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Starch and Root Vegetables and Diabetes

By Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr) 27 Comments

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Root and starchy vegetables and Type 2 Diabetes

There are a whole range of root vegetables and most of them are also starches  – a type of carbohydrate. Basically, some plants store glucose as starch – giant chains of sugars.

So when it comes to root vegetables and starches, are they safe for type 2 diabetics to eat or not?

Well, let's dig in and explore the facts.

Root Vegetables Nutrition Facts

Root/ Starchy Veggies and type 2 diabetes

As you can see the veggies from swede up are relatively low in carbs, while the ones downwards are high in carbs – potatoes being the highest.

Glycemic Index of Root Veggies

Glymeic index (GI) is a valid measure for higher carb foods but just remember the amount of carbs you eat is the most important thing that influences blood sugar and A1C.

GI is a measure of how fast different food affects blood sugar levels. Anything below 55 is considered a low GI and anything above that is considered high GI. The lower the GI the better it's going to be for you if you're diabetic, the higher…well the worse it is.

Health Hubs sums it up well:

“Root vegetables and tubers are relatively concentrated sources of sugars and starches and tend to contain only small amounts of fiber. This can be problematic for diabetics because they can produce a large glycemic response in situations when they are not combined with high fiber foods…The lowest GI vegetables are yams, carrots and sweet potatoes with GI values of 38, 47 and 55 respectively. High GI root vegetables include potatoes (GI of 60-90), parsnip (97), rutabaga (71), and beets (65).”

As you can see, yams and carrots are really your best 2 options here, followed by a small amount of sweet potato on the odd occasion. BUT, that's only when it comes to GI levels – you still have to keep the amount of carbs in mind.

If you eat raw carrots it lowers their GI even more, down to just 15. Carrots also have a good amount of fiber, so eating raw carrots as a snack or to dip into foods is a good choice.

Research on Root Veggies

The Truth About Root and Starchy Vegetables and Type 2 Diabetes

There isn't a great deal of evidence to show benefits of root veggies for type 2 diabetes, but here are a few things I've found.

One study has shown “root vegetables– including carrots, radishes, salsify, beets, turnips, celeriac, and swede (aka rutabaga or Swedish turnip) – displayed an inverse association with diabetes” – meaning they help diabetes.

That's really the only study to mention root vegetables overall.

I keep saying this but I think in this instance it comes down to total carb count per day and perhaps GI considerations.

Remember: the thing that influences blood sugar and A1C the most is the total carbohydrates consumed.

Many proponents of the low carb diet cut out all types of starch and root vegetables but I don't think that's absolutely necessary.

If you stick to the lower carb options – radish, turnip, celeriac, pumpkin, beets, and carrots, and perhaps some peas and swede occasionally – I think it gives you a bit more variety. And as far as I'm concerned variety is important.

Having a wider variety of foods keeps things interesting and it also provides a wider range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to the body.

For example, beets contains anthocyanins – which is responsible for it's dark color the same as things like blueberries and purple carrots.

Studies show these are extremely powerful polyphenols with many health benefits. In type 2 diabetes anthocyanins have been suggested to be able to help reverse metabolic issues by reducing inflammation and increasing antioxidant activity.

Beets also contain nitrates, which research shows has blood pressure lowering effects.

Carrots and pumpkin contain carotenoids, along with vitamin A, E, and C.

As Dr Axe says:

“Beta-carotene, a precursor to active vitamin A, is found in high quantities in sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and other root vegetables and is crucial for lowering inflammation, protecting skin and eye health, and fighting free radical damage.”

And experts like Dr Mark Hyman and Mark Sisson agree, that it's often not necessary to reduce carbohydrates so low that you exclude the beneficial nutrients that many of these colorful veggies provide.

Just keep the carb count in mind and stick to the lower carb options.

Really with all types of carb foods, you have to constantly monitor blood sugar levels, but if you know the best choices, you won't have to always monitor so closely.

Baked Carrot Fries

Sweet Carrot Fries

Baked Carrot Fries
Sweet Carrot Fries
Votes: 2
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
PRINT RECIPE:
Print Recipe
Total Carbs:15gNet Carbs:11 g
Fiber:4gCalories:106kcal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
  • 5 carrot - julienne sliced into fries
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil
  • Parchment paper
Total Carbs:15gNet Carbs:11 g
Fiber:4gCalories:106kcal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
  • 5 carrot - julienne sliced into fries
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil
  • Parchment paper
Sweet Carrot Fries
Votes: 2
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
PRINT RECIPE:
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F.
  2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  3. Coat the carrots in olive oil and place onto the tray and bake for 30 minutes until nicely browned.
  4. Remove from oven and serve with a burger or your favorite meats or meal.
Nutrition Facts
Baked Carrot Fries
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Sodium 105mg 4%
Potassium 488mg 14%
Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 7g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin A 513%
Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 5%
Iron 3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine General
Print
Print Recipe

 

Guacamole and Carrot Sticks

Guacamole

Delicious Guacamole Dip Recipe
Votes: 7
Rating: 3.29
You:
Rate this recipe!
PRINT RECIPE:
Print Recipe
Total Carbs:10gNet Carbs:3g
Fiber:7gCalories:168kcal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 avocado
  • 1/2 tomato - very finely diced
  • 1/4 red onion - very finely diced - you can also use brown onion
  • 1 teaspoon tamari - wheat free soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt
Total Carbs:10gNet Carbs:3g
Fiber:7gCalories:168kcal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 avocado
  • 1/2 tomato - very finely diced
  • 1/4 red onion - very finely diced - you can also use brown onion
  • 1 teaspoon tamari - wheat free soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt
Votes: 7
Rating: 3.29
You:
Rate this recipe!
PRINT RECIPE:
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. Remove seeds from avocados and scoop out pulp into a bowl
  2. Mash it all up a bit
  3. Add all other ingredients, then mash together until smooth
  4. Add extra salt to taste, then serve with veggie sticks or your favorite meats or salads
Recipe Notes

To make less, just halve the amounts. It will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days but is best eaten fresh.

Nutrition Facts
Delicious Guacamole Dip Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 168 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Sodium 126mg 5%
Potassium 539mg 15%
Total Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 7g 28%
Sugars 1g
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 6%
Vitamin C 23%
Calcium 1%
Iron 3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course Condiments
Cuisine Mexican
Print
Print Recipe

 

Hope you've learned something new about starches, root vegetables, and diabetes.

Please share, pin, or tweet this post. Thanks. 🙂

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About Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)

As DMPs founder and leading nutritionist, Jedha is on a mission to empower the lives of people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes by providing evidence-based nutrition and health education, along with practical tools and support to obtain better health. Jedha has a Masters in Human Nutrition and is currently completing a PhD. With a professional background in the health industry spanning more than 15 years, Jedha has authored hundreds of educational articles across print and online publications worldwide, has been published in the Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism, and has helped transform the lives of thousands.

Previous Post: «Sweet Carrot Fries Baked Carrot Fries
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mariam

    01/17/2018 at 6:50 pm

    I am a pre-diabetic could you advise me what is the best breakfast varieties to eat and I would also like to know more about brown rice and bulgur wheat

    Reply
    • Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)

      01/20/2018 at 1:41 am

      I think you’ll find some great breakfast ideas over here! It’s important to stay clear of those typical high carb breakfast foods such as pancakes, cereal and juice. As far as brown rice and bulgar wheat, both are considered whole grains, and both contain a high amount of carbohydrate per serving. While some people may be able to tolerate SMALL amounts (¼- ½ cup), many people will find even this amount of carbohydrates will raise their blood sugar way above the recommended range. We encourage people to exclude all grains because of this reason. Plus, for most people, it’s very hard to only consume a small amount. Check out some of these ideas for rice substitutes.

      Reply
  2. Ravi Paul

    10/09/2017 at 12:55 pm

    I am eating low carb and some fats including butter. I do not have food cravings and my portions are small. I eat nuts and a so but small amounts about 15g per day. Weight loss is very slow. Any ideas.

    Reply
    • Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)

      10/09/2017 at 2:46 pm

      Difficult to say without knowing more – are you eating plenty of plant fiber? Exercising? Have good sleep and minimize stress? These all influence weight loss. And of course, keeping blood sugar within a healthy range helps too.

      Reply
  3. Kathy

    08/30/2017 at 3:47 pm

    Can you please specify is we should be counting total carbs or net carbs when trying to stay within the range you recommend?

    Reply
    • Jedha

      09/02/2017 at 5:36 pm

      Total carbs, though the lines on the total carb vs net carbs thing is a little blurry. We’ve got a great article coming on this in a few weeks. If you aim for 80 total grams carbs per day, once you subtract fiber, you’d probably be around 50. If aiming for 100 g per day, you’d be coming it at around 70 g per day. Both would be acceptable and yield results. So you could choose to count either or both as they are both useful tools. Anyway, keep your eyes out for the article, it will explain things in more detail.

      Reply
  4. Christy

    04/30/2017 at 9:49 pm

    What can I do to have normal fasting sugar in morning- we usually eat dinner between 5 & 6– I drink green tea or water in evening, any suggestions?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Jedha

      05/01/2017 at 5:02 am

      Hi Christy, One trick that works for some is one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and a slice of cheese before bed, research has shown this works. You may also like to read this discussion on fasting blood sugar levels.

      Reply
  5. F

    02/27/2017 at 10:02 am

    Hi Jedha,
    I’m pre-diab, i love Vegetables so no problem there!
    My problem is breakfast . I was told to eat steel cut oatmeal .
    However, two hours after eating oatmeal my blood sugar Spikes sky high. What to do?
    do I eat eggs every morning?
    Thanks so much!!!!

    Reply
    • Jedha

      02/28/2017 at 12:55 am

      Many T2 diabetics can’t tolerate oatmeal because it is a high carb food, so if it’s causing spikes for you it’s definitely a food you want to cut. It’s fine to eat eggs every morning – including the yolks. Check out these breakfast ideas and there’s some more info on oatmeal over here.

      Reply
  6. Yvonne

    08/17/2016 at 5:46 pm

    The chart on the root vegetables is most helpful! Just recently diagnosed with Type 2 & was feeling overwhelmed in trying to maneuver nutrition information. Your emails have been fantastic. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jedha

      08/18/2016 at 5:26 pm

      Glad you’re finding them helpful Yvonne 🙂

      Reply
  7. Christine Schindler

    08/12/2016 at 5:43 pm

    I believe you need to re-word this paragraph. I think it reads the opposite of your intent.
    “As you can see the veggies from swede down are relatively low in carbs (actually, they are higher), while the ones upwards are high in carbs (actually the top 8 vegetables are the lowest) – potatoes being the highest.”

    Reply
    • Jedha

      08/15/2016 at 3:39 am

      Thanks for picking that up Christine. An honest slip up and should be the other way around. Fixed now of course 🙂

      Reply
  8. Susan

    06/20/2016 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks for this. I love beets, turnips, and rutabagas. It’s good to know I can work them in occasionally.

    Reply
  9. Carolyn McBride

    05/09/2016 at 1:56 am

    I love raw veggies. My problem comes from losing my teeth to Sjogrens. I have dentures and it is so hard to eat raw veggies with them. I’m also having a difficult time with food and keeping blood sugar down.

    Reply
    • Jedha

      05/09/2016 at 4:10 am

      Hi Carolyn, if eating raw veggies is difficult then eat them steamed in a salad, in soups, in stir fries, stews, and casseroles. There are sooo many ways to eat them. If you’re struggling with blood sugar, focus on reducing the high carb foods – pasta, rice, potatoes, and starchy veg. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Claudette McDowell c

    03/09/2016 at 11:33 pm

    I really would like my blood count to be down in the morning and to be off my meds

    Reply
    • Jedha

      03/09/2016 at 11:42 pm

      Well just work at it Claudette and you can probably achieve that. Start with one thing first and go from there. What one thing could you change to work toward you goal?

      Reply
  11. Clara

    03/07/2016 at 12:00 pm

    Hi Jedha. I always thought beets and carrots are bad for diabetes and was avoiding them as much as possible. One quick question here do we need to parboil the beets or consume them raw. What is the best method of having beets

    Reply
    • Jedha

      03/08/2016 at 12:00 am

      Some hard core low carbers won’t include beets and carrots but in my opinion they offer lots of nutritional qualities that makes them too beneficial to cut out altogether. And compared to other root vegetables they really aren’t that high in carbs. You can eat beets cooked or raw, they are about the same carb content approximately 6-8 g per 100 g.

      Reply
  12. Marie

    02/13/2016 at 10:23 pm

    I didn’t see zucchini listed anywhere…….I know it’s a summer squash so does that mean it’s high in carbs??

    Reply
    • Jedha

      02/14/2016 at 4:49 pm

      Zucchini is low in carbs and you can eat as much of it as you like. It is more an ‘above ground’ veggie unlike other squashes. It looks like you are going through the carb course, so there will be more on veggies soon.

      Reply
  13. Cheryl

    02/06/2016 at 11:38 pm

    What about raw jicama?

    Reply
    • Jedha

      02/07/2016 at 9:10 pm

      Well, you got me on that one Cheryl because it’s not a commonly consumed vegetable, I’ve never eaten it myself.

      But, after doing a little research, it looks like it is a reasonably safe food in moderation because it is still relatively high in carb count. 1 cup/ 130 g=approx. 6 g net carbs, but just remember that is only 1 cup/130g. If you ate 1 whole medium jicama, you’re looking at around 26 g net carbs (58 total/32 fiber) – one great thing is it does contain lots of fiber and it is full of vitamins and minerals too. It’s also known to help generate more beneficial gut bacteria, which is very important for diabetics. Here’s a good article about it http://foodfacts.mercola.com/jicama.html

      Reply
  14. Brewster

    01/21/2016 at 8:31 am

    Hmmm, love veggies. Tonight is gym night so we’ll precook a homemade hamburger patty to be warmed up when we get home. A spoonful of gravy on one slice of thin marble bread and presto, a hot sandwhich. The sides will be steamed broccoli and cauliflower.
    Backing up a bit, breakfast was oatmeal, lunch will be green/red leaf salad with either salmon or tuna.
    Love carrots, asparagus, brusslel sprouts, green beans, beets, just about all veggies, staying away from potatoes.
    Our main meals will always have them on the side

    Reply
    • Jedha

      01/21/2016 at 5:09 pm

      Excellent Brewster, gotta eat a good variety of non starchy veggies!!

      Reply

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