Sweet potatoes

[slipperyelm]

I just planted a lot of sweet potatoes in my garden. Have any of you actually real world tested the rise in BG sweet potatoes cause you? Most people I know only eat them at Thanksgiving with a gargantuan meal. I don't know of anyone who has eaten just a serving of sweet potato to see what it does to BG.

They grow so, so well in my garden, though! At least I can eat the leaves. Did you know that sweet potato leaves are edible?

[xMenace]

I slice them or dice them and bake them to make sweet potatoe chips. I treat them as a potato.

[ladytaz]

I personally LOVE Sweet Taters (and Yams) ANY time ;). I haven't actually tested them for BG rise tho. Some say that they have less of an affect on BG tho. As with everything else, it is probably a by person thing ;)

[EasyType2]

When I started on insulin - about '97 - my standard daily fare was a baked sweet potato (yam).

I talked to a dietician, and she said I should avoid yams and stick with baked white potatoes, due to a higher sugar content in yams. I've never checked on that, but did change.

[someone]

Nothing will raise your BG if you bolus properly. I have noticed that I get little or no rise in BG if I bolus 5-10 minutes before eating. That time makes the difference of going from 90-150-90 and 90-110-90. I used to bolus after I ate, but when I got my CGMS I quickly changed my mind.

[ladytaz]

Nothing will raise your BG if you bolus properly. I have noticed that I get little or no rise in BG if I bolus 5-10 minutes before eating. That time makes the difference of going from 90-150-90 and 90-110-90. I used to bolus after I ate, but when I got my CGMS I quickly changed my mind.

That is NOT helpful for someone who is NOT on insulin!! You need to remember that not EVERYONE takes insulin hun!

[slipperyelm]

Oops. I meant to mention that I'm especially interested in hearing from Type 2s, but I did not think to specify not on insulin. (I figure if you are type 1 that the source of your carbs does not make so much difference, except in as much as you might need to match not only carb count but glucose rate of entry into the bloodstream to insulin.)

[someone]

That is NOT helpful for someone who is NOT on insulin!! You need to remember that not EVERYONE takes insulin hun!

I didn't say everyone takes insulin.. my post applies to the people that do take insulin. :)

[ant hill]

I do know that potatos even sweet ones do produce glucose in the body and also bread, corn and others that i can be typing out a book on how some foods affect the glucose in our bodyies.

As for type 2's, Exersize is a good balance even if it is just a walk. ;)

[sweetcheeks]

When I started on insulin - about '97 - my standard daily fare was a baked sweet potato (yam).

I talked to a dietician, and she said I should avoid yams and stick with baked white potatoes, due to a higher sugar content in yams. I've never checked on that, but did change.

I may be totally retarded here, me being from the south.

BUT

what is the freaking difference. the only thing i know is i hate candied yams from a can, but i sure do love my momma's sweet taters boiled in water, butter and brown sugar.

and when i became diabetic, i learned that was the only way i liked sweet taters, i like them baked with cinnamon butter on them too...

but still dont know the difference.

[HelenM]

gram for gram, they're slightly higher in carbs than ordinary potatoes but most varieties are also, if boiled, lower on the glycemic index.
If baked I think that they'd become higher GI as do normal potatoes.
They're excellent for you with large amounts of fibre, huge amounts of vitamin A, some vit. C and E and a fair amount of calcium.

Like others say you'll probably have to test the results on your own bloodsugar but it would be a shame to ignore such a good food fresh from your own garden.

[EasyType2]

sweetcheeks, I too am from the southern quadrant so I think I know what you mean.

There are two distinct types of "sweet potato". The type I grew up with are the long, slim, whitish/greenish/greyish (when baked) type. The other which I only came to know of in adulthood is orange, and most often is called a "yam".

It is a bit rare to find the slim type of sweet potato now, but I really prefer them over yams.
____________________

"Despite the name "sweet", it is actually a good food for diabetics as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and lowered insulin resistance."

Sweet potato - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato)

[EasyType2]

Yet more on sweet potatos:-

"In the mid-20th century, the orange-fleshed sweet potato was introduced to the United States and given the name "yam" to distinguish it from other sweet potatoes."

WHFoods: Sweet potatoes (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64)

[sweetcheeks]

Yet more on sweet potatos:-

"In the mid-20th century, the orange-fleshed sweet potato was introduced to the United States and given the name "yam" to distinguish it from other sweet potatoes."

WHFoods: Sweet potatoes (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64)


Ok, so now ive learned ive never ate a yam. lol My mom uses the orangeish ones from the produce section. NEVER EVER uses the can version which is the nastiest tasting thing ive ever ate. However, she candies hers but they are sliced not whole and she doesnt put them in the oven with marshmellows on them. Which is almost like the ones in the can only THEY ARE BETTER! lol

But now, as im a diabetic, can no longer eat mom's sweet tators, as they are packed with brown sugar. OOh i so love that syrup. (/me shuts up before the craving sets in)


(/me must go to steak house for baked sweet tator now)

[owlyn]

Sweet Potatos and Yams do not affect me nearly as much as white potatos. And, I'm pretty sure if you check, you will find that they have a surprisingly low glycemic index. They're also good for you (they count as one of the "red" vegetables).

[princesslinda]

I have found that I can eat a small sweet potato or yam, baked, with no noticeable rise in my levels...I usually rub the skins with a little oil and place it on a cookie sheet (covered in foil for easy cleanup). When it is ready, I split it open, add a pkt of splenda and a little cinnamon and a pat of butter....YUM...just like sweet potato casserole! I also have sliced them VERY thin (skins on) and baked them on a non-stick cookie sheet with a little season salt and a drizzle of olive oil at 450 until crisp...YUM.

[Penny]

About once a week, I have a potato. It will be a small white or a sweet potato fixed like Princess does hers. I try to keep under 20 carbs for a meal, but this is my one indulgence for the week. Generally, I have only one small starch serving for a meal, one time a day....bread, corn, potato, rarely pasta....... I did try to keep track of what the sweet potato did to my numbers. Everytime, I went pretty high at the hour mark, but 2 hours later, I was close to where I should be. This is different from a white potato, that still had my numbers high 2 hours later, but down by 3. I am not sure, but it seems like the sweet potato has more fiber, which always seems to help keep my numbers down.

[REDLAN]

the scores on the doors...

yam - 24g carbs per 100g GI 51 (wide variation depending on where grown from 25 - 66)

sweet potato - 17g carbs per 100g GI 48

potato - 17g carbs per 100g GI 55

all above are boiled

not a lot in it really...

my favourite though is this one...

american russet burbank potatoes if baked with out fat have a GI of....

wait for it....

111!

so there you go, next time you go low instead of a glucose tab reach for a baked burbank. nothing raises your BG faster than a good old burbank (",)

I didn't think anything could raise your BG faster than glucose....

[Dervish]

I didn't think anything could raise your BG faster than glucose....

My (probably a bit over-simplified) understanding is that starch is a mix of amylose (long chains of glucose) and amylopectin (bushy 'trees' of glucose). Different starches have different GI because they have different ratios of amylose and amylopectin. Amylose breaks down slowly because there are only two places (the ends of the chain) where digestive enzymes can pop glucose off, while amylopectin has many places (the end of every branch in the 'tree') where it can be broken down. If the proportion of amylopectin is high enough, then glucose can be pulled off it even faster than it can be obtained from 'simple' sugars, giving you a GI over 100.

As for other foods which are faster than pure glucose, Using Insulin lists the GI of dates at 103, maltose at 105, and tofu frozen dessert (whatever that is) at 115.

[MJB]

I tolerate sweet potatoes very well.

My wife makes sweet potato hash with ground Italian sausage, onions and sweet potatoes and I just love the stuff. A couple of fried eggs on top and I'm in heaven!

[ClaireZk]

I think that sweet potatoes are fine, it is the marshmallows and sugary toppings that are bad. Tasty, but bad :(

Their glycemic index isn't terribly high and they have a lot of fiber. But for a type 2, you'd probably want to make it the lone carb of the meal just in case OR just eat half, because each potato is really 2 servings of carbs.

[slipperyelm]

These have been some interesting responses. I'm going to go ahead and buy one at the market, and eat a weighed portion on a day when I have no manual labor. That way I get an idea whether I can "successfully" eat them or not. If not, I'm sure I can find someone to accept my little crop.

[slipperyelm]

Look what I found. Someone thinks sweet potatoes are yet another comestible that might actually help diabetes. I think I ought to google around a bit more regarding sweet potatoes and diabetes.

Winter 2007 - Researchers reveal sweet potato as weapon against diabetes (http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/winter07/diabetes.html)

[SunniD]

I believe Rick Mendosa said to take into the consideration the GI which is good for sweet potatoes and also the AMOUNT of the food. That makes the biggest difference.

One can also take into account the 'satiety' factor which makes one not feel hungry for several hours so one won't be snacking. Potatoes have a high satiety factor.

I like to wrap my sweet potatoe in tin foil, bake and then spoon it out
and put in a few raisins. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm tastes real good.

SunniD

[Peggy]

Those of you who miss those candied yams Mom used to make for Thanksgiving might like this idea. Peel and cut some fresh yams into large chunks, microwave til tender, then mash with a little salt, Smart Balance margerine, cinnamon, and splenda brown sugar blend. Put in a cassarole dish and top with a streusel topping of the Smart Balance margerine, Splenda brown sugar, cinnamon, a little flour, and chopped pecans. Bake til the topping is crunchy. Don't forget that the Splenda brown sugar is a blend of regular sugar and Splenda but you only use half as much because it's sweeter tasting. It's not sugar free but a good compromise,

[slipperyelm]

Today I started my sweet potato experiment and the first try is looking very promising! :)

For breakfast, I had coffee with cream and one half cup (115 grams) plain sweet potato, microwaved.

BG before, 83
BG one hour later, 107
BG 2 hours later, 85

After that 2 hour check, I was practically hopping up and down grinning, "Wow! Wow! Wow!" Ha-ha. I was so surprised.

One half cup sweet potato contains about 20 grams of carbohydrate, quite a bit more than I normally eat for breakfast in my low carb diet. (Type 2, no insulin). The only time I have this many carbs at breakfast is when I eat blueberries, which also raise BG only an acceptable amount.

Now of course, we know that one experiment is not definitive even for the one person involved. So I will repeat the experiment soon. I am very hopeful that I will get to keep my own crop of sweet potatoes! :)

[princesslinda]

Tomorrow, have your sweet potato mixed with a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg added with some butter and a little splenda...YUMMY!

[slipperyelm]

Today's sweet potato BG report. 80 grams eaten along with 1/2 cup coffee, cream.

before, 86
after one hour, 120
after 2 hours, 87

Looking good, I think. I got a higher rise from less sweet potato today, but the return to baseline was really good. :) I should add this to Helen's Food, Glorious Food thread, I think. Gosh, food does make me happy.