Diabetes

Can quinoa help you manage your blood sugar:

Part of living with diabetes is managing your diet to help control your blood sugar. Foods that are high on the glycemic index are associated with causing blood sugar spikes.Healthy meal plans for people with diabetes often focus on choosing foods rated at medium to low on the glycemic index. A glycemic index of 55 or below is considered low.

Quinoa has a glycemic index of around 53, meaning it won’t cause as dramatic a spike in blood sugar. This is because it contains fiber and protein, both of which slow the digestion process.Most grains don’t have all the amino acids needed to make a protein. However, quinoa contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.

The dietary fiber content in quinoa is also higher than the content for many other grains. This means that quinoa can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes, since fiber and protein are considered important for keeping blood sugar under control.

Managing total carbohydrate intake per meal is very important for blood sugar regulation. One cup (189 grams) of cooked quinoa contains about 40 grams of carbohydrates.

How Quinoa Can Impact Blood Sugar:

One of the keys to living a healthy life with diabetes is managing and controlling your diet.  Quinoa is a great choice for diabetes because it is a whole grain, one of the key components of a healthy diabetic diet along with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and unsaturated fats.

Foods that are high on the glycemic index will raise your blood sugar and could make it difficult to control.  Quinoa, however, is very low on the glycemic index meaning it won’t cause a spike in blood sugar when eaten.

While most grains don’t have the amino acids necessary to form a protein, quinoa has enough present to be considered a complete protein.  Quinoa is also a great fiber source that doesn’t impact blood sugar that could help you maintain proper body weight to prevent other chronic conditions associated with diabetes.