Research Says This Carby Food Could Actually Be a Superfood for People With Diabetes—Here’s Why
If you have diabetes, you may be all too familiar with the practice of opting for low-carb foods as often as possible. Even people who don’t have diabetes may get the idea—from diet culture—that carbs are one of the “worst” nutrients for your body.
According to a 2022 clinical trial, however, there’s a carb that’s not only healthy for people with diabetes but is considered a superfood for them: baked potatoes. Yes, really.
Baked potatoes have tons of benefits for your body. The potato skin, in particular, is the ticket.
Besides carbs being a crucial source of energy, potato skin provides a fiber called “resistant starch,” which has been shown to improve blood sugar control, help you feel satiated and lower inflammation in the body. Also, resistant starches don’t raise glucose levels; they improve gut health, treat and prevent constipation, and decrease cholesterol.
Potatoes are also a high-potassium food—they have roughly 40% more potassium than a banana, actually, which is the food many of us may think of first when we think of the mineral.
Potassium helps with blood pressure regulation, fluid balance and cardiovascular issues. Research says it has extra benefits for people with type 2 diabetes: A 2015 study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology concluded that more potassium meant a slower decline of renal function and a lower incidence of cardiovascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes who have normal renal function.
Other Advice for Carb-Lovers With Diabetes
Baked potatoes aren’t the only “safe” carb for people with diabetes. Whole grains in general have resistant starches that can control blood sugar and help you feel full and energized for the day.
Talking to a registered anti-diet dietitian or certified intuitive eating counselor who specializes in diabetes can also help you balance your diagnosis and love of carbs. Registered dietitian Cara Harbstreet, who was quoted in a previous Parade article about carbs, explains, “So often, foods with carbohydrates are vilified or avoided, which creates a cycle of deprivation and intense cravings or binge eating for many people.” Working with an anti-diet RD or intuitive eating counselor can help you manage your diabetes without those struggles.
So tonight, or whenever you’re in the mood, have a baked potato as a side dish. Dietitians approve! Your body will thank you for it, too—even and perhaps especially when you have diabetes.
Sources
- Cara Harbstreet, RD with Street Smart Nutrition
- Effects of White Potato Consumption on Measures of Cardiometabolic Health in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, National Library of Medicine
- Resistant starches newest thing in gut microbiome talk, UCLA Health
- What Is Resistant Starch?, The John Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes
- 5 Foods Higher in Potassium Than a Banana, Patricia Bannan
- The Power of Potassium: Why You Need This Essential Mineral, Cleveland Clinic
- Urinary Potassium Excretion and Renal and Cardiovascular Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Normal Renal Function, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
- Resistant Starch, Canadian Society of Intestinal Research
