Best and Worst Fruits For Diabetic Patients

All those diabetic patients out there might be wondering what choices you have in taking fruits especially when it can increase your blood sugar level. Despite fruits having many benefits for consumers, it might not be the same case for diabetic patients.

Some fruits should be avoided due to their high glycemic index(GI) which will influence your blood sugar level. Diabetic patients need to understand that not all fruits are suitable for them and the quantity of them matters a lot too.

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Should You Take Fruits If You Are Diabetic?

This is a hot question most diabetic patients will ask and some of you might have been told to stay away from them. Regardless of that, the intake of fruits is truly a part of the management plan for diabetic patients.

There is one research showing that if a diabetic patient takes fresh fruits at least three times a week, they will have a lower risk of getting vascular complications and also the risk of death. But it is imperative to know which fruits are best and considered worst for diabetic patients.

The GI level of each fruit will determine how much one can take each day.

How to Understand the Value of GI in Fruits?

Glycemic Index or GI is one evaluation for food starting from the value of 1 to 100. The higher the GI value of the food, the faster it is for the food to increase your blood sugar level.

For instance, food with a GI value of 40 is much better than food with a GI value of 70. The lower the GI value of the food means that the slower your blood sugar level will rise. For diabetic patients, you will have to see the fruits which provide a very low GI value.

Fruits with a low GI are very suitable for diabetic patients since they will not cause your blood sugar level to skyrocket quickly.

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Type of Fruits Based On GI

For those who wish to know the kind of fruits according to their GI level, you can refer to this list below.

Fruits For Diabetics With Low GI

These fruits will have a GI of 55 and below:

• Peach
• Orange
• Cherry
• Banana
• Avocado
• Apple
• Grapes
• Kiwi
• Berry

Fruits For Diabetics With Intermediate GI

These fruits will have a GI of 56 to 69:

• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Honeydew Melon

Fruits For Diabetics With High GI

These fruits will have a GI of more than 70:

• Dates
• Watermelon

Ways to Determine The Portion of Fruits

Bear in mind that despite eating fruits with low GI, it can still rapidly increase your blood sugar level if it was to be consumed too much. Due to that, you will still need to control the quantity of consumption or the part of fruits that you wish to eat.

You are recommended to take one serving size of fruit each night. One serving size is equivalent to 15 grams of carbohydrates.

The quantity of fruits that can be taken in one serving size depends on the type of fruit itself. Here is a list of the number of fruits that can be taken in one serving size based on the type of fruits:

• Apple/Orange/Peach/Pear: 1 piece of fruit
• Banana: Half of a banana in the usual size
• Apricot: 4 small pieces
• Kiwi: 2 small pieces
• Watermelon/Honeydew melon: 1 cup
• Grapes: 17 small pieces
• Mango: 1/3 of the fruit
• Blueberry: 3/4 of a cup
• Strawberry: 1/4 of a cup
• 
  

Type of Fruits for Diabetics That Should Be Avoided

For diabetic patients, it is recommended that you only take fresh fruits. This is because fresh fruits still contain good fibers that can control your blood sugar level.

Any processed fruits should not be taken and need to be avoided. Here are the type of fruits that should not be taken:

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are snacks that sometimes like to be enjoyed by certain people. It can simply be taken just like that while some prefer to put it in a recipe for cakes and desserts.

Most dried fruits contain added sugars while it was processed. It is not only high in sugar but also lacks the fibers that diabetic patient really needs.

Some examples of dried fruits include raisins, apricot, and dried winter melon.

Fruit Juice

Despite juice being made from fresh fruits, it still does not have the same benefits as eating fresh fruits on its own.

In fact, juices that are made from 100% fresh fruits without added sugar can increase your blood sugar level even more quickly. This is because when you grind the fruits inside the juicer, almost all the fibers will be lost.

This means that your body will require more time to digest those fruits. This will make them be absorbed at a faster rate into the blood and ultimately increase the blood sugar level quickly.

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Conclusion

Now that you know the best and worst fruits for diabetics, you can simply practice them at home. One should note that fruits still bring many benefits to diabetic patients.

But one should take into consideration the type of fruits to be taken and their quantity to prevent the blood sugar level from rising drastically.

Source:

• Journals

• MyPlate

• MantraCare

• ADA

Also read: Top 5 Benefits of Garlic To The Health