The Best Choice to Keep Blood Sugar Stable, Sweet Potato or Potato?

JAKARTA - Potatoes are often considered a food that must be avoided by people who want to maintain blood sugar levels. In fact, not all types of potatoes have the same impact on the body. The two types most often compared are ubi jalar and white potatoes. So which one is better for blood sugar?

The answer is not as simple as choosing one. Both have good nutritional content and can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in the right way.

Dilansir dari Eating Well, sweet potato is known as a source of complex carbohydrates that are rich in nutrients. One of its main advantages is the content of beta-carotene, which is a substance that the body converts into vitamin A.

In one medium sweet potato, the content of vitamin A can even meet more than the body's daily needs. This vitamin is important for maintaining eye health, increasing body resistance, and helping cell growth.

In addition, sweet potatoes also contain various important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C which helps maintain the immune system, potassium which is important for heart health and blood pressure and manganese which plays a role in energy metabolism.

Sweet potatoes also contain quite a high fiber, about 4 grams per serving. This fiber helps maintain digestive health and can help slow the absorption of sugar into the blood.

Potatoes are often considered less healthy than sweet potatoes, but in fact potatoes also have many benefits.

One of the important contents in potatoes is vitamin C. One medium-sized potato can meet about 20% of the daily vitamin C requirement. This vitamin serves as an antioxidant that helps protect the body's cells and improve the immune system.

White potatoes are also very potassium-like, even higher than some fruits. Potassium helps maintain fluid balance in the body, supports muscle work, and maintains nerve function.

In addition, potatoes contain resistant starch. This type of starch is not digested directly in the small intestine, but is fermented in the large intestine and functions like fiber.

Resistant starch can help increase insulin sensitivity and help control blood sugar. Interestingly, the content of resistant starch in potatoes can increase if the potatoes are cooked and then cooled before eating.

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Many people believe that sweet potatoes are always better for blood sugar than white potatoes. But the reality is not always so.

The effect of a food on blood sugar is usually measured by the glycemic index (GI), which is how quickly the food raises blood sugar levels.

The glycemic index value can be influenced by several factors, such as the type of potato or yam, cooking method, and food combination when consumed.

For example, boiled sweet potatoes tend to have a lower glycemic index than baked or fried sweet potatoes. The same is true for potatoes.

On the other hand, white potatoes have resistant starch content that can help the body control blood sugar after eating.

Both sweet potatoes and potatoes can be healthy carbohydrate choices if consumed in the right way. Some tips that can be done include:

- Consume in reasonable portions

- Choose cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, or roasting

- Combine it with healthy protein and fat

For example, potatoes or sweet potatoes can be served with chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, or tempeh. Additional healthy fats such as avocados can also help slow the absorption of sugar into the blood.