Is Popcorn Bad for Diabetics?

Is Popcorn Bad for Diabetics – Popcorn is nutritious and high in fiber, but because it is such a popular and easy-to-prepare snack, it appears to be an unhealthy food. Patients with diabetes need to carefully choose what to consume at each meal to avoid a greater accumulation of glucose in the blood. So the doubt: Diabetic can eat Popcorn?

The answer is yes! Diabetic can eat popcorn. However, just like any other food, consumption should be moderate and made as healthy as possible, avoiding the excessive addition of salt and fat.

The Benefits of Popcorn for Diabetics

There are some important factors that the Diabetic needs to take into account when setting up their menu: the number of carbohydrates and the glycemic index of each food. This is due to concern about the increased rate of blood glucose, which should always be under control.

The carbohydrate is formed by blocks of sugar that, after ingestion, are broken and released into the bloodstream. In a healthy individual, insulin would carry this sugar into the cells, where it would be converted into energy. Diabetics, however, suffer from insulin insufficiency or malfunction. Soon, this glucose builds up in the blood.

To avoid a sudden rise in blood glucose, carbohydrate counts are taken at each meal and preference is given to foods with a low glycemic index. That is foods whose glucose takes longer to reach the bloodstream.

For the glycemic index of a food to be considered high, it must be equal to or greater than 70. Glycemic indexes equal to or lower than 55, in turn, are considered low. The higher the glycemic index, the faster the sugar in the food reaches the blood and the worse the blood glucose control.

In relation to these two factors, the popcorn is balanced. Its glycemic index is low, 55, that is, the Diabetic can consume it without fear of its glycemia rising rapidly.

As for carbohydrate counts, in general, a patient with Diabetes should eat 15 to 30 g of carbohydrates in snacks, which take place between main meals.

Three cups of popcorn correspond to 15 g of carbohydrates. That is, some cups of popcorn already complete all the amount of carbohydrates allowed for a small meal.

What Kind of Popcorn Makes Diabetes Bad?

An important question is what type of popcorn the Diabetic can consume. The most natural version of popcorn, sold in grains, is a food full of benefits.

It is a fiber-rich whole grain, which can help control glycemic and even cholesterol, which makes it a much healthier snack than chips, chocolate or white bread, for example, which are foods forbidden to eat. Diabetics.

However, microwave popcorn is no longer as healthy. Their amount of carbohydrate is higher than the unprocessed version. A pack of 30 g has up to 21 g of carbohydrates.

Therefore, there is a need to check nutritional values before buying popcorn. Avoid buying packets of popcorn rich in fat, sodium, salt, and sugar. Sodium, for example, should not exceed 150 mg per serving of popcorn.

Diabetics should give preference to salt popcorn, prepared with a minimum amount of soybean oil, sunflower or canola, without ready seasoning or addition of sugar, bacon, condensed milk, chocolate, among others.

If there is a desire to consume sweet popcorn, the alternative is to prepare it with a moderate amount of sweeteners recommended by the nutritionist accompanying the patient.

Popcorn Recipe for Diabetics

There is also the possibility of preparing the popcorn without any oil. It is the steamed popcorn, made with the aid of plastic film. Check out:

Ingredients

• ½ cup (tea) corn to popcorn
• 2 tablespoons water
• Salt to taste

Method of preparation

1. Place the corn and water in a tall, microwave-safe container
2. Cover the container with plastic film and drill small holes in the plastic
3. Microwave for about 6 minutes at high power, checking the time when popcorn burst
4. Peel and season in moderation

The Diabetic Diet should always be balanced, but not less tasty. Popcorn does not equate to a large full meal. That is, it can not be consumed as lunch or dinner. However, you can delight in the snacks with this tasty and nutritious food.