Are Carrots Good For People With Diabetes?

It is important for people who trying to manage diabetes, to include fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet. However, all vegetables are not made equal when it comes to their effect on your blood sugar levels. Today we are going to be looking at a winter favorite vegetable carrot. 

Let us understand if it is a good addition to your diet, what is the GI of carrots, what is the nutritional value of carrots, and also what is the best way to include them in your diet. 

What is the nutritional value of carrots?

A half a cup serving of carrot will have:

• Sugar – up to 3 grams 
• Carbohydrates – up to 6 grams 
• Calories – up to 25 
• Fibre – up to 2 grams 
• Protein – up to 0.5 grams 

In addition, carrots also have a multitude of vitamins and minerals that are great for your health as well.

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Half a cup serving of carrots will also have:

• Vitamin A – up to 73 percent of your daily recommended requirement
• Vitamin C – up to 5 percent of your daily recommended requirement
• Vitamin K – up to 9 percent of your daily recommended requirement 
• Calcium and Iron – up to 2 percent of your daily recommended requirement 
• Potassium and fiber – up to 8 percent of your daily recommended requirement 

What are the health benefits of carrots?

Here are some of the health benefits of carrots that can benefit you and your loved ones:

• The various antioxidants present in carrots such as zeaxanthin and lutein, as well as the number of beta-carotenes present in carrots can help to improve your eye health.
• Carrots have low-calorie content and are a good source of healthy carbohydrates hence, munching on carrots can be a healthy snack option to keep your weight in check.
• A large amount of vitamin C found in carrots can help to boost your overall immunity.
• Carrots contain a high amount of dietary fiber, which will help to keep your digestive routine regular and improve your bowel movements. 
• Eating carrots, is good for your overall heart and cardiovascular health. 

Are carrots good for diabetes?

Yes, when eaten in moderation and when eaten as per the recommendation of your diabetes health care team or nutritionist, eating carrots can be good. But to find out if carrots are suitable for you, you can map your blood sugar levels using a continuous glucose monitor or a smart glucometer such as AccuChek Instant Glucometer. Just use the Fitterfly Wellness App to add your meal entries and map them to your blood sugar entries and see your personalized glycemic response to carrots. 

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What is the glycemic index of carrots?

Two small-sized raw carrots will have a glycaemic index or GI score of about 8. If you are wondering if carrots are good for diabetes, then that’s your answer. 

How can people with diabetes include carrots in their diet?

Here is a look at how the GI score for carrots can vary based on the way they are made and the amount of serving: 

Diabetes friendly recipe ideas with carrots

Here are a few carrot recipes. Not only are these easy to make and healthy, but your entire family will also love these delicious recipes and benefit from their health value.

1) Roasted baby carrots

You will need

• Small-sized baby carrots – you can eat with or without peel
• Olive oil/coconut oil
• Any diabetes-friendly sweetener
• Chopped fresh pudina leaves or mint leaves, or chopped fresh dhaniya leaves or coriander leaves

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How to make

• Preheat the oven or microwave to about 220 degrees C.
• In a bowl, add the carrots and add olive oil over them so that all the carrots and the oil mix well.
• Now take a baking sheet and place the carrots on the sheet.
• Bake the carrots for about 15 to 20 minutes so that the carrots turn tender.
• Now take out the carrots, place them in a bowl and add the artificial diabetes-friendly sweetener.
• Garnish with the tulsi leaves or the dhaniya leaves.

2) Gajar ka parantha

You will need

• Grated carrot
• Gehun ka atta or whole wheat mixed atta
• Chopped green chilies
• Chopped onions 
• Chopped dhania patta or chopped coriander leaves 
• Grated adrak or ginger
• A little bit of ghee 
• Salt as per taste  
• Water for kneading the atta 

How to make

• Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl and make the dough.
• Break out the dough into small parts to make small balls out of each for separate paranthas.
• Roll out the dough balls to make a circular shape.
• Heat a pan and place the rolled-out dough on the pan.
• Let it roast from one side and then turn to roast the other side.
• Now take a little ghee for greasing and put it on one side of the parantha.
• Let it turn golden brown and turn the parantha, greasing the other side too.
• Once both sides are golden brown, take it off the heat and serve with dahi or curd. 

3) Gajar methi sabzi

You will need

• Diced carrots 
• Chopped methi patta or chopped methi leaves 
• Oil
• Saabut jeera or cumin seeds
• Chopped green chilies
• Chopped onions
• Chopped lehsun or chopped garlic 
• Haldi powder or turmeric powder 
• Dhaniya powder or coriander powder 
• Salt as per taste
• Water 

How to make 

• Heat oil in a pan and add the saabut jeera.
• As the seeds start to crackle, add the onions and saute for about a minute on medium flame.
• Now add the green chilies and the garlic and mix well. Stir for another minute.
• Now add the methi leaves, haldi powder, and dhaniya powder and mix everything well. 
• Cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes and keep stirring so that it does not get burnt.
• Now add the carrots, and salt and mix everything well.
• Close the lid and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Now add some water to cover the sabzi and cook with the lid closed for about 8 to 10 minutes, or till the carrots turn tender. 
• You can serve this sabzi with brown rice or with whole wheat roti or parantha.

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4) Gajar and garlic chutney

You will need

• Peeled and grated carrots 
• Lehsun or garlic 
• Chopped green chilies or red chili powder 
• Lemon juice 
• Grated ginger 
• Salt as per taste
• Some water 

How to make 

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and grind to a smooth paste.
• Taste and adjust salt as required.
• Now take it out of the blender and place it in a glass jar. You can refrigerate this for an hour or so before serving. 

How many carrots can a person with diabetes eat a day

You can have carrots in your salads with every meal. Or you can include a portion of it in the form of sabzi in your diet in a small to medium bowl. However, we would suggest that you check this first with your doctor or your nutritionist and understand what is the best portion size for you. You can use the Fitterfly Wellness App to track your calorie intake, macronutrients, and micronutrients. 

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There is no one food group that will help you manage your blood sugar levels. So, make sure to speak to your nutritionist before adding anything to your diet. Also, while diet is an important part of diabetes management it is also essential to focus on other aspects such as exercise, stress, and sleep.

Fitterfly’s diabetes management programs are comprehensive, and clinically validated, with proven outcomes. To know more about the award-winning program that has helped 20K+ Indians manage their diabetes, reach out to us here: 022 4897 1077

FAQs

Do carrots raise blood sugar?

Carrots are a type of non-starchy vegetable that will not lead to a steep blood sugar spike. Especially when eaten in the right combination. 

Is carrot juice good for diabetes?

When you juice a carrot, its GI score rises to about 43. Which is higher than when eating them in their natural form. However, juicing vegetables and fruits deprives them of fiber and nutritional content and therefore it is best to consume them in their natural form in a salad. Rather than juicing it. 

Are carrots and beetroot good for diabetes?

Both carrot and beetroot have a good amount of dietary fiber, which makes them a good choice for those who have diabetes when eaten in moderation. 

Is eating raw carrots good for people with diabetes?

Yes. It is a good vegetable to include in your diet for everyone. And especially for people with type 2 diabetes. 

Are cooked carrots good for people with diabetes?

Yes, eating cooked carrots is good for those who have diabetes, because the GI score in a medium-sized boiled or cooked carrot will be between 33 and 49, which keeps it among the low and the medium range on the glycaemic index scale.

As a result, eating cooked carrots is safe to eat for those who have diabetes. We would recommend that you consume carrots after consulting with your diabetes healthcare team about how much carrots are safe for you to consume. 

Are orange carrot good for diabetes?

If you are wondering whether orange carrot is good for diabetes or not, the answer is, when eaten in moderation, having orange carrots is good for diabetes.

This is because the orange color in the carrot comes from a healthy amount of beta-carotene that gives the orange carrot its color, and these help in giving you a good dose of vitamin A, which in turn can help you keep your diabetes health in check. 

Are red carrots good for diabetes?

When you eat it in moderation, it is safe to have red carrots for those who have diabetes. This is because the red color in the carrot comes from a healthy amount of beta-carotene that gives the red carrot its color. Beta carotenes help to give you a good dose of vitamin A, which in turn can help you keep your diabetes health in check.

While carrots can be a great addition to your diabetes meal plan, we would like to suggest that initially for a few days when you have carrots, please measure your blood sugar levels 2 hours after eating a meal that has carrots in it, so that you can have a better idea of how it is affecting your blood sugar levels.

Once you meet your diabetes healthcare team, you can share this data with them to better understand how often and how much carrot is safe for you to consume.