Corn and Diabetes: What You Need to Know About Its Effects

• If you have diabetes, can you eat corn?

If you have diabetes, you can consume corn. Energy, vitamins, minerals, and fibre are all found in corn. It has a minimal sodium and fat content.

Adhere to the American Diabetes Association’s recommendations. Set a daily cap on the number of carbohydrates you intend to eat and keep track of them.

Corn:

One medium-sized ear of delicious, yellow-cooked corn supplies:

• 77 calories
• a gramme of carbohydrates: 17.1
• nutritional fibre: 2.4 grammes
• 2.9 grammes of sugars
• 2.5 grammes of fibre
• 2.9 grammes of protein
• 1.1 grammes of fat

Wheat also offers

• vitamin A
• vitamin B
• vitamin C
• potassium
• magnesium
• iron
• zinc

Corn’s glycemic index

The glycemic index (also known as blood sugar) shows how diet affects blood glucose (blood sugar) (GI). Foods classified as medium glycemic are those having a GI of 56 to 69.

Low-glycemic foods have a score under 55. Your blood sugar level might rise if you consume foods with a high glycemic index (70 and above).

Corn has a glycemic index of 52. Other GIs in the area include:

• 46 corn tortillas
• 81 cornflakes
• 65 popcorn

Your emphasis will be on low-GI meals if you have diabetes. You’ll likely have an excess of blood glucose if your body is unable to create enough insulin, a hormone that aids in the processing of blood sugar.

High-GI foods rapidly release glucose. Low-glycemic meals have a tendency to release glucose gradually and continuously, which is beneficial for controlling blood sugar levels.

On a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing pure glucose, the GI is calculated.

The glucose content of corn

Glycemic load (GL), coupled with the glycemic index, takes into account portion size and digestible carbs. A medium ear of corn has a GL of 15.

High-carb, low-fat vs low-carb, high-fat diet

A low-carb, high-fat diet was compared against a high-carb, low-fat diet in a 52-week study of people with type 2 diabetes.

Although fasting glucose, weight, and average blood sugar levels were all improved by both diets, overall glucose management was much improved by the low-carb diet.

Read Also: How Guinea Corn Can Be Used To make Pap

What advantages does eating corn offer?

New research indicated that regular intake of flavonoids, the main category of phenolic chemicals in maize, lowers the chance of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes. The research also revealed:

Consuming 10 grammes or less of resistant starch from maize per day may help to lower blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.

Regular intake of whole-grain corn helps the digestive system and may reduce the chance of acquiring chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The study concluded that further research was required to determine the health effects of corn’s bioactive components.

Sugary-sweetened corn syrup

Corn is used to making the sweetener high-fructose corn syrup. It is often discovered in processed foods. High-fructose corn syrup does not trigger the production of insulin, therefore individuals with diabetes still require insulin to control their blood sugar levels even if it may not increase them as much as conventional sugar does.

Resistance to leptin may also be brought on by high-fructose corn syrup. The hormone leptin, according to the Journal of ¹Endocrinology, causes satiety, alerting your brain that you don’t need to eat and that your body is burning calories normally.

Mind your carbohydrate consumption.

Your diet of ²carbohydrates is very important if you have diabetes. These carbohydrates are converted by your body into glucose, which the cells take up.

Extra glucose stays in your blood when your blood sugar is too high (hyperglycemia) as a result of inadequate insulin or insulin resistance.

Similarly, a low carbohydrate diet may result in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. To control your diabetes, you just need a balance of carbohydrates.

The American Diabetes Association claims that complete, unprocessed diets are better for people with diabetes. You should cut down on your intake of salt, sweets, and saturated fats. Increasing your intake of lean proteins like fish and poultry might also be beneficial for your health.

Cucumbers, green beans, and broccoli are examples of non-starchy vegetables with lower carbohydrate content. Consuming these veggies will thus have less of an effect on your blood sugar level.

Having said that, starchy veggies are about to come! Even starchy vegetables like as sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta, chickpeas, lentils, and maize may be included.

Additionally, fruits like apples, berries, and cantaloupes may be added. You must, however, be mindful to consume a portion size that is balanced.

Plate approach for diabetes and corn.

So your plate’s size does matter! Patients with diabetes must adhere to a diabetic diet. As a result, specialists often suggest using the plate technique to control your blood sugar. Yes, you may add corn, and this process is really simple.

Get a plate that isn’t too huge to start since a big dish indicates a big portion. Pick a plate that is the right size about 9 inches across to prevent this. Now divide your dish into three halves by drawing a fictitious line across it.

You need to include non-starchy veggies in the greater portion of your section. Remember that this will constitute a significant portion of your dinner.

³Asparagus, broccoli, and leafy greens are a few examples of non-starchy foods. Because they contain little carbohydrates, they won’t cause your blood sugar to rise. Additionally, they are very nourishing.

Fill the remaining quarter of the dish with lean proteins. Lean proteins are a better meal option since they include less fat.

Lean proteins come in a variety of forms, such as fish, poultry, lean beef, tofu, and cheese.

Put starchy vegetables on the remaining part of your dish. These will have a greater impact on your blood sugar than other vegetables.

You may use cooked corn, but exclude salt and harmful ingredients like butter. Instead, you might add some fresh basil and olive oil for an added flavour boost. Other high-carb meals like potatoes, brown rice, and oats are permitted, but only in moderation.

Conclusion

Although there are some advantages to eating maize, it’s crucial to comprehend how its high carb content might increase blood sugar and affect how you manage your diabetes.

Although not every diabetic responds to certain meals in the same way, monitoring your food intake and adhering to dietary recommendations might be helpful.

Additional resources and citations

• 1
  Endocrinology
• 2
  carbohydrates
• 3
  Asparagus