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If a person has diabetes, including certain superfoods can change their life. From keeping the immunity intact to fighting several serious health conditions, superfoods can really do wonders for your health. You may already know that foods like jamun, custard apple and jackfruit can reduce the risk of diabetes. We have another name to add to your list. Meet turnip or shaljam!
Turnip is a vegetable and a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. If you are suffering from diabetes and want to maintain your blood sugar level, including turnip to your diet is a great idea.
Here’s why turnip is beneficial for people with diabetes
According to the JAMA Internal Medicine, regular consumption of a plant based diet can help to bring your blood sugar back into a healthier range. And turnips is a plant-based food!
Another study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information stated that in people with diabetes, fiber can improve blood sugar level by slowing down the absorption of sugar. In fact, a healthy diet that includes a good amount of fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Moreover, a high intake of fiber, particularly of the soluble type, may also improve glycemic control and lower plasma lipid concentration in people with type 2 diabetes.
Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Hospital, Saket, Delhi, says “Contrary to the belief that root vegetables should not be taken by diabetics, turnip is excellent for diabetics because it is very high in fiber.”
Let’s break it down!
The fiber content makes turnip good for your gut. And if your gut health is on track, it means that your body will digest foods in a proper manner. And as a result, the rest of the organs will function well. You won’t have to worry about sudden spikes in your sugar level at all.
Ritika Samaddar adds that turnip is also high on other nutrients like vitamins C, K, A, and antioxidants which makes it a perfect superfood for all diabetics. Also, both the vegetable and the turnip leaf can be consumed.
Apart from these, the fact that turnip is also a root vegetable is a win-win as several studies suggest that eating these can decrease the risk of cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and overall mortality.
Here are 5 other benefits of eating turnip:
1. It’s great for your skin because it is rich in vitamin A and C, and iron, all of which are essential nutrients for skin and hair.
2. Diabetic patients suffer from weight gain but turnips can aid in weight loss.
3. Turnip is very good for liver health as it helps to lower triglyceride levels and also helps in the regeneration of liver cells. Drink turnip juice for better results.
4. Besides being healthy for diabetics, turnip is also very good for bone health, has anti-inflammatory benefits.
5. It improves heart health because it is high in vitamin K and anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Being a rich source of antioxidant standards can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
7. And last but not the least, as we have already told you, turnip is rich in fiber.
But a word of caution for people on anticoagulants like warfarin. Due to the high vitamin K content especially in turnip leaves, it should be avoided, says the expert.
