By: Hello Doctor
By: Hello Doctor
For millennia, corn has been a pillar of the Latin American diet.
However, there are often doubts about whether it can be included in the diet of people with diabetes, as well as its derivatives, such as tortillas. Fortunately, the available evidence not only indicates that it is not harmful but also that it can bring many benefits. Get to know them here.
Diabetes is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. Although it is normal that there is always some glucose in the blood because the body uses it as a source of energy, when an excess is generated it can be harmful to health.
This occurs when Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows our body to distribute sugar between cells, is not enough or does not work properly (which occurs in type 1 and type 2 diabetes respectively).
If excess glucose is not addressed, the consequences can be very serious:
Although there is still no cure for diabetes, it is possible to enjoy a good quality of life incorporating certain habits:
Among the foods that experts recommend to control blood glucose levels, corn occupies a very special place. This is due to its important contribution of fiber, energy, minerals and vitamins.
It also makes it easier to regulate the daily carbohydrate intake (very important for people with diabetes), since half a cup of cooked corn or half a large corn provide only a third of the recommended carbohydrates per meal.
Being a whole grain, that is, being a cereal composed of three edible parts (bran, germ and endosperm), corn helps to:
There is scientific evidence that indicates that blood sugar control that promotes regular consumption corn is due to an enzyme present in the starch it has. This benefit can be appreciated when eaten cooked or even in tortillas (including those that are refrigerated).
The experts’ recommendation is to consume at least two servings a day of whole grains to control blood sugar. Although corn is the most attractive option, you can also opt for oats or rice.
The corn is the cereal with the highest production worldwide (even above rice or wheat). For more than 8 years. 000 years it has been part of the diet of the different Latin American peoples and cultures.
The reason for its popularity, in addition to its practicality and taste, is that it hides many healthy properties:
A variant of corn is the blue or purple (which has the most intense purple hue known in the entire plant kingdom). This is due to anthocyanins, natural pigments that we can also find in blueberries, cherries and raspberries.
It also has carotenes, vitamins and a higher food quality than common corn. Different investigations found that its consumption, in addition to allowing a good diet, helps:
Check the weight.
In addition to boiling it to consume it, you can take advantage of its benefits using its flour, with which bread and tortillas are usually made. But, without a doubt, its most popular use is to prepare “chicha morada”, a drink obtained by boiling grains with fruits and spices.
Until significant scientific evidence is available From human trials, people interested in using herbal therapies and supplements should be very careful.
Do not abandon or modify your medications or treatments, first talk to your doctor about the potential effects of alternative or complementary therapies.
Remember, the medicinal properties of herbs and supplements can also interact with prescription drugs, other herbs and supplements, and even alter your diet.
Sources consulted: American Diabetes Association, Comprehensive Natural Medicines Database, US National Library of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Complementary and Alternative Medicine .