Lettuce Consumption May Help Cut Diabetes Risk

Some of the keys to managing diabetes are dietary control and the use of vegetables. Healthy eating can help prevent or even reverse diabetes. Certain foods like green leafy vegetables are packed full of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. They also have minimal impact on blood sugar levels. Eating leafy greens like lettuce may help people in combating diabetes.

Lettuce And Diabetes

Lettuce is one of the most widely consumed vegetables worldwide. It is a rich source of vitamins K and A and possesses numerous impressive health benefits.

A study published in “Diabetes Care” in December 2004 showed that consumption of leafy greens, like lettuce, may help reduce our risk of type 2 diabetes. This can be attributed to the low glycemic index of lettuce which is 15. A food with a low glycemic index score is less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels than those with a high score and also lowers our risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Lettuce and most other non-starchy vegetables have very low glycemic index scores, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Moreover, lettuce also contains lactucaxanthin, an anti-diabetic carotenoid that lowers blood glucose levels and can be a potential treatment for diabetes, a study. revealed.

Also, consuming a cup of lettuce can only provide the body with just about 5 calories and 2 grams of carbs thus making it a healthy addition to a diabetes-friendly diet.

Choose a type of lettuce that is darker in color, such as romaine or green leaf lettuce as they are higher in essential micronutrients as compared to lighter-colored lettuce, such as iceberg.

Aside from being relatively affordable, lettuce can easily be enjoyed in salads or added to tuna or chicken sandwiches or wraps for extra flavor, crunch, and color. We can also add them into a soup to provide a bit of crunch and layer of texture and sweet flavor.