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Healthy lifestyle: Can diabetics eat pinto beans?
Diabetics are encouraged to include beans in their diet. Changing to a healthy diet is the key to managing your diabetes. A healthy diet will help you have better control of your blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and manage your weight.
Diabetics can continue to eat any meal they are used to, but they have to make some changes to eliminate carbs, calories, and fats.
Beans are a great source of healthy carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and other minerals. They also rate low in the glycemic index. Beans help diabetics have better control of their sugar than other starchy foods. This is because they undergo a complex digestion process to release the starch and fiber content.
They are very many kinds of beans including pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, and navy beans. With this wide selection, You are likely to find one that suits your taste.
Do beans raise blood sugar?
Beans contain carbohydrates, although these carbs are less likely to harm your blood sugar levels. Beans rank low on the glycemic index score. Beans have complex carbohydrates that make them have a lower rate of digestion. This results in stable blood sugar levels for longer.
So beans raise blood sugar? ½ cup serving of pinto beans contains 125 calories, 15g carbs, 7g proteins, and up to 3g fat. So yes, to some extent they do raise blood sugar
Baked beans may contain higher levels of carbohydrates. Canned beans also contain added sugar.
According to research, each diabetic has individual needs, and there is no overall percentage of carbohydrates, protein, or fat one is supposed to take. It is wise to work out the details with your doctor.
Beans also have high levels of fiber. Therefore, beans are a good way to reduce the impact of high glycemic index foods. Foods with high glycemic scores cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Fiber helps to slow down the digestion process, which helps blood sugars to be stabilized.
Pinto beans will help give a constant supply of energy over a long time, instead of sudden bursts of energy that will send your blood sugar into overdrive. A normal person can absorb blood sugars into the body effectively. However, a diabetic does not effectively carry out this process. The chemical (insulin) used in the absorption of glucose into body cells is ineffective, therefore they require medical insulin. An insulin bolus is taken either after meals or before meals, depending on the food’s glycemic index. Failure to take this medication can cause very high blood sugar episodes followed by very low blood sugar. The insulin makes sure that the blood sugar is effectively absorbed by the body.
Pinto beans are a good source of protein. Protein is very essential to the body and is used in muscle repair. Breaking down protein into glucose takes a long time, therefore slowing down the digestive process. Foods with high protein content also help give a feeling of fullness. This reduces the urge to snack, resulting in a lower overall calorie intake.
Pinto beans can be a great replacement of meat; it offers a good amount of protein without the saturated fats. Besides, beans are affordable and very accessible.
In addition, beans contain important minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They also contain vitamins and have no trans-fat. Beans reduce your chances of getting diabetes.
How to add beans to your diabetic diet
Beans can be served either as a side dish or a main dish. People often add them to salads and chillis or take them as whole meals or have them in bean burgers.
It is probably better to buy raw beans and prepare them at home. This way you have more control of the additives. You can buy dried beans, soak them for up to 12 hours then proceed to cook. This reduces the bloating effect that is associated with beans. Cooked pinto beans can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in a covered container.
Canned beans can also be alternative to avoid the cooking process. Select the can with the least amount of added salt. You can also wash off the beans to get rid of the added salt.
Unlike canned vegetables, canned beans retain most of their nutritional value.
When looking for baked beans, ensure that you try ones with low carb count and sugar content.
Here are some ideas of how to include pinto beans in your diabetic diet;
- Bean chili.
- Salad. Adding kidney beans or pinto beans to a salad
- Bean burritos
- Adding pinto beans to vegetable soups
- Using crushed pinto beans as part of a vegetable burger
- Sandwich filling/ dip. Crush pinto beans and mix with garlic, black pepper, oregano, and sage to make a paste
- Cook beans with rice. Add some vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes. Beans help lower the glycemic index of rice resulting in better blood sugar levels.
In conclusion, pinto beans are a great source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as with most beans. The fiber also prevents blood sugar spikes after a meal, making them ideal for patients with diabetes, insulin resistance, and hypoglycemia.
Beans form a great accompaniment that is completely fat-free and high-quality protein. Pinto bean is also a good source of folate, vitamin, copper, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium.
Therefore, “can diabetics eat pinto beans?” absolutely! You can enjoy them cooked or boiled. Opt for homemade beans so that you can control the additives. Embrace rice and beans are part of your diet. You can also make bean burritos, bean soup, or bean chili. There are many ways to have your beans.
Beans are great for a diabetic; they help manage blood sugar levels and will eventually help you reduce your reliance on medication. Embracing a healthy lifestyle is very important to a diabetic. However, a healthy diet is just part of the big change. Exercise and a good psychological state will also help you live a quality life.
