by Chauncey Simmons
I know I’m not the only one whose mother told them to eat more vegetables growing up. It turns out that mom was right because vegetables are one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, especially for people with diabetes.
Many doctors recommend a high green diet for type-2 diabetics because it does loads of good for their sugar levels. A diet plentiful for leafy greens is one of the many low-carb diet plans that helps regulate glucose and blood pressure.
The best part is that introducing greens into your diet isn’t too tricky, especially if you already eat dishes like stir fry, salads, and sandwiches.
With that said, here are the five best vegetables someone with diabetes can eat.
Tomatoes
Who doesn’t enjoy a tasty turkey club with juicy tomatoes and tender meat? The best part about these ruby red fruit/vegetables is they are versatile when making a dish. You can put them in sandwiches, salads, and grilled cheeses.
Tomatoes are succulent and do not have a bunch of carbs in their genetic makeup. That means their perfect for people with diabetes who are trying to better their health with a low-carb diet but still want a tasty additive to a meal.
Some of the best dishes to make with this luscious vegetable are:
- Turkey Club
- Grilled Cheese
- Tomato Soup
- Tomato Chicken
This list could go on, but these are some of the best. Try one and see how you like it!
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are that weird vegetable that looks like pickles until you bite into them and realize they don’t have the same pickle taste. That does not mean they’re no good because they go great inside salads, sandwiches, and smoothies.
Cucumber’s high water content makes it a go-to additive to any when you want a nice crunch and a refreshing taste. Cucumbers might not have the same pickle taste, but they definitely give you the same burst of water when you bite into them. Plus, you can always turn them into pickles later.
Even though it seems cucumbers are only good with salads, here are some non-salad cucumber dishes that you can try:
- Cucumber smoothie
- Cucumber yogurt bowl
- Chicken pitas
- Pickled cucumber
Those are four more dishes you can use those leftover cucumbers for after that big salad you made last night.
Mushrooms
Sometimes mushrooms get a bad rap because of their umami taste, but they add a great crunch to your dish. There are also numerous medicinal benefits that mushrooms have that can help you with anxiety, heart conditions, and, of course, diabetes.
Admittedly, mushrooms aren’t known for what they bring to a food dish, but there are numerous meals whose flavors go up a notch with the addition of mushrooms like shitake, portabello, and porcini.
Although most people find mushrooms on their pizza, here are some other delicious courses that feature mushrooms:
- Mushroom soup
- Curry Ramen
- Vegetable pot pies
- Mushroom mac and cheese
The curry ramen option is my favorite, especially when they add the boiled eggs and all the other garnishments.
Broccoli
Broccoli was everyone’s worst enemy at some point in life, but it turns out it’s a diabetic’s best friend. The list of benefits that broccoli can impart on an individual is vast, but for people with diabetes, it plays a key role in limiting their body’s glucose production.
There aren’t too many dishes that are not made much better by adding sauteed broccoli. Additionally, it is difficult to cook out broccoli’s many vitamins and minerals because they can’t stand up to high heat.
Some delectable broccoli dishes are:
- Broccoli stir fry
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Chicken and broccoli
- Cheddar and broccoli soup
There are too many broccoli dishes to name, but these are personal favorites.
Spinach
Popeye the Sailor Man is not the only one who will become “strong to the finish” after eating spinach because people with diabetes can benefit significantly from spinach’s low effect on blood sugar.
Spinach might seem like a lot of food once you look at it through the package, but it is relatively light after you cook it down. However, something that all vegetables share is high-volume but low caloric impact.
Some great spinach dishes are:
- Spinach-stuffed chicken breasts
- Cream spinach
- Crustless quiche
- Strawberry spinach salad
These dishes (and many others) allow you to enjoy spinach’s nutritional powerhouse.
