Last Updated on March 18, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
The trouble that many of the young and old face today are related to what they eat and how it eventually affects their routine and ultimately their health. Diabetes is one such chronic ailment that is brought on due to health issues regarding food intake and daily routines.
But a balance is what everyone needs to instill in their lives to make sure that the health is taken care of. Similarly, as food leads you to blood sugar issues, the right food will take you towards solving blood sugar issues.
Today, we will discuss dumplings and their safety for diabetic patients. Dumplings are common food or snack items. Let us find out …
- Is dumpling good for diabetes?
- Can it be made safer and healthier for diabetics?
- How many dumplings can a diabetic eat?
- What are its nutritional components?
- What are the benefits of eating dumplings?
We will look into these questions and answer them descriptively for you.
But before we start with these detailed answers and solutions for your diabetes-specific diet, let us have a start from the most basic questions.
Here we go.
What are dumplings?
Dumplings are a specialty and a common food item belonging to the Asian cuisine culture. It is a comfort food, delicacy, festive item, and easy snack in countries like China, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, North-eastern India, etc.
This is also a widely popular dish in many other parts of the world. Dumplings are enjoyed as various meal options. They are considered healthier than fast foods and are considered better and safer snack options.
__________________________________
⭐ Check out this Flipbook with 30-Day Diabetic Meal Plan based on Foods from Each Indian State ⭐
(click on the ▶ arrow below to scroll the pages and 🔍 button to enlarge)
_____________________________
Dumplings are savory as well as sweet Asian treats of filling wrapped inside a thin layer of dough. They are usually found in bite-sized pieces and several attractive shapes and sizes.
There are wide ranges of dumplings available differentiated based on filling, cooking, occasion, side dishes, etc.
Dumplings usually have fillings of vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, sweets, and they are sometimes made without filling. The wrapping of the filling is made using all-purpose flour. This is steamed for a particular amount of time until the dough is translucent and the filling inside is cooked.
Dumplings are usually enjoyed with some homemade sauces, soups, or just on their own.
The traditional method of making dumplings is to steam them. They are also grilled, deep-fried, charcoaled, etc.
All in all, they are excellent snack choices. They are not very taxing on the health, can be made easily, and are satisfying taste and texture-wise.
But before we jump to proclaiming the safety of dumplings for all health types, let us know about it in detail.
Are Dumplings healthy?
To be straight with the answer, dumplings can vary as a healthy choice for one, depending on the ingredients and the individual’s health situation.
As we already discussed, the ingredients used in making dumplings are basically – flour, water, and any filling of your choice. As there aren’t many ingredients needed, that is why it cannot go too wrong.
But it is necessary to be vigilant about your flour and filling choices. Alternating the regular white refined flour with whole wheat flour is a healthier decision.
On the other hand, when we talk about the filling, it is very simple.
Healthy ingredients will make a healthy filling. Adding more meat options can increase the protein and fat in the dumpling. Green veggies and other healthy vegetables will add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to the dish.
It is, therefore, a healthy food item if made carefully and using safe ingredients and cooking methods. It is best to avoid pre-fried, frozen, or deep-fried dumpling varieties. They can be harmful to the health as compared to regular steamed dumplings.
Let us look if these conditions are the same for someone who is a diabetic patient.
Is dumpling good for diabetes?
Well, dumplings are not always a healthy choice for anyone who has diabetes. It has to be made well and must suit the blood sugar patient’s needs to ensure no harm.
Dumplings can be harmful to diabetic individuals if they are store-bought, frozen, or from the outside. It is best to make your diabetic-specific dumplings at home to suit your conditions and avoid any risks.
One primary thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the outer dough covering of the dumpling is refined white flour. The effects of white flour on the body’s blood sugar level can be adverse. The GI of white flour is high, which means that it will increase the carbohydrate content in the body.
Moreover, if the filling ingredients are not taken care of, they can lead to excess calories in the body. Thus, it is important to choose the right carb and calorie-content to fit your diabetic needs.
Also, care must be taken when it comes to the cooking method used to prepare dumplings; too much oil can lead to blockages in the bodily systems and aggravate heart issues.
Steamed dumplings are the only healthy option for diabetics.
Dumplings are often paired with heavy cream soups and sauces. For anyone with diabetes, this is inadvisable. It is not recommended to pair dumplings with side dishes that can affect the blood sugar levels even more.
But it is possible to make your own healthy diabetes special dumpling to help you keep up with your blood sugar levels without any risks. We have some tips and ways to help you make the dumpling healthier and safer for your diabetic meal restrictions.
How to make diabetic-safe dumplings?
As we already discussed, diabetic patients should have an alternate healthy dumpling recipe to help them enjoy this treat without worrying about any bodily risks.
Here are some tips to take into consideration while making healthy dumplings:
- It is crucial to use the low-calorie stuffing for the dumpling. Some healthy options are – vegetables such as carrots, spinach, onions, and cabbage. It is essential to use its raw forms for the filling to avoid extra oil or seasoning from cooking it.
- Always switch your flour needs from refined to whole grain varieties for the best results. It will not influence the taste. Simultaneously, it will add more roughage to the overall dish, making it better for the digestive system.
- Opt for steaming the dumplings instead of frying them in fatty oils.
- Do not overdo the fillings or seasonings. Keep the content minimal to ensure a safe limit of all nutrients. Moreover, avoid pairing it with other high-calorie, heavy soups, noodles, broth, sauces, soy sauce, and other similar side dishes.
In addition to all this, make sure that you check the influence of consuming dumplings on your body’s blood sugar levels. It is a smart way to regulate your food choices and meal plans accordingly when you know the food you are eating.
How many dumplings can a diabetic patient have?
It is very important to understand that when we are talking about diabetic patients having dumplings, we are talking about the healthy variety of dumplings.
First of all, it is not advisable to have dumplings every day, even if they are healthy. You have to keep in mind that it is a treatment option for the mouth and is not regularly enjoyed.
So now, to answer the main question, one can have a maximum of 5 to 6 healthy dumplings in a day. It is a satisfying amount and also a filling number when it comes to snacking.
Keep in mind that steamed dumplings can add a lot of sodium to your body. It is essential to restrict yourself from consuming too much sodium as a diabetic.
Make sure to balance out the total calories and carbs that you consume in a day and space and plan out your other meals on that basis.
If you notice any ill effects after the consumption of dumplings, you must immediately take action. Refer to your medications, consult your doctors, or in such cases.
What are the nutrition facts for dumplings?
Well, to understand a food deeper, we should look into its nutritional composition. Let us do the same for regular dumplings as well.
There are not many nutrients that a small serving of dumplings can add to one’s health, especially the micronutrients.
Therefore, let us look at the macronutrients that can be found in 100 grams of regular dumplings.
| Sl. No. | Nutrients in 100 g of dumplings | Amount available |
| 1. | Calories | 356 |
| 2. | Carbohydrates | 40.09 g |
| 3. | Total fats | 18.1 g |
| 4. | Proteins | 7.7 g |
From this, you may be able to deduce benefits and harms on the body brought on by the consumption of dumplings.
Also, there is a considerable amount of sodium that is added to the body upon eating dumplings.
What are the benefits of eating dumplings?
While we were staying vigilant about this dish, there are certainly some good sides to it too. Here are some benefits of eating dumplings:
- Dumplings are light on the stomach and do not cause any uneasiness. It is even better to have whole wheat flour dumplings to maintain more safety.
- The vegetables used in dumpling fillings are usually rich in phytonutrients. These help to provide immunity.
- It is easy to make at home and is better than junk food options.
References
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/characteristics-of-some-wheatbased-foods-of-the-italian-diet-in-relation-to-their-influence-on-postprandial-glucose-metabolism-in-patients-with-type-2-diabetes/3A31DC1165F91CC3B7FC32F39AA825EC
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/using-both-principal-component-analysis-and-reduced-rank-regression-to-study-dietary-patterns-and-diabetes-in-chinese-adults/DFABCD935028CD4E138DDBB35BC16F83
- https://europepmc.org/article/med/7904202
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/1/269S/4633416
- https://europepmc.org/article/med/7904202
- https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/3/460.2
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748906002628
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/12/5955
- https://bjgp.org/content/57/539/461.short
- https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/maq.12005
