Sweet potatoes, cassava, taro good for diabetics

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) yesterday said there are selected root crops that have low glycemic index (GI) and would be good for diabetics.

In a statement, the DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) said sweet potato (kamote), cassava (kamoteng kahoy), taro (gabi) and yam (ube) are some of the starchy root crops found to have low GI.

 GI is a classification of food based on the blood glucose response to a food relative to a standard glucose solution. Low glycemic foods control the release of glucose into the bloodstream at a steady and sustained rate, keeping the body’s metabolic processes and energy levels balanced.

 People with low glycemic diets or eat low glycemic foods are said to have lower risk of getting coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

These food items that have low GI would benefit those who are already suffering from diabetes, since these would help in the proper control and management of blood sugar.

 These foods also improve physical endurance, as blood glucose levels are kept at a moderate level, instead of dipping drastically due to sudden insulin production, for a more sustained period of time.

Moreover, they help control glucose levels in the blood, lower and control triglyceride and lipid levels in the blood, and help with weight loss and maintenance of healthy weight.

Starchy roots and tubers are also sources of other nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C.

Yellow kamote has a relatively high level of beta-carotene, while cassava and sweet potato are relatively good sources of vitamin C.