Which is healthier for diabetics--boiled sweet potatoes or steamed sweet potatoes? Sliced or whole?

[Pingju]

My aunt who is in her sixties was recently diagnosed with diabetes. She loves to eat sweet potatoes but I'm not sure which is a healthier choice for her--boiled or steamed sweet potatoes? And is it healthier to slice them before cooking or cook them without cutting?
Thanks!

[Kiwedin]

Steamed is definitely the healthier choice because you don't lose nutrients in the water, and I'm not sure it matters how you cut them lol but keeping the skin on is better for you. Type 2 diabetes is completely reversible as well, tell her to read Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, 80/10/10, and the China Study. All books are really helpful in reversing diabetes in under a month, even as quick as one week. My aunt was able to reverse hers pretty quickly with the advice she learned in these books :)

[Pingju]

Thanks so much, precisely what I need! :) I'm going to the library to find these now. What's your aunt's staple food now since diabetics can eat only very little white rice and porridge, right?

[Kiwedin]

I'm not exactly sure what her staple foods were while she was diabetic, but I do know that her diet was very low in sugar, but she found it too difficult and boring to maintain a healthy diet that way. She used a low fat vegan diet to reverse her diabetes and even afterwards when she was back to normal health, she continued being vegan on a program called Raw Till 4. She loves it, it's been three years since she reversed it and she's still vegan. It's really saved her health. Hope this helps your aunt as well :).

[mei0313]

I've read steaming instead boiling any vegetable keep more nutrients of vegetables. Sweet potato has vitamin A, and C, iron and good amount of fiber so either one is healthy food😛

[Pingju]

Thanks, mei mei :)

[BertMacklinFBI]

sweet potato by itself is just good, steamed and boiled will take away some of the nutrients depending on how long you do it for. I personally bake mine, I think it takes some too but its nice. and I just eat it whole with the skin, most of the nutrients are contained in the skin. rest of the fibers are the potato itself.

[Anonymous]

I really don't think it matters. Boiled and steamed are basically doing the same thing just in a different way. I could be wrong but I can't see how one would be better or worse than the other

[Opinion Owner]

Actually I would say steaming since it retains the nutrients better

[Anonymous]

Both the same really. My dad is diabetic to so he has to do that, and he does say boiled is nicer for him.

[Pingju]

Can diabetics eat white rice?

[Pingju]

I heard a lot of people say that diabetics shouldn't eat white rice or take any porridge :(

[Opinion Owner]

They can, but just have to eat it within their boundaries and not eat to excess. My dad has had it around 30 years and manages it very well, he's probably had a hypo two times in all those years that I can remember, and he loves white rice and probably has a portion a week. He has porridge once in a while to. I think with diabetes, as long as you keep your levels in check, you can still enjoy foods you liked before, just not as often. I mean, some diabetics still eat chocolate and junk stuff, they just don't eat it as often as they want to.

Really, it's best to just get a feel of changes in your body and learn to notice small things that mean you're allowed a treat today like chocolate or white rice, or when you need a sugar boost and things like that. Once you've got that down, you can pretty much live normally.

[Pingju]

Thank you so much :) I just read in an artice that steamed sliced sweet potatoes are healthier for diabetes. Not sure if it is true so I ask for GAGers'opinions. Glad that your dad is managing it so well :) My aunt's feet turn black and have sores too so I'm very worried :(

[Opinion Owner]

Yes, that can happen to. Well, both my parents worked in the medical field so he manages it easier than others sometimes.
I know I've spoken to him before about people like your aunt. From what I remember, he says being very mobile and walking a lot, combined with healthy eating and being careful not to get injuries can help with things like that. I think, from what I remember, it's because of how poor diabetics circulation can sometimes be.
Make sure she keeps her sores very clean, and uses anti bacterial on it once or twice a day, because it's very easy for them to get an infection, plus their immunity is lower and won't fight germs so well.

[Pingju]

Thanks again :) By the way, this is something which I just read :

- One analysis found that sweet potatoes reduce HbA1c measures between 0.30 and 0.57 percent and fasting blood glucose by 10 to 15 points. Sweet potato also contains anthocyanins, which are the natural pigments that give the sweet potato its deep orange color and the antioxidants believed to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial qualities.

- GI changes with food preparation. Boiling usually results in a lower GI, since starch can bind with water. The dry heat of baking, on the other hand, lowers moisture and concentrates sugars. Cutting up potatoes and sweet potatoes helps preserve their starchiness, while cooking them whole results in more sugariness.

[Pingju]

-Sweet potatoes don't have to take a long time to prepare. Cutting them into 1/2-inch slices and Healthy Steaming them for just 7 minutes not only brings out their great flavor but helps to maximize their nutritional value.

[Opinion Owner]

Thank you! Nice to know, I'm going to show this all to my dad aswel :)
I always go wrong with steaming, so at least now I know that to lol.

[Pingju]

:) So what is your dad's staple food all these years since he eats so little white rice and porridge? Singaporeans eat white rice everyday.

[Anonymous]

Steamed potatoes so you will retain the nutrients if you boil the you wash all the nutrients , whole

[kangy]

boiling keep the nutrients