - the risk of diabetes rose by 9 per cent. This is not to say potatoes have no place in a healthy diet.

Point 8: Potatoes, for example, make your body produce more insulin to control your blood sugar, and if eaten in excessive amounts may cause you to gain weight in your abdomen, leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Point 9: Potatoes were found to have a neutral - or even an adverse - effect on diabetes in the new study, which masks the true benefit of vegetables on diabetes [5].

Point 10: As far as reducing diabetes is concerned, vegetables contain a variety of nutrients and bioactive compounds, including fibre, polyphenols, vitamin K, and nitrate, among others. Such nutrients may promote metabolic health [6]. But they are also relatively low in calories. Perhaps a diet that includes many vegetables can result in a reduction in BMI and weight loss. Both of these are protective measures against the development of diabetes.

On A Final Note...

There is no doubt that a healthy diet, coupled with regular exercise, will keep a person at a healthy weight. Although potatoes contain nutrients and fibre, they are not as concentrated a source as other vegetables, and they have a relatively high energy density compared to other vegetables.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.