The Best Way To Prepare Sweet Potatoes For Blood Sugar Balance (2024)

FAQs

The Best Way To Prepare Sweet Potatoes For Blood Sugar Balance? ›

Boiled sweet potatoes affect blood sugar levels far less than other varieties, such as fried, roasted, or baked versions. Longer boiling times reduce the GI further. To support better blood sugar control, it's best to select healthy cooking methods and enjoy sweet potatoes in moderation.

The Bottom Line

Boiling sweet potatoes or pairing them with foods high in protein and fiber can help folks with diabetes better manage potential blood sugar spikes after eating.

When it comes to preparing sweet potatoes, you may want to opt for boiled when you can, suggests research. Boiled sweet potatoes have the lowest glycemic index value, meaning they won't quickly spike your blood sugar.

The peel of a sweet potato has nearly ten times the antioxidant power as the flesh (an antioxidant capacity comparable to that of blueberries). However, the peel's nutrition really takes a hit when baked, which wipes out over two thirds of the antioxidants, whereas microwaving or boiling are comparatively much gentler.

Eating potatoes alongside low-GI foods that provide fiber, lean protein, and healthful fats can help balance the nutritional benefits of a meal. Eating high-fiber foods can help a person moderate blood sugar levels and increase their feeling of fullness after a meal.

Sweet potatoes are known to be high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, which results in a less immediate impact on blood glucose levels. This can help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels in check. Sweet potatoes can be: Baked or microwaved.

Here are some tips to prepare potatoes in a diabetic-friendly way: Choose Baking Over Frying: Baking or roasting potatoes is a healthier cooking method compared to frying. This way, you can avoid using excessive oil, which can raise your blood sugar levels.

Cooking sweet potatoes can make the fiber more easily digestible. Heat breaks down the cell walls of the sweet potato, making the fiber more accessible to the digestive system. Cooked sweet potatoes also have a sweeter taste and a softer texture, which can be more palatable to many people.

Since sweet potatoes are high in carbohydrates, they can spike blood sugar levels. Their fiber content helps to slow down this process. Orange sweet potatoes have a higher GI. This can increase your blood sugar level, compared to other sweet potato varieties.

In general, the longer a potato is cooked the higher the GI. Therefore, boiling or baking for long periods tends to increase the GI. Yet, cooling potatoes after cooking can increases the amount of resistant starch, which is a less digestible form of carbs. This helps lower the GI by 25–28% ( 21 , 22).

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

If you're trying to make the most out of your sweet potatoes and mitigate a potential spike in blood sugar, Sapola suggests boiling this veggie rather than roasting it. "The preparation technique for a sweet potato can drastically affect the glycemic impact of that sweet potato," Sapola explains.

It's really the best way. Microwaving sweet potatoes cuts down cook time by 45 to 55 minutes, and, according to a 2018 study, helps maintain the potato's nutritional value. All cooking methods cause foods to lose some of their nutrients, but the quicker your potato cooks, the more nutrients it will retain.

How does cooking affect the nutritional value of sweet potato? Cooking sweet potato does reduce its beta-carotene levels, although boiling appears to have a higher retention compared to baking. The good news, however, is that cooking sweet potato appears to increase its vitamin C content.

Adults with type 2 diabetes who ate a mixed evening meal with skinless potatoes had a lower overnight blood glucose response compared to a meal with low-GI basmati rice. While the glycemic index can be a useful tool, it cannot be used as the be-all and end-all guide for those attempting to manage their diabetes.

Potatoes fall in the high GI category. A cup of them can affect your blood sugar in the same way a can of soda would. One study found that women who ate a large amount of potatoes raised their risk of diabetes. Replacing them with whole grains cut their risk.

Although all fresh fruits make a healthy choice, certain fruits, like berries, avocados, citrus fruits, apples, and pomegranates, may offer specific health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes, such as improving post-meal blood sugar levels and lowering blood pressure.

Results showed that the total sugar content of baked sweet potatoes increased significantly because of the formation of maltose. The maltose content dramatically increased after baking, and became the major sugar component of baked sweet potatoes.

Therefore, unpeeled sweet potato, even after cooking, will maintain blood sugars steadier after a meal, help regulate hormones better, help regulate one's weight better, and also help with glycemic control if one has diabetes.

"If you have prediabetes or diabetes, choosing sweet potato over white potato can help reduce your chance of a blood sugar spike," adds Willingham.