Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

There are various pumpkin recipes for type 2 diabetics, with which you can diversify the diet menu. These are various types of salads, casseroles, cereals and other dishes. In order for the pumpkin to bring the maximum benefit to the body, it must be cooked at a gentle temperature regime, and it is even better to use it raw.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Can diabetics eat pumpkin?

In diabetes, pumpkin pulp is very useful in any form: raw, boiled, steamed. For maximum benefit, it should be taken on an empty stomach, separate from other foods.

The raw vegetable is most useful for diabetic patients. Its glycemic index is only 25 units. During the cooking process, this indicator can increase significantly, especially if there are accompanying ingredients in the recipe. For example, the GI of a boiled fruit is already 75 units, a baked one is from 75 to 85 units.

Pumpkin prevents and alleviates the course of the following diseases and conditions:

  • heart rhythm disturbances;
  • angina pectoris;
  • hypertension;
  • atherosclerosis;
  • diseases of the kidneys, liver, pancreas;
  • cataract;
  • obesity;
  • insomnia;
  • prostration;
  • anemia;
  • edema;
  • infectious diseases.

The presence of a large amount of pectin, vitamins, as well as some trace elements (Fe, K, Cu, Mg), makes it possible to successfully use pumpkin in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular pathologies. Introduction of a vegetable to the daily menu:

  • improves heart function;
  • lowers cholesterol;
  • normalizes blood pressure;
  • increases the oxygen capacity of the blood;
  • reduces swelling of the legs, abdominal cavity;
  • improves the condition in atherosclerosis, cerebral ischemia.

The presence of organic acids and delicate fiber in the vegetable helps to improve the digestive processes. It enhances the functions and motility of the intestines, gallbladder and ducts, stimulates the secretion of digestive juices by the stomach, intestines, as well as the pancreas and liver. The pulp of the vegetable is useful for colds, metabolic disorders. Every person with such a diagnosis should learn more about the benefits or harms of pumpkin for diabetics.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Benefits of pumpkin for diabetics

Pumpkin can be eaten by diabetics, as the vegetable has a positive effect on the pancreas, stimulating an increase in beta cells. Unique antioxidant properties aid insulin secretion. Due to this, the lost functions of the gland are partially restored.

It is useful for diabetics to take the vegetable raw, limiting its amount. The daily rate should be no more than 200-300 g. For greater safety and to obtain the desired effect, it must be divided into several doses.

With a low calorie content, the vegetable has a high nutritional value. The energy value of 100 g of the product is only 22 kcal. The vegetable is rich in potassium. This allows the product to quickly relieve swelling and strengthen the cardiovascular system. The high content of beta-carotene helps to cope with diseases of the eyes and skin.

For type 1 diabetes

The benefit of pumpkin in type 1 diabetes is that with regular use in food, its own insulin begins to be produced. As a result, blood sugar decreases. Thanks to pectin, water-salt metabolism improves, food is well absorbed, and excess fluid is removed from the body.

The pulp of the vegetable has a slight enveloping property and protects the mucous membrane of the digestive organs from the appearance of ulcers and erosions. Promotes weight loss, which brings significant relief to patients with diabetes.

For type 2 diabetes

Pumpkin can be eaten with type 2 diabetes, as the vegetable contains few calories. As you know, the most common provoking factor of this disease is overweight, obesity. Also, the vegetable has the property to reduce the level of glycemia. Fiber slows down the process of absorption of glucose and its entry into the blood. Zinc contained in the vegetable helps the fastest healing of wounds, trophic ulcers in diabetes.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Pumpkin dishes for diabetics

From pumpkin with diabetes, you can cook different dishes. They are low-calorie, nutritious, easy to digest. Diabetics, trying a new dish, need to measure the level of glycemia before and after. So you can determine what will be the reaction of the body.

Pumpkin salads

As mentioned above, the most useful raw vegetable. It will look good in salads, vitamin cocktails.

Salad with apple

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin (pulp) – 200 g;
  • apple – 120 g;
  • carrots – 120 g;
  • yogurt (unsweetened) – 100 g;
  • brazil nuts – 50 g.

Peel fruits, vegetables, chop on a coarse grater. Add yogurt, mix. Sprinkle walnuts on top.

Salad with beets

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 200 g;
  • boiled beets – 200 g;
  • vegetable oil – 30 ml;
  • lemon juice – 20 ml;
  • dill (greens) – 5 g;
  • salt.

Coarsely grate the vegetables, season with a mixture of lemon juice and vegetable oil. Sprinkle with finely chopped dill, salt. To mix everything.

Salad with bell pepper and spinach

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 200 g;
  • bulgarian pepper – 150 g;
  • spinach – 50 g;
  • kefir – 60 ml;
  • salt.

Grind the pumpkin pulp on a grater, chop the pepper into half rings, finely chop the spinach. Combine all components, mix.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Stuffed and baked pumpkin

Pumpkin for type 2 diabetes is good to cook in the oven. The vegetable can be baked, stuffed with meat and other vegetables, rice, cheese.

Pumpkin stuffed with turkey

Take one small elongated pumpkin, cut in half, clean out the core. Sprinkle the inner walls with vegetable oil, pepper, salt. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven at +200 C. Next, prepare the filling. It will need the following ingredients:

  • turkey breast – 300 g;
  • Onion – 1 units;
  • carrots – 1 pcs .;
  • celery – 3 stem;
  • thyme – 1 tsp. l.;
  • rosemary – 1 tsp;
  • garlic – 3 lobules;
  • egg – 2 pcs .;
  • salt;
  •  pepper.

Fry the turkey, cut into cubes. Just chop the onion, carrot, celery and stew in oil in a pan, add spices and meat. Drive 2 eggs into the resulting mass, mix and put in pumpkin pots. Bake another 20 minutes.

Pumpkin with Peppers and Onions

Cut pumpkin pulp into thin plates, put in a baking dish. Pepper, salt, brush with oil. Chop the onion in half rings, season with spices, oil, tomato sauce. Lay on top of the pumpkin layer. Bake in the oven for about an hour.

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 1 pc.;
  • Onion – 2 units;
  • pepper;
  • salt;
  • vegetable oil;
  • tomato sauce.

For baked vegetables, you can prepare a sauce of sour cream, chopped herbs, garlic. This will enhance the taste and nutritional properties of the dish.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Pumpkin juice

Pumpkin juice in type 2 diabetes in moderation will be very useful. It is best to prepare it with a juicer. If this is not in the house, you can use a blender, grater, meat grinder. Squeeze the crushed mushy pulp through gauze. Drink juice immediately, as it quickly loses its beneficial properties.

Pumpkin juice should not be diluted with mineral water, it is better if it is another fresh juice, for example, apple, carrot, beetroot. Pairs well with orange and lemon juice. You should not particularly get carried away, since the drink has a rather high concentration of glucose, which, due to the lack of fiber, instantly enters the bloodstream.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

Pumpkin Porridge

The most useful cereal for diabetics is buckwheat, oatmeal. You can cook and millet, rice porridge. All these grains go well with vegetables. It is worth considering pumpkin dishes for type 2 diabetics.

Dish with buckwheat

Rinse the grits, pour water for 2,5 hours. Drain off any water that has not been absorbed. Peel pumpkin and apple, bake separately in foil at +200 C until soft.

Ingredients:

  • buckwheat – 80 g;
  • water – 160 ml;
  • pumpkin – 150 g;
  • banana – 80 g;
  • apple – 100 g;
  • milk – 200 ml;
  • cinnamon.

Pour milk over buckwheat, add cinnamon, fruit and vegetable filling. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Dish with millet

Peel the pumpkin, finely chop, rinse the millet. Pour everything into hot milk, salt a little, cook until tender. To make the porridge ripe, put it in the oven for half an hour.

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 0,5 kg;
  • milk – 3;
  • millet – 1 tbsp.;
  • salt;
  • sucralose.

To make porridge sweet, you need to use a sweetener, such as sucralose. Pumpkin porridge for diabetics is also good to cook in a slow cooker.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

pumpkin casserole

With pumpkin, you can cook cereals, meat, cottage cheese casseroles. Some of the recipes are listed below.

Casserole with onions and minced meat

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 300 g;
  • onions – 3 pcs.;
  • minced meat – 300 g;
  • tomato sauce – 5 tsp

Stew minced meat together with chopped onion cubes. Grate the pumpkin, let the excess liquid drain, salt, put in a mold. Next, lay a layer of minced meat. Top – again a pumpkin layer, grease with tomato sauce. Bake 45 minutes.

Casserole with millet and lemon

Pumpkin will make a delicious pudding that will be safe for diabetics and very useful for this disease.

Ingredients:

  • pumpkin – 0,5 kg;
  • millet – 1 tbsp.;
  • water – 3;
  • milk (warm) – 0,5 l;
  • zest (lemon) – 3 tbsp. L.;
  • peel (orange) – 3 tbsp. L.;
  • cinnamon;
  • sucralose.

Cut the peeled pumpkin into cubes. With hot water, and then with boiling water, rinse the millet. Put the vegetable in a cauldron, pour water and bring to a boil, then add the grits. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, boil under the lid for the same amount. Then cool.

Pumpkin for diabetes: benefits and harms, is it possible to eat

How to treat trophic ulcers with pumpkin

In folk medicine, the treatment of diabetes and its complications with pumpkin is widely practiced. Decoctions of vegetable flowers in their pure form or mixed with other herbs are used to wash purulent wounds, trophic ulcers.

Recipe 1

2 tbsp. l. pour a cup of boiling water over the flowers and insist in a water bath for 10 minutes, and then another half an hour under the lid. Cool, strain, add boiled water to bring the volume to 300 ml. Make lotions on the affected areas.

Recipe 2

Grind the raw fruit in a blender, meat grinder or fine grater. Apply the resulting slurry on a gauze bandage (napkin) to the affected areas, renew every morning and evening.

Recipe 3

Cut the fruit into slices, dry in the oven at low temperatures to preserve nutrients. Grind dry raw materials into powder. Sprinkle them with wounds, ulcers in diabetes. You can also use the flowers of the vegetable.

Limitations and contraindications

Raw pumpkin is contraindicated in ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis with low acidity, as well as in severe diabetes. Patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to use it in a boiled (steamed) form.

WHO SHOULD NOT EAT PUMPKIN

Conclusion

Pumpkin recipes for type 2 diabetics will help prepare nutritious and healthy meals that will maintain an optimal balance of nutrients in the body and improve metabolism. The vegetable will also have a therapeutic effect on the body, will serve as an excellent prevention of many complications associated with diabetes.

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