Treatment of diabetes mellitus requires careful control of the diet and significantly limits the choice of acceptable products for the patient. Nevertheless, there is a pleasant and painless way to treat this ailment with a natural and tasty vegetable. Jerusalem artichoke is used in diabetes as a source of inulin, which significantly reduces the number of injections required.
What is Jerusalem artichoke?
The Latin name of the plant is "Helianthus tuberosus", popularly known as earth pear, wild sunflower, turnip or bulb. The similarity of Jerusalem artichoke with a sunflower lies even in its scientific name, which translates as "tuberous sunflower". The outer ground part consists of a dense tall stem, small leaves and branches with yellow flowers at the top. It is the bright yellow inflorescences of the basket that make Jerusalem artichoke look like a sunflower.
The flowering period usually falls at the end of September - the beginningOctober. After it comes the optimal time for harvesting root crops. Jerusalem artichoke tubers resemble potatoes with their oblong shape and brown skin color. In the ground, they tolerate cold well, but change their composition when exposed to frost. Fruits that remain in the ground for the winter germinate with the onset of heat and produce a new crop in the fall.
Fetal Composition
The chemical elements contained in Jerusalem artichoke can bring many benefits in diabetes. In addition, its constituents can positively influence digestion and metabolic processes in a relatively he althy human body. Ground pear contains:
- 16 essential amino acids, including essential and non-essential, such as: leicine, valine, lysine, arginine and others;
- fatty acids that promote fast metabolism and normal digestion;
- carbohydrates, among which inulin is a key element for the use of Jerusalem artichoke in diabetes. Inulin stimulates the production of the hormone insulin, which is vital for diabetics;
- wide range of vitamins including C, E, K, B1 and more;
- nitrous substances;
- macro and micronutrients;
- water.
Such a rich composition of Jerusalem artichoke makes it an indispensable food product and a source of nutrients for the body.
The impact of inulin on the body: benefits and harms
The most valuable element of the ground pear for diabetics is inulin. Its use can reduce or completely eliminate the need for insulin. Thanks tothe fact that its content in the vegetable is 16-18 percent, the effect is felt quite quickly.
By splitting the Jerusalem artichoke into elements, the body sends part of the received inulin to the liver, where it becomes fructose. It is in this form that this substance enters the blood, from which it is already absorbed into the cells in the form of glucose. At the same time, fructose remaining in the liver helps in the production of glycogen.
The part of inulin that did not get into the liver, passing through the digestive system, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Since problems with the intestines can be the cause of serious diseases or their consequences, Jerusalem artichoke is an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of ailments of this nature. Once in the intestines, inulin can:
- normalize and even improve the intestinal microflora, affecting the general condition of the body and human well-being;
- increase immunity and speed up the body's fight against viruses and diseases;
- normalize stool by eliminating constipation;
- contribute to the treatment of inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract;
- accelerate the absorption of vitamins;
- fight pathogenic microflora.
Even the huge number of useful properties of Jerusalem artichoke does not exclude problems from its abuse. Eating Jerusalem artichoke with type 2 diabetes should be done with caution and only after consulting with your doctor. It is also undesirable to simultaneously treat diabetes with insulin injections and include an earthen pear in the diet.
The effect of inulin on the activity of bacteria inintestines can cause exacerbation in people suffering from bloating and flatulence. In this case, you should be very careful when adding Jerusalem artichoke to food. In addition, the raw root vegetable has a rather rigid structure and can damage the walls of an unhe althy intestine if ingested in large quantities.
In each individual case, the benefits and harms of Jerusalem artichoke in diabetes mellitus are determined by the individual characteristics of this organism. It is very important to seek medical advice before using this type of treatment. It is necessary to take into account diseases of the digestive system and remember about moderation, only in this way the benefits of Jerusalem artichoke in diabetes will be maximum.
Juice
Grated Jerusalem artichoke tubers or vegetable juice can bring the greatest benefit and the least harm to the body. The preparation of such dishes does not require much time and effort, and the effectiveness of the product remains at the level.
Jerusalem artichoke juice can be obtained in several ways:
- pass the tubers through the juicer;
- grind the roots in a blender or meat grinder and squeeze the juice through a fine sieve or gauze;
- make juice in a special juicer.
Since raw Jerusalem artichoke can cause flatulence and bloating, a juicer is the safest option
Syrup
In diabetes mellitus, Jerusalem artichoke syrup is consumed before meals. It is prepared from peeled and washed fruits. They are crushed in a blender or meat grinder, and then poured with hot water at the rate of: 1 liter of water per 4 tablespoons of Jerusalem artichoke gruel. Suchthe drink is left to infuse for 3-4 hours and, if desired, stevia is added for sweetness.
Ready-made syrup can also be purchased at pharmacies. When preparing it, pharmacists observe the appropriate temperature regime. Thanks to this, the tool retains all the useful properties of Jerusalem artichoke.
Tea
Decoction or tea is prepared from the leaves, flowers and branches of the plant. They need to be thoroughly washed and chopped, and then poured with boiling water at the rate of: 1 cup of boiling water per 1 teaspoon of raw materials. This tea should be steeped for at least 10 minutes. Both fresh and dried flowers and leaves are suitable for this drink.
Boiled Jerusalem artichoke
When boiled, the beneficial properties of Jerusalem artichoke are perfectly preserved. In diabetes, the intake of inulin contained in the vegetable can be diversified by boiling the Jerusalem artichoke in s alted water or with the addition of milk. At the same time, the similarity of the taste of dishes with ordinary potatoes allows you to eat mashed potatoes and salads from boiled root crops. You can even replace potatoes with ground pear in salads such as: vinaigrette, Russian salad or herring under a fur coat.
To make mashed Jerusalem artichoke, you need to take 3-4 medium fruits, wash, peel and pour hot water. After boiling, add a small onion and bay leaf. When the fruits are ready, the water is drained along with the bay leaf, and the Jerusalem artichoke with the onion is crushed manually or using a blender. You can add s alt, herbs, as well as coriander and cumin to the dish, which help improvedigestion.
Stews
Stewing Jerusalem artichoke is easy, you can use the usual recipe for potatoes. As a result, the dish will have a more delicate texture and a sweetish aftertaste. Ground pear goes very well with sour cream fillings and sauces. A great option for diabetics is stewed stew with Jerusalem artichoke.
This dish will suit different combinations of vegetables and spices. You can take 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 sweet bell pepper, 500 grams of Jerusalem artichoke, 1 potato, 200 grams of pumpkin, olive or butter for frying, s alt and spices to taste.
All ingredients are cut into cubes of about 0.5 cm and lightly fried in a deep frying pan or saucepan with a little oil. At the same time, each next vegetable is added to the pan to the previous one in the following sequence: onion, carrot, pepper, Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin. When all the products are fried, they are poured with boiled water so that it covers them. At the same stage, you need to add spices, but do not add s alt. It is better to s alt the dish after it is removed from the fire. And you need to simmer it for 5-7 minutes on low heat.
Baked Jerusalem artichoke
Use Jerusalem artichoke for diabetes as a casserole is not only very effective for treating the disease, but also very tasty. When baked, almost all vegetables retain a maximum of useful substances and taste characteristics, while allowing you to create new dishes and delight yourself with variety.
Oneone of the most popular ways to cook Jerusalem artichoke for diabetes is in the oven, this option involves a minimum of ingredients and effort. Only cheese, seasonings and herbs are added to the main product, you will also need a little oil to grease the baking dish and a few tablespoons of water. The tubers are peeled, washed and cut into 1 cm cubes. Then they should be boiled for about 15 minutes, then put in a colander and let stand so that all the water flows out.
Meanwhile, you can prepare the baking dish by brushing it with any oil. Jerusalem artichoke is laid out on a greased form and hard or semi-hard cheese is rubbed on top so that a layer of cheese covers the roots. The dish is baked for 10-15 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° C. As soon as the dish is cooked, it is sprinkled with spices and herbs.
Soups
Jerusalem artichoke can be a good addition to soups, as can potatoes. These two products can be combined or substituted depending on taste preferences. A particularly delicate texture is obtained if you cook puree soup with Jerusalem artichoke instead of potatoes. Ground pear goes well with cheese soup.
You can add celery and garlic to Jerusalem artichoke soup. At the same time, garlic should be lightly fried in a pan until golden brown and only then added to the dish.
Flatcakes
Fried foods don't do much good for the body, but if your he alth allows you to occasionally eat such foods, then you can treat yourself to pancakes with a high contentinulin.
To prepare this dish Jerusalem artichoke needs to be washed, peeled and grated on a fine grater. You can add finely chopped dill and chopped onion to it. S alt the mixture and add spices. After that, gradually add flour to the mixture. When the dough reaches the state of thick sour cream, it should be left to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
For less harm, these pancakes can be cooked in a non-stick pancake pan. In this case, the amount of oil required is minimal, and sometimes you can do without it at all. The fire should be reduced to medium or minimum in order for the dish to cook inside. Pancakes are served with sour cream and herbs.
Jerusalem artichoke from pharmacy
Since root crops are poorly stored fresh, and their use is quite wide, some pharmaceutical companies produce dietary supplements (BAA) based on this vegetable. They have the same properties as a fresh ground pear, but have a longer shelf life.
The convenience of using this form of Jerusalem artichoke is to save time and effort on its cultivation, collection and preparation. However, it is worth remembering the content of additional auxiliary chemicals in capsules or tablets with Jerusalem artichoke.
Now you know how to use Jerusalem artichoke in diabetes. A variety of cooking methods and a rich chemical composition make the vegetable an excellent tool to fight the disease. In type 2 diabetes, Jerusalem artichoke can reduce the number of insulin injections needed and improve the condition of the body. benefici althe effect of inulin from Jerusalem artichoke on the gastrointestinal tract improves immunity and cleanses the microflora.
