Pros and Cons of Eating Fruit if You Have Diabetes
by Admin
Posted on 25-12-2022 03:30 AM
Eating naturally sweeter things is the best you can have, but people with type 2 diabetes have to keep a check on their diet to manage their blood sugar levels. They have to keep a check on the quality and variety of fruits that you can consume on a daily basis. If you have confusions regarding what to eat and what not or is pomegranate good for diabetes or not then you must check the below list of best fruits that a diabetic person can eat: apples – an excellent choice apples are fully packed with fiber, making them one of the best fruits diabetics can eat.
The simple answer is yes, but we need to look at this deeper. Fruit can be part of a well-balanced diet for diabetics, having said that, if you are diabetic, you will need to be careful how much fruit you consume. Fruit is rich in carbohydrates and diabetics can have a difficult time breaking them down and digesting them normally. In the past, people with diabetes would simply be told to avoid eating fruit. Carbohydrates in fruit are broken down into simple sugars, impacting blood sugar levels directly – that is why the fruit you eat needs to be considered carefully.
Generally speaking, it’s a long-held myth that diabetes patients should avoid eating all fruits. Everyone knows that fruits are a healthy source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Avoiding these entirely is near impossible, and it can actually deprive your body of some required antioxidants, folate, bioflavonoids, and potassium. So, it all comes down to not necessarily avoiding certain fruits, but how much of such sugary fruits you should consume. All in all, every fruit contains carbohydrates, and you should know how each fruit affects you specifically and take steps to keep your blood sugar under control.
Choose Fruit With a Lower Glycemic Index
Most fruits have a low glycemic index (gi) because of their fructose and fiber content. Melons and pineapple have medium gi values as do some dried fruits such as dates, raisins and sweetened cranberries. Overall, fruit is encouraged when using the glycemic index to guide food choices—so enjoy.
The more ripe a fruit or vegetable, the higher it tends to be on the gi. While there are certainly exceptions to each rule, these are some general guidelines to follow when evaluating the potential blood sugar impact of a particular food. The glycemic index helps you pick higher quality carbohydrates. However, it’s the total carbohydrate loads in your diet that ultimately affect blood sugar levels. Choosing low glycemic foods can help, but you must also manage the total carbohydrates that you consume. Also, the gi doesn’t take into account the overall nutritional value of a food. For example, just because microwave popcorn is in the middle of gi foods, doesn’t mean you should live only on microwave popcorn.
The glycemic index (gi) is a measurement of how much certain foods will affect your blood sugar. The numbers can vary based on how fruit is prepared, but the index can be helpful when meal planning with diabetes. The riper a fruit is, the higher its glycemic index. This means that ripe fruit will raise your blood sugar more than a food with a low glycemic index. Though the glycemic index is not a perfect system, people with diabetes should reference it when selecting fruit to eat. The higher the gi index, the more likely your choice will interfere with your glycemic (blood sugar) control.
When eating fruits and vegetables, remember that fresh and raw is best whenever possible, although baking and steaming will also help retain nutrients. And if you think that fresh fruits and vegetables are mainly grown in the summer months, you might be surprised to know that there are several produce options that are available year-round in canada.
The simple answer? yes, and they should! people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes often hear a common misconception that they shouldn’t eat fruit. Since people with diabetes often struggle with managing their blood glucose levels (blood sugar levels), it would seem logical to avoid the high natural carbohydrate content of fruits in favor of low carb options. However, fruits do not worsen your risk of type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and are actually proven to be a valuable part of an overall diet that decreases your risk of insulin resistance, and can actually help reverse the underlying causes of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
A diet rich in soluble fiber will control blood sugar levels and slow your absorption of sugar. Lots of fruits are rich in fiber, especially if you eat pulp and skin. Eating enough fiber surely plays an important role for diabetics. Lots of fruits are filling as they are made up of a lot of water and fiber. Fruits are rich in nutrients and fiber, hence they are a great option in meal planning. However, individuals will experience different results so discuss your meal plan with your doctor. Fruits in the market that have been processed like fruit juices and applesauce have had their removed fiber.