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Photo:AlasdairJames / Getty Images
AlasdairJames / Getty Images
You’ve probably heard that, for the most part, frozen veggies have just as much nutritional value as fresh—and perhaps more, since many of us let our veggies sit in the crisper drawer a little too long. But if frozen veggies are great for you, are there particular types you should choose if you’re keeping an eye on yourblood sugar?
We asked three dietitians to find out. Their answer: Keeping blood sugar balanced involves focusing on the carbs and fiber in your veggie choices. “Vegetables are typically low in carbohydrates, so [they have] less impact on blood sugar,” saysAnnette Snyder, M.S., RD, a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching. When more of those carbohydrates come from filling fiber, these veggie choices can help prevent overeating and promote weight management, she says, recommending vegetables that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
We rounded up seven delicious dietitian-approved frozen vegetables. Here’s our list of veggies you can keep on hand for tons of blood sugar-friendly nutrition.
31 Recipes to Eat More Vegetables This Month
The 7 Best Frozen Vegetables for Better Blood Sugar
1. Stir-Fry Blend
20 Stir-Fry Dinner Recipes You’ll Want to Make Forever
2. Cauliflower
Frozen cauliflower is always a winner. You can find it in little florets or “riced,” which can be used in place of starchy rice in many dishes. For some people, rice may spike their blood sugar levels, but cauliflower rice is so low in carbs that you probably won’t notice any difference. One cup of cauliflower rice has about 5 grams of carbs, plus 3 grams of fiber.Win-win. Enjoy cauliflower rice as a rice substitute in dishes like thisSpinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli–you either love it, or you haven’t had it prepared in a delicious way yet. This cruciferous veggie can be yummy with the right preparation and flavors added to it. “Cruciferous (and still fiber-rich) vegetables like broccoli contain a chemical called sulforaphane that is released when the plant is cut or chewed. Sulforaphane may improve sensitivity to insulin and thus lower blood sugar,” Snyder says.To make it easy on you, we rounded up14 Recipes That Start with a Bag of Frozen Broccoli.
4. Spinach
You can’t go wrong with spinach, and even Popeye knew it. Just 1 cup of frozen spinach contains almost 7 grams of carbohydrates, including 4.5 grams of fiber.Spinach can add a huge boost of nutrients without altering the flavor ofsoups, stews and casseroles. Try thisSlow-Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dipwith fresh veggies to dip into the creamy goodness. Or go for thisHearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew.
5. Kale
Kale is still having its heyday. And for good reason: The American Diabetes Association recommends dark, leafy green vegetables like kale for their low calorie and carb content, in addition to nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, folate and vitamins A, C and K.One cup of kale has less than 1 gram of carbs, and it’s basically all fiber.Not bad! (Actually, really great.) Here’s a must-tryAutumn Salad.
6. Brussels Sprouts
You may not be a fan of this veggie, but hear us out. They’re bursting with nutrition, and Snyder highly recommends Brussels for their fiber content. One cup of Brussels sprouts cooked from frozen offers 6 grams of fiber.They’re also loaded up withvitamin C. It’s time to find a way to enjoy these little nutrition powerhouses, such as roasting them with a little olive oil and salt until crispy. Check outHow to Cook Brussels Sprouts So They’re Actually Delicious.
7. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a little higher on the glycemic index than the other veggies on this list, but Snyder points us toward their high fiber content. Cooked from frozen, these sweet spuds have about 3 grams fiber per cup, plus some magnesium, a mineral that may help improve glucose metabolism.,The ADA recommends consuming magnesium-containing foods, as it’s common to be deficient in this mineral.Try ourAnti-Inflammatory Sweet Potato Salad, which contains two veggies on our list: sweet potatoes and kale.
How to Select Frozen Veggies for Better Blood Sugar
Choosing frozen vegetables isn’t as simple as plucking a bag from the chilly shelf. “Frozen veggies can contain just as many nutrients as their non-frozen counterparts. However, they may also contain additional sources of sugars, fats and sodium (salt),” saysLena Bakovic, M.S., RD, a registered dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching. “That is why it is important to always read Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient lists on frozen vegetable packages and to check for additional ingredients/additives,” she adds. Ideally, the only ingredient on the package should be the vegetable or vegetables, adds Vatamaniuck.
The Bottom Line
Frozen vegetables are a great source of nutrition for everybody, but if you’re watching your blood sugar, they’ll be a great staple in your kitchen. Be sure to watch that ingredient list, experiment with some new types of vegetables and enjoy the nutritional benefits you’ll be getting from all the new veggies in your life.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.USDA. FoodData Central.Cauliflower rice.Houghton, C.Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.2019;14:2019:2716870. doi:10.1155/2019/2716870USDA. FoodData Central.Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes Superstar Foods.USDA. FoodData Central.Kale, raw.USDA. FoodData Central.Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.USDA. FoodData Central.Sweet potato, frozen, cooked, baked, without salt.Veronese N, Dominguez LJ, Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Smith L, Barbagallo M.Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials.Nutrients. 2021;13(11):4074. doi:10.3390/nu13114074American Diabetes Association.Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.USDA. FoodData Central.Cauliflower rice.Houghton, C.Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.2019;14:2019:2716870. doi:10.1155/2019/2716870USDA. FoodData Central.Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes Superstar Foods.USDA. FoodData Central.Kale, raw.USDA. FoodData Central.Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.USDA. FoodData Central.Sweet potato, frozen, cooked, baked, without salt.Veronese N, Dominguez LJ, Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Smith L, Barbagallo M.Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials.Nutrients. 2021;13(11):4074. doi:10.3390/nu13114074American Diabetes Association.Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
USDA. FoodData Central.Cauliflower rice.Houghton, C.Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.2019;14:2019:2716870. doi:10.1155/2019/2716870USDA. FoodData Central.Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes Superstar Foods.USDA. FoodData Central.Kale, raw.USDA. FoodData Central.Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.USDA. FoodData Central.Sweet potato, frozen, cooked, baked, without salt.Veronese N, Dominguez LJ, Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Smith L, Barbagallo M.Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials.Nutrients. 2021;13(11):4074. doi:10.3390/nu13114074American Diabetes Association.Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements.
USDA. FoodData Central.Cauliflower rice.
Houghton, C.Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.2019;14:2019:2716870. doi:10.1155/2019/2716870
USDA. FoodData Central.Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, unprepared.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes Superstar Foods.
USDA. FoodData Central.Kale, raw.
USDA. FoodData Central.Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.
USDA. FoodData Central.Sweet potato, frozen, cooked, baked, without salt.
Veronese N, Dominguez LJ, Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Smith L, Barbagallo M.Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials.Nutrients. 2021;13(11):4074. doi:10.3390/nu13114074
American Diabetes Association.Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements.
