are beans good for diabetics
When I received my Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, Dr. Wong adjusted his glasses and said, "Let’s start with the right beans." He sketched three beans on paper:
- Kidney beans: Dark purple shells resembling tiny kidneys, packing 13g fibre per 100g with a GI of just 23. Simmered in vegetable soup, they kept me full till teatime.
- Black beans: My fridge staple. One evening, I added cumin to black bean rice and discovered their anthocyanins (antioxidants) become more stable when heated – perfect with grilled chicken for a blood sugar-friendly meal.
- Chickpeas: My first hummus attempt failed miserably (note: soak for 12 hours!). Now I blend pre-soaked chickpeas with lemon and garlic as a cucumber dip – my glucose spikes 3 points lower than with crisps.
Chapter 2: Do Beans Raise Blood Sugar? My Glucose Monitor Experiment
Scene 2: The Lunchtime Test
One Wednesday, I conducted a trial:
- Day 1: 150g white rice alone → glucose rose from 5.8 to 10.2 mmol/L at 2 hours.
- Day 2: Same rice + 100g black beans → peaked at 7.9 mmol/L.
"Soluble fibre slows digestion like a sponge," explained Nurse Zhang. Now I mix adzuki or mung beans into rice using the "multigrain porridge" setting – the aroma-rich result has 40% lower GI than plain rice.
Chapter 3: Supermarket Pitfalls – The "Hidden Sugar" Shock
Scene 3: The Baked Beans Trap
Reaching for canned baked beans, I spotted 12g added sugar per 100g! Switched to Bush’s No-Sugar-Added version:
| Type | Carbs | Added Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 22g | 9g |
| No-Sugar | 18g | 0g |
Now I slow-cook beans with tomatoes, smoked paprika and erythritol – 30g less sugar than shop-bought, plus the joy of homemade.
Chapter 4: Breakfast Revolution – From Porridge to "Golden Combos"
Scene 4: The Nutritionist’s Formula
My old breakfast (rice porridge + pickles) left me ravenous by 10am. My nutritionist’s "protein + low-GI carbs + non-starchy veg" formula changed everything:
- Monday: 2 boiled eggs (80kcal/7g protein each) + ½ carrot + unsalted nuts.
- Wednesday: Greek yoghurt (10g protein/100g) with blueberries and chia seeds.
- Weekend: Wholemeal toast with avocado, fried egg and tomato – post-meal glucose stabilises at ~6.5 mmol/L.
Chapter 5: Dining Out Survival – Saying No to Rice
Scene 5: The Hotpot Challenge
At a work hotpot meal, I deployed my "diabetes trifecta":
- Veggies first: Spinach, bok choy and enoki mushrooms filled half my bowl with fibre.
- Proteins next: Beef shank and blackfish slices slowed glucose absorption.
- DIY dip: Garlic, chilli, light soy and vinegar (skipping sesame sauce at 8g fat/tbsp).
Result: 15g fewer carbs than a typical lunch – all while colleagues joked about my "science experiment".
Chapter 6: My Glucose Diary Reveals Bean Power
Scene 6: Three Months of Data
After 97 days of tracking:
- Dried beans (soaked 8+ hours) caused 1.2 mmol/L smaller spikes than canned (likely due to lower sodium).
- Weeks with 3+ chickpea meals showed 0.8 mmol/L lower fasting glucose.
Now my pantry stocks 5 beans (black, kidney, chickpea, lentil, navy). Batch-cooked and frozen, they’re my quick dinner heroes – from stir-fried rice to black bean smoothies.
Epilogue
Diabetes didn’t shrink my menu – it expanded it. When asked "Can you eat anything?", I show my recipe gallery: "Look how colourful my plate has become!"
(Data aligns with ADA guidelines and personal records. Always consult your healthcare team.)