There is no single food that causes more drops in diabetes control than mashed potatoes. Potatoes. A high-glycemic form of carbohydrate is said to increase insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes. A favorite side dish for the American holiday of Thanksgiving, potatoes of all fashions raise blood sugar levels. blood from shooting up, but there are three things you can do to minimize, or even eliminate, the damage.
1. Just say no instantly: When nutritional researchers measured the glycemic index of instant mashed potatoes, they found that instant mashed potatoes caused blood sugar levels to rise faster than even eating glucose tablets. That seems a bit unlikely, until you consider what’s actually in instant fries.
There are all kinds of additives, flavorings, and stabilizers designed to keep the flakes from getting squashed in the box. When these chemical additives enter your system, you have an immediate reaction.
Without getting into the chemistry, this can either be a “fast” allergic reaction or a slower immune sensitivity reaction, but both cause the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to rise. Simply peeling potatoes, boiling, and mashing them makes their impact on glucose control much easier to manage. Instant has a glycemic index of approximately 110. Boiled red russets have a glycemic index of approximately 78.
2. Do not eat them very hot: Another overlooked factor when choosing foods to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible is heat. Hot foods…although not boiling hot foods…digest more quickly than warm or room temperature foods. If you let food cool before you eat it, your body will digest it more slowly and your pancreas will have more time to release the insulin needed to transport digested sugars where they need to go. You can still cause your blood sugar levels to spike out of control by eating too many cold carbohydrate foods, but all other things being equal, warm or cold foods are better for diabetics than very hot foods.
3. Try the cauliflower: If you remove the green leaves before boiling, the boiled cauliflower has the same color as the boiled potatoes. If you put a shelled walnut in the water with the cauliflower while it is boiling, the walnut absorbs the “cabbage” flavor and the result tastes like potatoes. If you drain the cauliflower well in a colander before mashing it, getting every last drop of the cooking liquid out, you’ll have the same consistency as mashed potatoes. But you’ll have 80 percent fewer carbs.
