Diabetics: Boiled or Steamed Potatoes - Nutrition Professional Advice

Potato image

Expert opinion from Rukevwe Natufe

MSc Nutrition · 1 years of experience · UK

Boiled potatoes as it contains fewer calories, because cooking changes the structure of the starches and how quick they are absorbed into your bloodstream. If you cook a potato for longer the glycaemic index would be higher. As a result, boiling or baking for long periods usually increases the glycaemic index. The glycaemic index of a meal can be reduced by leaving the skins on for more fibre, adding lemon juice or vinegar or consuming mixed meals with protein and fats since this helps slow digestion of carbohydrates and increase in blood sugar levels.

Expert opinion from Felicitas Bouche Ocampo

Nutrition Professor, Bachelor’s Human Nutritional Sciences · 5 years of experience · Argentina

Steam potatoes maintain more vitamins with the steaming method than boiled potatoes because boiled potatoes loose some vitamins through the boiling water. Regarding diabetics, both potato cooking methods have the same impact on diabetics glucose when consumed. Anyway, if boiled or steamed potatoes are cooled during some hours, they change their glycemic index, making potatoes a better option for diabetics when cooled because this lowers the glycemic index.

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Expert opinion from Lucía Ramos

Bachelor of Science · 8 years of experience · Argentina

There is no big differences between boiled or steamed potatoes for diabetics individuals. For those individuals is recommended to eat cold potatoes. As potato starch cools, it undergoes a retrogradation process that generates resistant starch. This resistant starch acts as fiber, being processed by bacteria at the colonic level and decreasing the glycemic index of potatoes.

Disclaimer: This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors or nutritionists and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Medical advice varies across region. Advice from professionals outside your region should be used at your own discretion. Or you should contact a local health professional.