Many of you ask me if people with diabetes can have beetroot given that it is rich in nutrients, particularly vitamin C, which is an immunity booster, improves blood flow and keeps you warm in winter. But since it is a root vegetable, it contains sugar and is considered starchy (more than 5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams of weight). And while I usually talk about non-starchy vegetables, this is one starchy vegetable that can be had in moderation because of its benefits in controlling blood sugar.
Why is that so?
Beetroot has a medium glycaemic index (a measure of how quickly a food releases blood sugar into the bloodstream after eating) of 60. But beetroot contains fibres, which not only add heft and delay digestion, thereby slowing down the release of blood sugar, but also suppress hunger pangs.
Beetroot is rich in vitamins, minerals, iron and bioactive compounds. It contains phytochemicals that can help regulate blood sugar and insulin production. It has carotenoids which the body converts to vitamin A. Being rich in antioxidants, it can even reduce complications of diabetes, such as nerve and eye damage, kidney disease and cardiovascular issues.
What do studies say?
A study in 2016 shows how antioxidants, like those available in beets, reduce oxidative stress and free radicals in the body. Fewer free radicals in the body mean a lower risk of diabetes complications.
There’s some evidence that one of the metabolites (a substance that remains after our body metabolises or breaks down food) in beets, a nitrate, can reduce insulin resistance. In a small study in 2017, participants with obesity, who consumed a mixture of beet juice and carbohydrates, showed lower insulin resistance than participants without obesity.
An earlier study in 2014 had also shown that those who consumed beet juice during a meal had lower insulin and glucose responses following the meal. However since the sample size was small, more largescale studies are needed.
How to have beetroot?
Since beet is rich in fibre, don’t overcook it as that leads to nutrient loss. Instead have beetroot raw, in the way nature designed it for you. The easiest way to lower blood sugar is to have differently coloured vegetables and take them with every meal. One cup of raw beet contains 13 gm of carbohydrates, consisting of 9.19 gm sugar, 3.8 gm dietary fibre and 2.2 gm protein. People with diabetes should have just half a cup. What you need is moderation and using beet with other fibrous vegetables.
(Dr Mohan is chairman, Dr Mohan’s Specialities Centre, Chennai)
