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Sweet potatoes for diabetics recipes: 7 Delicious Sweet Potato Ideas for People With Diabetes

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7 Delicious Sweet Potato Ideas for People With Diabetes

Sweet potatoes have a sterling nutritional profile, making them a great food for people with diabetes. Here’s how to start incorporating them into your diet.

By Amy Gorin, MS, RDNMedically Reviewed by Reyna Franco, MS, RDN of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Reviewed:

Medically Reviewed

Compared with white potatoes, sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index when prepared the same way, meaning they’re less likely to spike your blood sugar.Getty Images

Sweet potatoes are a popular food among people with diabetes, and for good reason.

As a root vegetable, the sweet potato is higher in fiber than its tuberous cousin, the white potato. Fiber cannot be digested by the human body, so it provides bulk without adding calories and helps you feel full for longer.

“Sweet potatoes have many health benefits,” notes Sylvia White, RD, CDCES, a certified diabetes care and education specialist in private practice in Nashville. “They are anti-inflammatory and have antioxidants that help prevent diseases. This includes heart disease, the number-one cause of death in people with diabetes.”

Indeed, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, heart disease is the leading killer among all men and women in the United States.

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Greens, Sweet Potato, and Fried Egg Bowl

Get your veggies in ahead of the holiday with this Greens, Sweet Potato, and Fried Egg Bowl!

contains  Eggs

4.1 out of 422 reviews

PREP TIME

5 min

COOK TIME

55 min

TOTAL TIME

1 hr

Ingredients

2 cups lettuce of choice

Olive oil (1 tbsp, plus more for drizzling)

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 large egg

½ avocado

½ cup microgreens

Salt, to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

Directions

1

For step-by-step directions to make this recipe, visit The Feedfeed.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving

calories

533

total fat

36g

saturated fat

6g

protein

13g

carbohydrates

44g

fiber

11.2g

sugar

12.1g

added sugar

0g

sodium

646mg

TAGS:

Eggs, Diabetes-Friendly, Heart-Healthy, Mediterranean, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, High-Fiber, Anti-Inflammatory, Lunch

One of these antioxidants is vitamin C, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Mayo Clinic notes that this nutrient is important for the formation and repair of blood vessels, muscle, and collagen in the body; it can also aid the absorption of iron, and so reduce your risk of iron deficiency and the associated symptoms (including fatigue and light-headedness), according to Harvard.

Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin A. “This vitamin may help improve the function of our pancreatic beta cells,” says Lori Zanini, RD, CDCES, the creator of the free online training programs at For the Love of Diabetes, based in Manhattan Beach, California. Pancreatic beta cells produce, store, and release insulin, according to Diabetes.co.uk.

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. Baked, mashed, and roasted sweet potatoes have the highest glycemic index values.

RELATED: 10 Tips to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally

10 Surprising Foods That Have Little Impact On Blood Sugar

7 Tips and Tricks for Preparing Sweet Potatoes if You Have Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you can eat sweet potatoes daily — as long as you factor the vegetable’s carbohydrate count into your meal planning. “Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White. “People with diabetes can eat carbs but need to watch portions of foods with carbs.” What this means: Limit portions to half a sweet potato per meal or snack. Then pair that portion with a protein source, such as chicken breast or eggs, to further stabilize blood glucose levels, advises Zanini.

Now go ahead and try these ideas for preparing sweet potatoes, from culinary dietitians around the country.

Add sweet potatoes to a smoothie. “I add cooked sweet-potato pieces to a smoothie with ½ of a small banana for sweetness, yogurt for a boost of protein, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and ginger or pumpkin spice for an added aromatic flavor,” says Tracee Yablon Brenner, RDN, a certified holistic health counselor and the author of Simple Foods for Busy Families.

Top it with nut butter and fruit. This is a go-to for Marisa Moore, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Atlanta. Just heat up half a baked sweet potato in the toaster oven or microwave, then add a dollop of peanut butter and a few sliced fresh grapes, she suggests. If you’re having this for breakfast, serve with a side of scrambled eggs for extra protein.

RELATED: 7 Healthy, Protein-Packed Nut Butters

Make sweet-potato toast. “I love cutting sweet potatoes into thin slices and toasting them to make sweet potato toast, says Abbey Sharp, RD, a registered dietitian in Toronto. “You can then top them with any of your favorite healthy high-protein toppings.” Try cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or eggs.

RELATED: 10 of the Best Plant-Based Sources of Protein

Eat a baked potato side. Flavor half a baked sweet potato with chipotle pepper for sweet and spicy flair, suggests Moore. Or roll baked sweet ’tater pieces in nuts and seeds. Try a mixture of chopped pecans, walnuts, hemp seeds, and cinnamon, suggests Yablon Brenner.

Mash ’em. To cut down on added sugar, Yablon Brenner suggests mashing cooked sweet potatoes with diabetes-friendly seasonings like cinnamon and ginger. “The cinnamon brings out the sweetness in the sweet potatoes,” she says. “Mashed sweet potatoes are a delicious side, as well as a breakfast dish when combined with yogurt, nuts, or nut butter.”

RELATED: The Next Generation of Food Sweeteners

Create a sweet potato bowl. Cube half a cooked sweet potato, then add it to a bowl with black beans, ½ cup of cooked quinoa, and sautéed spinach, suggests Toby Amidor, RD, of New York City, the author of The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook.

Add ’em to soup. “Soups are nourishing, and sweet potatoes add a creamy texture and sweetness to soup,” says Yablon Brenner, whose favorite sweet potato soup is made with red lentils, carrots, onions, and a variety of spices and herbs.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

  • Diabetes and Your Heart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 20, 2022.
  • Sweet Potatoes. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
  • Vitamin C. Mayo Clinic. November 17, 2020.
  • Iron. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. March 2023.
  • Beta Cells. Diabetes.co.uk. January 25, 2023.
  • Sagili VS, Chakrabarti P, Jayanty S, et al. The Glycemic Index and Human Health With an Emphasis on Potatoes. Foods. August 2, 2022.

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Sweet Potato Casserole – Diabetic Recipe

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“I got this recipe from Diabetic Living and thought I would share it.”

 

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photo by lazyme

Ready In:
1hr 25mins
Ingredients:
10
Serves:

ingredients

  • 3

    large sweet potatoes

  • Pam cooking spray

  • 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 2

    eggs

  • 3⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1⁄2 cup nonfat milk

  • 1

    cup pecans

  • 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3

    tablespoons butter

directions

  • In a covered large saucepan, cook sweet potatoes in enough lightly salted boiling water to cover, for 25-30 minutes, or until very tender.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.
  • Lightly coat a 1 1/2-2 quart oval baking dish, or a 2 quart square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Drain sweet potatoes, and return to saucepan.
  • Using an electric mixer or potato masher, mash sweet potatoes until smooth.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute, eggs, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  • Add milk, and stir to combine.
  • Pour into the prepared baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, combine pecans, 1/4 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute, flour, and melted butter. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.
  • Bake uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are heated through, and topping is golden brown.
  • Serve warm.

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Sweet potato for diabetes: review, useful recipes

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  • Author:

    Yulia Nikolaeva (35 years old, DM experience 1-33 years), author of a blog about proper nutrition in diabetes, author of three books on Italian cuisine


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Recently, such a root crop as sweet potato has become more and more common in recommendations on proper nutrition. Therefore, the question of whether sweet potato can be used by diabetics has acquired particular relevance in modern realities.

Sweet potatoes are also called “sweet potatoes” because they taste like frozen potatoes. Personally, it reminds me more of a sweet November pumpkin.

With its pronounced taste sweetness, sweet potato contains less carbohydrates than potatoes: 14.6 g per 100 g, and in ordinary potatoes – 16.6 g. Here, this root vegetable is the main ingredient in many dishes. In European countries, sweet potato is just beginning to gain popularity.

“Sweet Potato” contains a large amount of vitamins B, C, K, E, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and antioxidants. Just 100 g of sweet potato contains 170% of the required daily intake of beta-carotene, which is necessary to maintain visual acuity, healthy skin, bones, and hair.

Nutritional value per 100 g:

Calories 61 kcal⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

✅ Proteins 2 g

✅ Fat 0 g

✅ Carbs 14. 6 g

GI 55-70 (depending on the method of preparation)

Scientists claim that eating sweet potatoes is accompanied by a lower insulin response of the pancreas in a healthy person, that is, this root vegetable is absorbed more slowly, and we get a longer feeling of satiety. This fact is very important in type 2 diabetes.

As for the glycemic index, it is worth noting that sweet potato has it lower than potatoes (sweet potato – 55-70, potatoes 65-95). Therefore, between potatoes and sweet potatoes – feel free to choose sweet potatoes!

Here are some interesting recipes for your reference

100 g contains:

  • Calories 40.16 kcal⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  • Proteins 1.75 g
  • Fats 1.33 g
  • Carbohydrates 6.9 g

100 g = 0.5 XE

Ingredients:

  • Sweet potato – 200 g
  • Broccoli – 200 g
  • Leek – 1 stem
  • Olive oil – 10 g
  • Water – 200 ml
  • Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

  1. Peel the sweet potato, cut into small cubes.
  2. Cut the leeks into rings.
  3. Divide broccoli into inflorescences.
  4. Saute leeks in olive oil.
  5. Place the leek, sweet potato, broccoli and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. We continue to cook for about 15 more minutes.
  6. Place the finished soup in a bowl of a blender and beat until puree. Add a little bit of olive oil.
  7. Salt and pepper to taste.

PANCAKE WITH YAMAM

100 g contains:

  • Calories 96 kcal⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  • Proteins 3 g
  • Fats 3 g
  • Carbohydrates 14.52 g

100 g = 1.2 XE

1 pancake = 50 g = 0.6 XE

Ingredients:

  • Sweet potato – 200 g
  • Cornmeal – 50 g
  • Shallot – 1 pc.
  • Zucchini – 100 g
  • Egg – 1 pc.
  • Olive oil – 10 g
  • Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

  1. Peel the sweet potato and courgette and grate them on a coarse grater.
  2. Finely chop shallots and saute in olive oil.
  3. Mix the grated sweet potato and zucchini, shallots, cornmeal and egg in a bowl.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. We form pancakes from the resulting mixture.
  6. We send them to the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
  7. Serve hot pancakes with light yoghurt.

BAKED BAKE WITH EGGLAND AND BEANS

100 g contains:

Calories 68 kcal⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

  • Proteins 2.32 g
  • Fats 1.33 g
  • Carbohydrates 12.37 g

100 g = 1 XE

Ingredients:

  • Sweet potato – 400 g
  • Eggplant – 200 g
  • Shallot – 1 pc.
  • Beans (canned in their own juice) – 100 g
  • Tomato paste – 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Basil to taste
  • Olive oil – 10 g
  • Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

  1. Cut the sweet potato in half and send it to the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 35 minutes.
  2. Eggplant cut into cubes.
  3. Finely chop shallots and saute in olive oil.
  4. Add eggplant, tomato paste to the onion, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.
  5. Add the beans and basil to the mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  6. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. When the sweet potato is ready, take out the pulp from the middle, add it to the stewed vegetables.
  8. Fill the resulting sweet potato baskets with a mixture of vegetables.
  9. Add a drop of olive oil.

Bon appetit!

Instagram: @diabetonline

10 Sweet Potato Recipes Main Dishes

This collection of recipes will show you 10 different ways to make delicious sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are believed to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer and heart disease. It has very few calories. There are about 105 of them in a medium-sized tuber. These root crops also contain little fat, so they can be safely eaten without fear of gaining weight.

Recommended

1. Simple Roasting

Baking sweet potatoes in the oven takes very little time. There are a couple of variations on this process. Both of them require heating the oven to 230°C and 30-45 minutes of time, depending on the number and size of the tubers. The easiest way: lightly scrape the tubers with a knife and put them in the oven over medium heat. Outside, they will be covered with a delicious crispy crust. To make it even tastier, before putting the tubers in the oven, put a piece of butter on them, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Wrap tubers in foil. This is necessary so that the juices that stand out make the tubers even softer and more tender. After cooking, the tubers must be removed from the oven, cut and sprinkled with your favorite seasonings.

Baked Sweet Potato Recipes:

  • Barbadian Baked Sweet Potato
  • Honey Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potato
  • Foil Sweet Potato e, baked with spring onions
  • Baked sweet potato with aioli sauce
  • Baked sweet potato with chili
  • Pan-fried sweet potato with spicy sauce
  • Baked sweet potatoes, sliced ​​

Recommended: Proven recipes with sweet potatoes

2. Sweet potato gratin

Sweet potatoes are usually mixed with breadcrumbs and baked under cheese. Sometimes milk or heavy cream is added to them, but you can do without them, serving them later to the table. At the same time, sweet potatoes do not need to be cleaned before cooking. Its peel is quite edible, it is thin, and it has many useful nutrients. Besides, it looks interesting on a plate. Just a little time in the oven, and the sweet potato dish can be taken out and started tasting. It is usually eaten with a spoon.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipes:

  • Smoked Chili Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Sweet Potato Casserole with Peanuts

    • 90 003 Shepherd’s Pie with Turkey and Sweet Potato

3. Deep Fried Sweet Potato

There are 2 ways to prepare this sweet potato dish. If you want the sweet potato to be not too fried, cut it into strips, put it on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and sprinkle with olive oil. You can salt the sweet potato, pepper and sprinkle with any favorite seasonings. Sweet potatoes should be baked in the oven at 120°C for 25 minutes, turning the pieces from time to time. To check if the dish is ready, you can pierce the slices with a fork.

If you are not afraid to take on a few extra calories and want a nice and crunchy product, the second method is more suitable for you. Also cut the sweet potato into strips and for 15 minutes. immerse completely in ice water – this is necessary in order to remove excess starch, without it the sweet potato will be more crispy. Pour 2.5cm of peanut butter into a frying pan. Dry the sweet potato slices with a paper towel and slowly dip them one by one into the oil in the pan. Roast the sweet potato at 180°C for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Now sprinkle it with your favorite salty or sweet spices.

4. Sweet potato pancakes

Potato pancakes are good for breakfast. Why not try replacing regular potatoes with sweet potatoes? These pancakes go well with egg dishes, plus sweet potatoes will add color to your dishes. To make pancakes, grate or finely chop the tubers in a blender and fry with onions in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil until they turn brown and crispy. Now you can sprinkle the sweet potato dish with herbs and spices that you like best.

Fast food and sweet potato snacks:

  • Sweet potato croquettes
  • Sweet potato latkes (fritters)

    • 900 03 Vegetarian tacos with celery, sweet potatoes and pineapple salsa

  • Hot dogs with grilled chicken sausages and sweet potato fries
  • Quesadilla with pork and sweet potatoes
  • Rava dosa lacy pancakes stuffed with sweet potato and cumin

5.

Grilling

This method is a bit like roasting. The only difference is that on the grill, the sweet potato will acquire a unique smoky flavor. So, cut the tubers into round slices and brush them with olive oil. Now place them on the hot grill. Fry the slices for 5 minutes. from each side. The thinner the slices, the faster they will cook. To make the sweet potato more fragrant, add apple wood chips to the coal. If you want the sweet potato to turn out more tender and soft, put it on a piece of foil, add butter there, wrap it up and put it on the grill for 20 minutes.

  • Grilled sweet potato and green onion salad
  • Warm baked sweet potato and onion salad

6. Puree

If you want your children eat more healthy food, mash sweet potatoes for them. After all, the peel of this vegetable has 3 times more antioxidants than all other vegetables. If you enjoy mashed unpeeled sweet potatoes, you will do yourself and your children a lot of good. If you prefer mashed tubers without skin, it’s okay. At the very least, your body will still get a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Take three large tubers, cut into pieces (the smaller the pieces, the faster they will cook). Boil water and put chopped sweet potato into it. Cook until the pieces are completely soft. This will take you 15-20 minutes. Now drain the water from the pan, add milk, butter and a pinch each of salt and pepper to give the puree the desired taste.

Sweet potato puree recipes:

  • Sweet potato puree with mojito flavor
  • Sweet Potato Puree
  • Indian Sweet Potato Puree
  • Instant Sweet Potato Puree

7. Chi dogs

Homemade sweet potato chips are a much healthier alternative to store-bought potato chips that are deep fried and high in salt, calories and fat. By making the chips yourself, you can control the amount of salt and oil. Cut the sweet potato into very thin round slices and preheat the oven to 230°C. Drizzle sweet potato slices with vegetable oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake them until they are crispy. This will take approximately 25 minutes. During this time, the chips must be turned over once so that they turn brown on both sides. While the slices are still in the oven, you can sprinkle them with Parmesan.

Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes:

  • Sweet Potato with Pancetta, Shiitake Mushrooms and Rapini
  • Baked Potato Stuffed with Sweet Potato

    • 900 03 Chili Stuffed Sweet Potato

8. Pan Fry

Lightly fried vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals and go well with chicken, beef and pork. They can always be eaten by vegetarians. Roasted sweet potato pairs well with pumpkin, onions, parsnips, carrots, and beets. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. If you have a lot of vegetables, then you should take 2 sheets of paper. Cut the vegetables into slices, put in a bowl and toss with salt, pepper and herbs such as rosemary and thyme. You can add garlic because it gives the sweet potato dish a very rich flavor and aroma. Once the oven is preheated, place the vegetables on the hot baking sheet. Roast them for 30-45 minutes, or until they are soft. However, they should not be too soft. Make sure they don’t overcook or stick to the pan.

9. Puree soup

Soups are easy to prepare. Plus, they can be frozen for later use. Sweet potatoes are perfect for soup because they are very filling and harmonize well with other ingredients. To make the soup more interesting, you can add curry powder and a pinch of ground red pepper to it. Experiment with different spices and flavors until you find one that you and your family like best.

Lentil and sweet potato soup recipe

10. Soufflé

This simple sweet potato dish is made with a blender. There are 2 recipes for making sweet potato soufflé. In both cases, the sweet potato must be boiled and mashed. In the first, beaten egg whites are added to the sweet potato puree, and the whole thing is whipped together.