Sweet potatoes are considered healthier than potatoes, but they still contain carbohydrates. Should diabetics eat sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are known to be high in fiber, packed with antioxidants, and have a low glycemic index, meaning they don’t immediately impact blood sugar levels. This can help people with diabetes control their blood sugar.
Sweet potatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways, including boiling, steaming, baking, or microwaving. No matter how you eat them, this starchy vegetable is a great source of nutrition to add to your diet. However, not everyone knows how sweet potatoes affect blood sugar levels and how to incorporate them into a healthy, balanced diet.
1. Nutritional composition of sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients.
Sweet potatoes come in many varieties, purple, yellow, white, honey or Japanese sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium and fiber… But orange sweet potatoes contain more beta carotene, while purple sweet potatoes contain more anthocyanins. Both beta carotene and anthocyanins are health-promoting antioxidants. A medium-sized sweet potato contains a moderate amount of starchy carbohydrates, is a good source of fiber and has an impressive vitamin and mineral content.
According to the USDA organic certification, one medium cooked sweet potato (114g) with skin contains the following nutrients:
- Calories: 103
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein : 2g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 41mg
- Potassium : 542mg
- Vitamin C : 22mg
- Vitamin A : 1,100mcg
2. How do sweet potatoes affect blood sugar?
Like all foods that contain carbohydrates, sweet potatoes can raise blood sugar levels. How much they raise blood sugar depends on the total portion size, how the sweet potato is cooked, and what foods are combined with it.
However, nutritionists say that sweet potatoes should not be completely eliminated from the diet just because they contain carbohydrates . The US Centers for Disease Control notes that there is no exact serving size that works for everyone, so how many carbs you should eat depends on your individual needs. People with diabetes should see an endocrinologist and a nutritionist to determine the appropriate amount.
Like many other starchy foods, sweet potatoes are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat. This means that sweet potatoes are more likely to cause a spike in blood sugar when eaten alone. However, when combined with other foods that contain fat and protein, this can make a difference in their effect on blood sugar.
3. Can people with diabetes eat sweet potatoes?
According to Dr. Megan Huff, a cardiovascular nutritionist in Atlanta (USA), people with diabetes can still eat sweet potatoes. The fiber content in sweet potatoes, especially if eaten with the skin, can help reduce blood sugar spikes. In addition, the way you cook sweet potatoes also helps reduce the level of increase in blood sugar. For example, boiled sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than baked sweet potatoes. The glycemic scale measures the speed at which food can increase blood sugar. Therefore, foods with a low glycemic index tend to have less impact on blood sugar.
4. How should people with diabetes eat sweet potatoes?
Eating boiled sweet potatoes may help people with diabetes better control blood sugar spikes after eating.
People with diabetes should pair sweet potatoes with protein sources and non-starchy vegetables. These foods take longer to digest, so they provide “slow” energy and change blood sugar levels in a slow, steady manner.
To create a balanced meal, eat sweet potatoes with protein and fat to slow down digestion and absorption of sugar. Sweet potatoes combined with foods rich in protein and fiber can help people with diabetes better control blood sugar spikes after eating.
Foods that are particularly good to pair with sweet potatoes include cheese, any protein such as chicken, seafood or steak, and some foods where the more fiber the better. Ideally, the fiber should come from non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, leafy greens or green beans. Additionally, adding fat to foods high in carotenoids increases their bioavailability and conversion to the active form of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin.
Dr. Megan Huff recommends boiling sweet potatoes instead of baking them, as boiling causes less starch breakdown, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Food Chemistry.
Sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense and provide a fiber-rich carbohydrate to any meal, which is important for a balanced diet whether you have diabetes or not.
