Edible Oils for Diabetics: Try These 5 Options to Manage Blood Sugar

When it comes to a healthy diet, choosing the right oil is important, especially for those with health conditions such as diabetes. Let us help you choose some safe edible oils for diabetics.

Health Shots got in touch with Roopshree Jaiswal, Consultant Dietitian/Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospitals, Mechanic Nagar Indore to understand the importance of edible oil in managing diabetes and edible oils are best for diabetic patients.

The importance of edible oil in managing diabetes

Says Jaiswal, “One of the most important ingredients in meals is cooking oil, especially for people with conditions like diabetes. Diabetics should monitor their fat intake. But since we already know that not all fats are good, using healthy cooking oil is a great way to add healthy fats to maintain a balanced diet.

The American Diabetes Association advises avoiding trans fats whenever possible and eating more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats than saturated fats.

To make your choices clear and easy to choose the right type of oil, Jaiswal has listed some of the best cooking oils that contain healthy fats and can be consumed in moderation as part of diabetic diet.

Here are 5 cooking oils that diabetics should use:

1. Olive oil

Virgin olive oil is meant to be eaten raw with salads and rice mixes and should not be heated, but pomace olive oil can be used as a cooking medium. Because it contains an antioxidant called tyrosol, which acts as a therapeutic agent and helps improve insulin resistance. In addition, this oil has anti-inflammatory properties, and due to its light consistency, it also reduces the risk of obesity.

2. Sesame oil

Sesame oil is easily available in Indian households and is a well-known oil that can benefit the skin and hair. However, since sesame oil is rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants such as lignans and has anti-inflammatory properties, it is also beneficial for diabetics. In fact, it is also good at controlling blood sugar and cholesterol.

Read also: If not ghee, look no further than these 7 healthy cooking oils

3. Rice bran oil

Jaiswal says, “The healthiest oil for heart health is rice bran oil. It is high in monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, which are good for diabetics.” In fact, research in the American Journal of Medicine shows that using sesame oil and rice bran oil together as cooking oil can reduce hyperglycemia and regulate blood sugar levels.

Read also: Have you heard of thali to fight diabetes? Here’s why you MUST watch out for it

4. Peanut oil

Another oil that can be used to cook food for diabetics is groundnut or groundnut oil. Peanut or groundnut oil is rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help keep bad cholesterol under control and are therefore great for people with diabetes. This nutty flavored oil also contains the benefits of vitamin E.

5. Coconut oil

Coconut oil is a well-known oil that has many health benefits for skin, hair and your overall health. Jaiswal says, “Coconut oil suppresses appetite and burns fat better and helps in fat reduction and weight management. It increases the level of good cholesterol in the body and keeps the heart healthy.” In addition, it is a source of healthy saturated fats that can effectively help regulate blood sugar levels.