Are Grits Good for Diabetes? Nutrition and Glycemic Index

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Grits are a traditional Southern dish with a porridge-like consistency made from cornmeal. Grits can be made simply by adding a glob of butter and a pinch of salt, or they can be transformed into something much more intricate and flavorsome.

To make grits, bring four to five times the amount of water to grits to a boil, add the salt to the water, and then cook the grits for 45 minutes, stirring constantly.

Do Grits Affect Blood Sugars?

Grits are high in carbohydrates because they are made from corn. One pack of instant corn grits (29g) has nearly 22.7g of carbs. Carbohydrate-rich foods can cause an immediate spike in blood sugar in people who have diabetes. Consuming it in moderation, on the other hand, does not affect your blood sugar.

Also, plain grits are healthy as they are low in sugar. But, adding extra ingredients will add up to the calories in grits.

Prepare the following ingredients for grits: 1 tablespoon butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup whole milk, and 2 pieces of bacon. Each tablespoon of butter contains about 100 calories. Two eggs will offer 120 calories, as one egg has 60 calories. Compared to two slices of fried bacon, which have 90 calories each, a cup of whole milk has 150 calories.

These additives add up to an additional 460 calories.

The processing methods of grits

The method by which grits are processed also affects your blood sugar levels. Here are the 4 types of grits and their processing methods:

1. Stone-ground: Grits are typically made by pounding whole corn kernels between two stones in a grist mill. Stone-ground grits are coarsely processed and have a deep maize flavor because the whole corn kernel, including the germ, is pulverized.

Stone-ground grits are less processed and, therefore, more perishable.

2. Hominy: Hominy is produced from corn kernels soaked in alkali solutions like lime to soften the stiff outer hulls. The outer hulls are then removed by rinsing the corn kernels.

3. Regular or quick grits: Most quick and regular grits undergo processing to remove the hull and germ, leaving only the inner starch. Despite having a longer shelf life, processing also results in them losing a lot of their nutritional value.

4. Instant: Instant grits are made by just adding hot water, as they have already been processed, boiled in advance, and dried. The majority of the nutrients are lost when the corn kernel’s outer layer and germ are removed.

Stone-ground grits have more fiber than processed varieties and are less likely to produce blood sugar rises than hominy, regular, or instant varieties.

Nutritional Value of Grits

Numerous vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can be found in grits. Grits weighing 100g contain the following nutrients:

Source: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171656/nutrients

Grits Glycemic Index

A measurement known as the glycemic index (GI) is used to calculate how much a particular food will raise blood sugar levels. Foods are rated from 0 to 100 and categorized as low, medium, or high glycemic foods. The lower a food’s GI, the less it will affect your blood glucose levels. The three GI ratings are as follows:

• Low: 55 or less
• Medium: 56–69
• High: 70 or above

The glycemic index of grits differs based on the method of processing.

The glycemic index of porridge made from fermented corn grits is 65.49, while the score of porridge made from regular grits is 109.64.

Healthier Methods to Make Grits

Although grits are frequently served with ingredients high in calories, there are numerous healthier ways to make them. Here are some suggestions for healthier grits:

• Use less butter and cheese.
• Swap the butter for extra virgin olive oil.
• Add more veggies and healthy fats.
• Replace any sweeteners with fresh fruit.
• More water or broth should be used instead of milk.

FAQs

Conclusion

As long as you monitor your portion sizes, you can add grits occasionally to a balanced diet. Limit your portions and avoid including sugary additions. Eat nothing but the stone-ground varieties.

Hominy grits, instant, and quick grits should be avoided because of the possibility of a blood sugar spike brought on by their lack of fiber. For more flavor, consider adding stevia, cinnamon, raw cocoa, or vanilla extract.