Diabetics welcome Ontario-grown low Glycemic Index potatoes

Joanne Lewis, Director of Nutrition and Diabetes Education with the Canadian Diabetes Association in Toronto said that apart from controlling blood sugar, the new Ontario-grown variety of potatoes were proclaimed to impart health benefit for everyone, said the reports.

Lewis further said that earlier, diabetic people were careful in the consumption of potatoes because of the starch content, but with the advent of this new variety of potatoes with low glycemic index, diabetic people would start enjoying the potatoes, reports said.

According to reports, EarthFresh Farms, the grower and distributor of the new Carisma potato, being grown in Waterdown, Ontario, north of Hamilton stated that during this fall, only a limited supply of this potato would be made available to selected stores in Ontario.

"There's a lot of evidence around cardiovascular benefits, definitely for people with diabetes, satiety and sustained energy, says Lewis."

Lewis mentioned that pulses, such as lentils and dried beans, peas, sweet potatoes, steel-cut oats are foods with a low-glycemic response, and added that the low-glycemic index is part of the Canadian Diabetic Association's nutritional standards, according to reports.

Unhealthy carbohydrates can include white bread, highly processed cereals and some more traditional baking potatoes.

The Carisma potato, which is not genetically modified, originated in Joure, Netherlands. It has been grown from seed in that country as well as Australia for at least five years.

Reports said that depending on the yield of seeds, the Carisma potato would be likely grown next year in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island, EarthFresh Farms said.

According to Jane Dummer, a registered dietitian in Kitchener, Ontario, a medium sized Carisma potato weighing one hundred and fifty grams contained seventy calories, whereas Prince Edwayd Island Potatoes' nutrition facts table said a regular medium potato had hundred calories, reports confirmed.

Drummer also mentioned that a medium-sized Carisma potato contained seventy calories, three grams of protein, three grams of fibre and fifteen grams of carbohydrate and is also a good source of vitamin C and potassium.

Carisma potatoes were being supplied to selected Longo's, Sobeys and Metro stores, reports said.

Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) logo would be found on the packaging signifying that the product is consistent with the nutritional standards of CDA.

According to the estimates of CDA, number of Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes, including undiagnosed cases were eleven million. Out of these, 3.5 million were living with diagnosed diabetes and an estimated five to ten per cent of those had Type 1 diabetes.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)