Today’s guest blogger is Suzanne Alt who will talk about diabetes and provide us with a recipe for cucumber salad. Take it away, Suzanne!
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Cucumbers and little-recognized tips on how to reduce type two diabetes
Are you cool as a cucumber? Not merely is the cucumber known for it’s capability to cool off our bodies, it has also been seen to help with jaundice, diarrhea, epilepsy, sore throat, conjunctivitis (redness of the eye) and swelling of extremities.
Many times you should try to deseed the cucumber as the body can have a hard time digesting the seeds. You can deseed them yourself easily by cutting them in two and using a spoon to eliminate the seeds or in order to eliminate this task it is possible to buy cucumbers that are already seeded.
Fresh cucumbers are simple to add to salads and for an easy salad just toss diced cucumbers with sliced red onions, red tomatoes and your favorite all-natural, low-fat balsamic vinaigrette. This is a fast way to make a refreshing salad that reaps the benefits of cucumber.
Anti-diabetic Advantages of Cucumber:
Beta cells contained in the pancreas produce the hormone insulin.Cucumber is found to get a hormone required by the beta cells in the insulin production. Moreover, the Glycemic Index of cucumbers is found to be zero.
Why don’t cucumbers have a glycemic index listed? Does this signify they don’t raise blood sugar?
Not at all. It means that under the “rules” for the concept of the glycemic index, it is too difficult to get an accurate number. It is because you’ll need to eat a very big amount of the food to get 50 grams of carbohydrate at once in order to be tested. In general, the lower the quantity of carbohydrate in a vegetable and the more fiber it has, the less the increase in blood sugar levels will be.
The carbohydrates are primarily responsible of the raise of the glucose level.But the carbohydrates within the cucumber are easily digestible in a diabetes patient’s stomach.
Tips for Preparing Cucumbers:
Unwaxed cucumbers do not need to be peeled but must be washed before cutting. Cucumbers may be sliced, diced or cut into sticks.
A couple Quick Serving Ideas:
- Use half-inch thick cucumber slices as petite serving “dishes” for chopped vegetable salads.
- Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette.
- For refreshing cold gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply purée cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add diced cucumber to tuna fish or chicken salad recipes.
Cool Cucumber Salad Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
- 1/3 cup minced cilantro
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. honey
- 2 tsp. Reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- Pinch dried red pepper flakes
Preparation per 8 servings:
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
1. Combine the cucumbers, carrots, red onion, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for an hour. Salad may be eaten with a fork.
Nutritional Values per Meal: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 25
- Calories From Fat: 10
- Total Fat: 1 gram
- Saturated fats: .1 grams
- Cholesterol: milligrams
- Sodium: 50 milligrams (without added salt)
- Total Carbohydrate: 5 grams
- Soluble fiber: 1 gram
- Sugars: 3 grams
- Protein: 1 grams
About The Author:
Suzanne Ault gives advice for the diabetic diet recipes blog, an internet site dedicated to cooking in ways to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Her complete bio: http://www.diabeticdietrecipes.org/about
Her photo: http://www.diabeticdietrecipes.org/suzanne.jpg
