Pumpkin for diabetes: is it possible to eat and in what quantity? Pumpkin recipes for diabetics

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 16:12

Pumpkin has long been known for its valuable properties. It has an appetizing aroma and wonderful taste. Desserts and first courses are prepared from it, which carry a lot of useful substances to the human body. Nutritionists recommend eating an orange fruit for various diseases. In this regard, the question arises as to whether pumpkin will be useful for diabetes. This article will address this issue.

Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is accompanied by damage to pancreatic hormones. Because of this, there are violations in the production of insulin. The lack of this substance leads to an increase in sugar, as a result of which blood vessels are damaged and various pathologies develop.

Type 2 diabetes is called non-insulin dependent. The disease occurs against the background of metabolic disorders and causes chronic hyperglycemia. As a rule, it comprehends people who are obese. At the initial stage of the disease, insulin is produced in excess, but interacts poorly with tissue cells due to a decrease in their sensitivity. happeningdisorders in carbohydrate metabolism. A large amount of insulin gradually depletes the endocrine functions of the pancreas and there is a need for insulin injections.

Foods with a high glycemic index increase blood glucose. Doctors often recommend that patients refuse such foods or reduce their consumption to a minimum. To illustrate the power of how foods can affect glucose levels in the human body, nutritionists have developed a table with glycemic index values. The lower this number, the safer the product for a diabetic.

Based on the table, this indicator is quite high for pumpkin. However, there is also the other side of the coin. Since the amount of carbohydrates is taken into account, and this vegetable contains few of them (4, 4), the duration of hyperglycemia caused by eating pumpkin porridge is short-lived. Therefore, to the question whether you can eat pumpkin with diabetes or not, the answer will be unequivocal: yes. The main thing is to do it correctly. You should always listen to the advice of a doctor and follow portioned dosages.

Useful properties of orange vegetable

For dietary nutrition, pumpkin is indispensable, since it belongs to low-calorie vegetables (21.4 kcal). It is rich in trace elements such as iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins necessary for the human body.

It also contains fiber, nicotinic acid, pectin, beta-carotene, starch, water. In addition to the pulp, seeds, oil and fresh pumpkin juice are eaten. Pumpkin seed oilits composition is similar to fish oil. If added little by little to cooked meals, it will replace animal fats, which should be limited in diabetics.

Benefits for Diabetes

When used properly, pumpkin in diabetes mellitus will help in resolving several important problems.

• Eating pumpkin regularly produces its own insulin, which lowers sugar levels.
• Thanks to a large amount of pectin, s alt metabolism improves, food is well absorbed and excess fluid is removed from the body.
• Pumpkin has a slight enveloping effect and protects the mucous membranes of the digestive system from the negative effects of too concentrated food.
• Since people with this disease are overweight, the discussed vegetable will be especially useful for them, as it helps to reduce it. To keep themselves in proper shape, patients should carefully include this useful product in their diet.
• Due to the content of carotene orange fruit has a positive effect on vision. People with diabetes often have eye problems.
• Pumpkin takes an active part in the regeneration of damaged cells.
• Reduces the chance of anemia.

Harm

Despite the fact that the benefits of pumpkin for diabetes are undeniable, like any useful product, it can also cause some harm. Patients with diabetes are contraindicated in potatoes due to the presence of a large amount of starch in it. But pumpkin contains no less. During the preparation of dishes from such vegetables, starch is broken down and becomes an easily digestible substance. Therefore, the pulp, subjected to heat treatment, can cause more harm than its fresh juice. Directly after eating pumpkin for type 1 diabetes, blood glucose can rise to undesirable levels. It is worth noting that this only happens when eating the orange fruit too much.

If you do not get carried away with the pumpkin and use it evenly, then the natural insulin produced as a result of its use will be beneficial.

Diabetics should always know their sugar levels. At the same time, it is necessary to check how the body reacts to a product such as pumpkin.

Such measurements are carried out as follows: sugar is measured before eating, about 100 g of pumpkin are eaten (the rest of the products are excluded), and then after 2 hours the measurements are repeated and the results are compared.

When should pumpkin be avoided?

There are conditions when pumpkin with type 2 diabetes should be completely excluded. With severe decompensation of diabetes, starch-containing foods should not be consumed. In this case, a strict diet and the necessary treatment are prescribed. After the condition stabilizes, the pumpkin can be introduced gradually, in small portions.

Gestationaldiabetes during pregnancy often provokes spikes in blood sugar levels. Although pumpkin has some benefits, it is still a sugar-containing food. While gestational diabetes is not in itself a contraindication to eating pumpkin, some experts do recommend avoiding it during pregnancy. In this state, a woman should replenish her diet mainly with fish, sour-milk and lean meat products.

Specific contraindications for the orange vegetable have not been identified. There is only room for allergic reactions and individual intolerance. If there are any, then the pumpkin must be immediately excluded. Due to instability in general he alth, diabetes can progress more quickly.

If the doctor has allowed you to eat a valuable vegetable, then we are approaching the most interesting stage of our discussion: how to cook pumpkin for diabetes.

Eating raw

To get the most out of pumpkin, it's best to consume it fresh. This means making all kinds of salads with other ingredients.

Fresh pumpkin recipes can be varied. Green olives, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes and lettuce can be added to s alted salads.

In salads prepared as desserts, with diabetes, you can combine the following fruits: apples, lemons, raspberries, black currants, apricots, grapes, pears,cherries, peaches, apples. Below is a typical recipe for such a salad.

To prepare one serving, take 100 g of pulp, 1 small carrot, 50 ml of olive oil, a little celery root, herbs and s alt as desired. Vegetables are grated and seasoned with oil.

Seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds are also used for diabetes. Many medical professionals recommend them to their patients. Together with the seeds, dietary fiber enters the body, which regulates the concentration of glucose in the blood. Moreover, they have a diuretic effect and promote the removal of heavy metals. In the treatment of diabetes, these effects play a significant role in stabilizing the patient's condition.

Juice

Natural fresh drink reduces lipid fractions in the blood and removes toxins. It is very useful for people with high blood pressure. To prepare valuable juice, the prepared pumpkin is passed through a juicer or a meat grinder. The resulting mixture is placed in gauze and squeezed. Pumpkin juice for diabetes can be combined with other vegetable drinks, such as cucumber or tomato. Before going to bed, it is recommended to dilute the pumpkin drink with a little honey.

There is an interesting recipe for boiled juice with lemon. To prepare it, you need to use squeezed natural juice from 0.5 kg of pulp. Additional components are: 1 liter of water, ½ cup of sugar and ½ of a lemon. The mixture must be stirred and boiled for a short time. Lemon juice is added for5 minutes until done.

The remaining pulp after squeezing pumpkin juice can be used to prepare any side dish. Soups and porridges are prepared from it. Here are some interesting and he althy pumpkin recipes.

Kashi

Porridges can get creative by pairing them with low glycemic foods.

For people with diabetes, nutritionists recommend cooking porridge in the oven for one hour.

The seeds are removed from two small pumpkins and the skin is cut off. After that, the pulp remaining after the seeds is carefully selected and the fruit is cut into cubes.

Put into the prepared mass ¹/_{3 glasses of millet groats, 100 g of dried apricots and no more than 50 g of prunes, then sent to the oven.}

Soup

Since the ingredients of the following recipe include potatoes, which have a high glycemic index, we suggest preparing one serving of the first course. To do this, you need to take the following components for 0.5 liters of chicken broth:

• 150g pumpkin pulp;
• 1 onion;
• 1 carrot;
• 2 small potatoes;
• 10g olive oil;
• 25g rye bread;
• 20g cheese;
• s alt, cilantro and parsley to taste.

While the broth boils, cut the vegetables into thin strips and dip into the oil heated in a frying pan. Carry out the passering for no more than 15 minutes. Then add them to the boiling broth and bring to readiness. When all the ingredients become soft, the liquid must be drained into a separate container, and the vegetables should be chopped in a blender. After the broth is poured back. Rye croutons, grated cheese and greens are placed before serving.

Stuffed pumpkin

Required products:

• 2 small pumpkins;
• 800g chicken breasts;
• 150g sour cream;
• s alt, spices to taste.

From pumpkin fruits you need to create the so-called "pots". The cut tops will serve as lids. From the middle, choose the pulp and mix it with other ingredients. The breasts must first be chopped into small pieces.

Stuff the pumpkin and put in the oven for 1 hour. During this time, it is necessary to add a little water to the baking sheet. The baking temperature should be moderate, no more than 180 degrees.

Baked pumpkin

One of the most famous and simple recipes is a pumpkin baked in the oven. The fruit must be washed well and the middle with seeds should be carefully selected from it. The peel is not cut off from it, as in this case it will serve as the basis for the baked pieces.

When diabetics bake pumpkin a little differently. Each individual piece is wrapped in foil and sprinkled with sweetener or fructose on top. Before serving, an orange vegetable can be garnished with dried fruits or berries.

Vegetable stew

To prepare the stew in a pot, you need to take the following components:

• pumpkin fruit - 1 kg;
• pepperBulgarian - 2 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• chicken breast - 400g;
• carrot - 1pc;
• tomatoes - 2 pcs.

Cut the onions and tomatoes into rings, you can grate the carrots, and chop the pepper into strips. Chicken breast cut into cubes. All ingredients are laid in layers and sprinkled with s alt and spices. The contents are poured with water or broth and sent to the oven for an hour.

It is important to know that when cooking pumpkin dishes with diabetes, you cannot fry it in oil. When stewing this product, it is better to add a little sour cream, linseed or olive oil.

Other uses

If you connect a little imagination, then, using the allowed list of products, you can come up with recipes on your own. Pumpkin can be used to make jam, bake pies, make popsicles, pancakes and other desserts.

In the morning, pumpkin can be steamed with oatmeal. Cottage cheese casseroles are prepared from it and dishes are alternated by adding different cereals.

Conclusion

The benefits of pumpkin for diabetes are obvious. However, patients who like to eat an orange vegetable should regularly conduct the necessary measurements of glucose levels. A therapeutic diet should always be agreed with the doctor.