A great fruit lover but can’t eat because of Diabetes. It’s time to break the myth that Diabetics can’t eat fruits. Well there are some fruits which contain more sugar than other fruits. Diabetics need to be choosy while eating fruits and should also limit the quantity.
Here are some tips to have fruits without kicking up your blood sugar levels:
- Seasonal Fruits: can eat seasonal fruits but in limited proportion to your diet. While eating fruits keep in mind that you should not increase your diet. It implies that if having fruits then cut down from your normal diet and avoid extra food
- Good substitute for sweets and chocolates: Diabetics people mostly crave for their sweet tooth so instead of having sweets and chocolates which are full of fat and refined sugar they can opt for fruits as they have natural sugar which won’t harm much
- Fructose sugar vs. normal sugar: fruits contain fructose sugar which does not prompt significant rise in blood pressure as compared to normal and other versions of sugar. As body absorption for fructose sugar is low.
- Fiber Content: fruits contain fiber which is necessary for our body but fruit juices should be avoided as they contain only fructose sugar and no fiber
- One fruit at a time: diabetics should eat one fruit at a time to avoid extra fructose sugar as when it is digested in liver, it rejects the extra sugar and releases into blood stream causing heart problems
- Opt fruits for biscuit/white bread/rusk: should opt for fruits instead of bread and biscuits as they contain added artificial sugar and refined flour which can easily spike up your blood sugar level
- Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL): GI shows that how fast the food is converted into sugar in bloodstream. Food with high GI spikes blood sugar as compared to medium or low GI. While GL measures the quantity of carbohydrates per serving of food. So GL is better indicator as it indicates how carbohydrate food will affect blood sugar.
Must eat fruits for Diabetics
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) fruits are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber and should be included in Diabetic’s diet. So following are the Diabetic’s friendly fruits:
- Berries: as they are the source of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber and have low glycemic index
- Tart Cherries: they have the properties of fighting inflammation and can help fight cancer and heart disease
- Peaches: they are full of potassium and vitamin A and C and can be combined with Ice Tea or be added to a smoothie
- Pomegranates: richest in antioxidants and can prevent from free-radical and chronic diseases
- Apricots: are good source of fiber can be added to salad and can fulfil daily requirement of vitamin A.
- Apples: can have apple without peeling as it’s a good source of fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants
- Guava: a seasonal fruits is available only for a short duration is a fruits jewel for diabetics as it has a low GI and clears constipation and prevents from type-2 diabetes
- Oranges: rich source of vitamin C and fiber and act as an immunity from cough and cold and normalize blood pressure
- Watermelon: best super food for kidney functioning and keeping blood uric acid levels low as it contains potassium and lycopene which prevents from nerve damage
- Papaya: full of antioxidants prevents from future cell damage and irregular heartbeats and blood sugar level
- Pears: source of vitamin K and fiber
- Kiwi: delicious and rich source of potassium, vitamin C and Fiber is available round the year.
