Jerusalem artichoke with diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2: how to cook, recipes

Jerusalem artichoke or earthen pear is a tall plant, during the flowering period it resembles a sunflower, and its fruits are deformed potato tubers. In our gardeners, he is not in too great honor, because once planted, it is difficult to get rid of him, and it grows very quickly. But, if people knew the whole truth about his healing qualities, they would prefer him potatoes, carrots, beets and other garden crops. Topinambur is especially useful in diabetes.

How to use Jerusalem artichoke with diabetes?

The most useful topinambur in diabetes in its raw form, so all its described properties are preserved. You can, after clearing the tuber, just cut it into plates and eat it (it has a pleasant sweetish taste), or you can make salads and combine it with various ingredients commonly used in them. In general, there are various options for dishes made from earthen pear: it can be boiled, baked, fried (not recommended for diabetics) and even dried.

Recipes for cooking with topinambour diabetes

To keep all the vitamins and minerals in topinambur as much as possible, you can use the following recipes:

• grate fruit on a large grater, add shabby carrot, apple, season with olive oil. More pronounced taste will give lemon juice;
• cut cucumbers, Jerusalem artichokes into thin slices, chop greens, pour with vegetable oil;
• in winter, combine grated tubers with sauerkraut or pickled cucumbers, sprinkling with sunflower oil;
• wrap the peeled fruit in foil and bake in the oven. To such a side dish you can apply dietary fish or meat;
• in the first courses, replace potatoes with Jerusalem artichoke: boil water, put the onions, carrots, and Jerusalem artichokes in the same place, pre-sliced and sautéed in sunflower oil. Add cereal to taste (rice, oatmeal, barley) and a small cube of butter, chop up the greens.

Jerusalem artichoke leaves

Jerusalem artichoke - waste-free healing raw materials. It turns out that there are many useful substances in its leaves that can have a therapeutic effect in diabetes.

The leaves promote wound healing, accelerate skin regeneration, have antifungal, antioxidant, antitumor activity and other medicinal effects. [1]That is why they are used to clean the liver and blood, slimming, constipation, with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, radiculitis, osteochondrosis, weakening of the immune system. All these diseases are companions of diabetes.

They are prepared infusions, alcoholic tinctures, teas, decoctions for domestic consumption, and also added to the water for bathing.

Jerusalem artichoke syrup

Pharmacists also did not pass by this unique plant - a storehouse of useful substances and produced a natural syrup, in which only water and Jerusalem artichoke are involved. Prepared by evaporation of root juice. It has the same virtues as the tubers. Sweet to taste thanks to inulin.

Used as a sweetener for dishes. It is added to teas, compotes, pastries. In addition to individual intolerance has no contraindications. Syrup gives a tonic effect, prebiotics in its composition normalize the intestinal microflora, help to establish the functions of the digestive system.

Jerusalem artichoke tablets

There are other forms of medicinal products made on the basis of the earthen pear. Dried topinambur is ground into powder and then pressed into tablets. Dietary supplements are known on the pharmaceutical market under the name "Inulin", "Dolgolet", "Neovitel", sugar substitute "Topinat", and drug "Topinex".

Dried Jerusalem artichoke

Various methods of preparation of Jerusalem artichoke do not impair its composition. There is a lot of recipe, which involved dried fruit. To obtain it, you need to wash the tubers well (not necessary to clean), cut into plates, dip into citric acid solution, blot with paper towel and dry on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, in an oven at 100 ° C, like apples or other fruits, while the door should be ajar. Of them are preparing:

• tea from Jerusalem artichoke - pour a handful of dried slices with boiling water, let it brew a little, do not put sugar;
• Infusion - 2 tablespoons of raw materials are placed in a thermos at night, poured with a liter of boiling water. Consume half an hour before meals 50 g three times a day.

The benefits and harm of Jerusalem artichoke

The chemical composition of the Jerusalem artichoke will answer the question of whether it is possible with diabetes. Let's start with vitamins:

• A or retinol - participates in immune processes, normalizes metabolism, stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, slows down aging;
• beta-carotene or provitamin A - with its help the body receives the above described vitamin, its properties are similar;
• PP - nicotinic acid, without it there are no oxidative-restorative processes in the body, regulates the activity of the nervous system, has a beneficial effect on the digestion and the work of the heart, blood vessels, takes part in the synthesis of hormones;
• B1 - thiamine, necessary for various types of metabolism: carbohydrate, water-salt, fat, protein, energy; involved in blood formation; increases brain activity, mood;
• B2 - riboflavin, necessary for energy supply of tissue cells, performs antioxidant functions;
• B6 - pyridoxine, plays an important role in protein and fat metabolism, it is rightly considered to be a pantry of enzymes. Many diseases associated with disorders of the pancreas, including diabetes mellitus, require an additional amount of it;
• B9 - folic acid, blood-forming processes, cell growth, cardiovascular activity, normal state of the nervous system are impossible without it;
• C - ascorbic acid, everyone is aware of its benefits. It is the most well-known antioxidant that helps to overcome diseases, prolong youth;
• E - tocopherol, protector of cell membranes, an aid in the assimilation of vitamin A, normalizes hormones, especially necessary for women, because plays an important role in reproductive function.

This list alone is enough to include the tubers in the daily menu. But they still have a lot of macronutrients (potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, calcium, sulfur, sodium), trace elements (iron, zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, fluorine, molybdenum, etc.) and all amino acids.[2], [3], [4]

What harm is topinambur can do? In addition to increased gas formation, it is difficult even to name something. Its small drawback is easily eliminated by adding cumin or coriander to the cooked dish.

Medicinal properties of Jerusalem artichoke in diabetes

Jerusalem artichoke tubers mainly contain two types of carbohydrates, inulin and sugar (fructose and glucose). The main carbohydrates in the air biomass are cellulose and hemicellulose. It was reported that the sugar content of Jerusalem artichoke tubers is about 4–5% of the dry weight.[5]

For diabetics, this culture is valuable with a high content of inulin (80%) - carbohydrate, which slows down the absorption of glucose from food. With prolonged use, its blood level decreases, the metabolism normalizes, the body's defenses increase. In addition, Jerusalem artichoke has a low glycemic index and caloric content.

Other therapeutic properties of Jerusalem artichoke include moderate choleretic effect, the ability to clear heavy metal salts, toxins, radionuclides, improve the intestinal microflora. It has been established that inulin from Jerusalem artichoke has a prebiotic potential.[6], [7]

Jerusalem artichoke can enhance sensitivity to insulin, as its main component inulin reduces the synthesis of triglycerides and fatty acids in the liver and lowers their blood levels [8],  [9], [10]. In addition, it lowers fasting blood glucose in healthy people [11], which may be related to its fructans and coumarins, such as ayapin and scopletin.[12]

Contraindications

Jerusalem artichoke has virtually no contraindications, except in rare cases, individual intolerance.

Storage of Jerusalem artichoke in winter

Jerusalem artichoke is a completely unpretentious plant in terms of both cultivation and storage. There will be no problems if there is a cellar or a cold basement, where the temperature does not exceed 4-5 ⁰ C. Moreover, it is not necessary to dig it all at once. You can prepare the necessary amount for the winter, and in the spring to remove completely intact tubers from the ground. Another way is to store in the refrigerator, the average shelf life is 3 weeks, the freezer (3 months), dry (not more than a year), preserve or buy on the market every time.

Reviews

A unique phenomenon - there was not a single negative comment about topinambour. All diabetics note its positive effect on the glycemic state, and a fairly neutral taste does not cause food rejection. It is not boring as the same dish, because at different times it can be a snack, and the first, and a side dish, and compote or tea.