Sugar And Potatoes - What You Need To Know?

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Video: Sugar And Potatoes - What You Need To Know?

Video: Sugar And Potatoes - What You Need To Know?
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Sugar And Potatoes - What You Need To Know?
Sugar And Potatoes - What You Need To Know?
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Potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables, especially if you do not peel them, and provide the body with large amounts of vitamin C, fiber and potassium. Leaving the potato peels can also lower your blood sugar levels, as fiber slows down the emptying of the stomach and thus reduces the rise in blood sugar levels after each meal.

Carbohydrates in potatoes

Baked Russet potatoes (large in size, dark brown in color) are composed of 21% carbohydrates. Everyone medium-sized potatoes contain about 4.6 g of protein, 2 g of fat and 37 g of carbohydrates, including 4 grams of fiber. Only 1.9 g of the carbohydrates in potatoes come from sugars, including 0.6 g of glucose, and 30.2 g come from starch.

The glycemic index of potatoes

Carbohydrates in potatoes
Carbohydrates in potatoes

The glycemic index measures the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index often cause spikes in blood sugar levels after a meal.

The glycemic index of potatoes can range widely, with the lowest average of 50 for boiled white potatoes, to the highest average of 85 for mashed potatoes and baked Russet potatoes. The variety of potato, the method of cooking it in a dish and whether you peel it - all this can affect the glycemic index of potatoes.

Minimize the effect of potatoes on blood sugar

You can reduce to a minimum the influence of potatoes on blood sugar levelsby combining them with foods that are low in carbohydrates (such as meat) or those that have a low glycemic index (such as beans, peas and most other vegetables). If you eat a small portion of potatoes with lean meat or salad, the impact on your blood sugar levels will be relatively low. However, if you eat a plate full of french fries, skip the salad, and add a slice of apple pie for dessert, this meal is likely to cause a big spike in your blood sugar levels.

Potatoes with meat
Potatoes with meat

Things to consider

For diabetics, an average potato is more than one serving of carbohydrates, as 15 grams of carbohydrates is considered one serving. However, when counting carbohydrates, the fiber is removed from the total carbohydrates, leaving 33 grams of carbohydrates. In these accounts, an average potato yields about two servings of carbohydrates.

That doesn't mean you can't eat baked or fried potatoes. Just when you do, try to limit your other sources of carbohydrates in this diet to minimize the overall effect of the potato dish on your blood sugar levels.

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