Apples in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Healthy people never have doubts about whether to eat apples or not. The fruits familiar from childhood grow in every garden, are sold at every market, and are therefore considered something familiar and self-evident – like air, sunlight or rain. Apples raise questions for diabetics, and each diabetic must answer them for himself.

What apples can you eat if you have diabetes?

Plant foods are necessary for everyone, regardless of their health. Unfortunately, not all fruits are good for diabetics among all the fruit varieties. You have to find a middle ground so as not to limit yourself too much, but also not to harm your health. Apples for diabetes, along with citrus fruits, peaches, pears, are included in the list of permitted fruits, and this is the fundamental position of nutritionists.

• Having solved the main question, the patient faces the following: are all apples equally useful? Which apples are the best for diabetes? Does the variety, color, chemical composition matter?

Apples, along with other plant foods, are present in the diabetic diets of patients with both types of the disease. The conditions for their use are as follows:

• eat in limited quantities (1 fruit per day);
• take unsweetened, green ones;
• the lower the patient's weight, the smaller the apple;
• baked goods are used to replace useless sweets;
• An apple in light salads is a healthy snack or dessert.

When taken in the right dose, apples are only beneficial for diabetics. They are rich in substances that support immunity, improve blood circulation, have a positive effect on digestion, relieve fatigue and lift a person's mood. Apples are a healthy alternative to fatty confectionery products, with them the body receives a number of essential minerals, pectins, and vitamins.

Apples are also a good source of antioxidants. Compared to many other commonly consumed fruits in the United States, apples ranked second in antioxidant activity.[ 1 ] Apples also ranked second in total phenolic compound concentrations, and perhaps more importantly, apples had the highest proportion of free phenolics compared to other fruits.[ 2 ]

Not only can apples help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and asthma, apple consumption may also be associated with a lower risk of diabetes. In the previously discussed Finnish study of 10,000 people, a reduced risk of type II diabetes was associated with apple consumption. [ 3 ] Higher intake of quercetin, the main component of apple peel, was also associated with a reduced risk of type II diabetes.

Indications

The diabetic diet is composed in such a way that it contains all the nutrients, maintains a stable sugar level, and does not allow sharp fluctuations in the key indicator. Indications for the appointment of certain products depend mainly on the nature and type of the disease.

• The restrictions apply to animal fats. Carbohydrates should be present constantly, in the form of various dietary products.

Apples for diabetes are recommended unsweetened, in small quantities, to balance the carbohydrate balance. They supply vitamins, fiber, microelements, strengthen blood vessels and defenses, and enrich the diet due to their freshness and pleasant taste.

According to new data, the information that diabetics need green apples is apparently outdated. And that the sugar content depends on the ripeness and size of the apple no less than on the variety. So when including these fruits in the menu, it is better to consult a doctor to find out his competent opinion on this matter.

Apples for type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is called non-insulin-dependent. In this form, insulin is present in the body, but there is no possibility of its transportation to sugars. This is a somewhat simplified scheme, but it is accessible for understanding the process. A diet, including apples for type 2 diabetes, serves to correct glucose levels. The daily norm of fruits depends on the total amount of carbohydrates and the body's perception of the product.

• It is usually recommended to eat one apple a day for diabetes.

When buying them, pay attention to the variety, size, aroma, and condition of the peel. Lately, they have been writing that the best varieties for diabetics are green ones, usually less sweet than red ones. But this is not an indisputable fact: there are exceptions. According to other information, the amount of sugar in fruits of different colors differs insignificantly, and from experience we know that even red apples can be sour.

• Do not take apples that are rotten, too soft or hard, wrinkled, or sticky.

All this is typical for low-quality and poorly stored fruits. It is unlikely that an apple with a wormhole, supposedly indicating its ecological purity, will be tasty. Perhaps it really does contain fewer chemicals, but both the taste and shelf life of such fruits leave much to be desired.

Apples for type 1 diabetes

An important component that determines the importance of apples in type 1 diabetes is fiber. It serves to reduce cholesterol levels and can slow down the absorption of glucose into the blood. The entire fruit consists of useful substances, including the peel and even the seeds - a source of iodine, which is extremely important for the body. However, this does not mean that you should eat them as much as you like.

• No, because the seeds contain a poison called cyanide. A 100-gram portion of such seeds leads to fatal poisoning. And although no one eats them in such quantities, the norm is set: no more than 6 pieces per day.

Insulin-dependent diabetes requires a mandatory balanced diet. In the past, people with diabetes were very dependent on strict diets - due to insulin deficiency and undeveloped treatment methods. Now doctors know how to create balanced diets taking into account food preferences, so apples are no longer a forbidden fruit for diabetes. They include only products that sharply increase sugar, because jumps are dangerous for the patient.

• Apples, due to the abundance of fiber, are not a critical product; on the contrary, they enrich the body with healthy carbohydrates, which are essential for every person.

Without their supply, insulin can excessively lower the glucose level, and this is fraught with new problems. To prevent them, there is a diet, timely consumption of food and, if necessary, medications.

Apples for gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is an increase in glucose levels in pregnant women. This condition occurs in 4% of expectant mothers, in the last trimester of pregnancy they are included in the risk group for this factor. Glucose in the blood exceeds the norm, but not as critically as with real diabetes. However, this does not mean that the problem can be hushed up or ignored. In no case, because the consequences of inactivity can tragically affect the fetus! Let's take a closer look at the place of apples in the diet for diabetes in pregnant women.

• Half of the daily diet for this type of diabetes consists of carbohydrates.

Sweet foods, which are contraindicated for pregnant women, are saturated with them. Instead, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and black bread are included in the menu. Apples are included in the diet for gestational diabetes, but only sour varieties, along with strawberries, raspberries, grapefruits, plums, pears, gooseberries, and currants. Sweet fruits, along with bananas, grapes, melons, figs, and persimmons, are included in the list of prohibited products.

Apples will be useful if a woman is able to organize a proper diet. It should be fractional: 3 main and 3 intermediate meals, so-called snacks, drinking about 2 liters of liquid per day. Apples are taken as a snack and supplement to dinner.

Caloric content is calculated depending on body weight: 35–40 kcal/kg. Carbohydrate and protein products are not combined in one meal.

Benefits

Apples contain about 85% liquid, the rest is solid components, in particular, fiber. Chemically, apples consist of microelements, vitamins, pectin. Sugar occupies a low place in their rating: the average fruit contains about 20 g, and in green varieties - even less.

• It is because of the sweet ingredient that the question of apples for diabetes arises, which is inappropriate in other cases. After all, the benefits of the most popular fruit among all kinds of fruits are beyond anyone's doubt.

Apples dull the appetite, facilitate the digestion of food, cleanse cholesterol, and strengthen the immune system. Despite the increased amount of glucose, they are useful for diabetics to prevent capillary fragility. Green varieties with a sour taste are more acceptable: they are considered to have fewer carbohydrates.

The limitation concerns the quantity: up to 2 medium fruits per day is quite enough. It is advisable not to eat large apples all at once, so as not to provoke a sugar surge. It is better to divide them into two doses, with some interval. The recommended varieties are white filling, Semerenko, Antonovka, pink lady, granny smith.

People with diabetes can be advised two things: do not eat anything without consulting your doctor. (If apples are not included in the diet, then it is obviously in vain to expect any benefit from them.) And after receiving permission, find out how apples affect you personally. To do this, measure your glucose levels before and after eating the fruit. The indicators will show whether you can safely eat your favorite fruit without risking harm to your body.

Baked apples for diabetes

Fresh apples are useful for diabetes if you do not abuse either the quantity or the sweetness. Under such conditions, they show all their beneficial properties and do not increase blood sugar. Regarding processed fruits, not everything is clear. For example, dried apple fruits and jams are not so welcome on the table of a diabetic, since they contain an increased amount of sweet components.

• However, there is an excellent alternative to fill the menu for those with a sweet tooth: baked apples for diabetes.

This is a very healthy dish that preserves the best properties, and for digestion it is even more pleasant than fresh fruits. Apples look and smell appetizing, have a pleasant taste, they successfully replace cakes and sweets, undesirable in the diet of a diabetic.

• The pectin contained in the fruit satisfies hunger, removes toxic substances, and reduces insulin levels.

To cleanse the body of the poisons accumulated during the day, it is enough to eat one baked fruit in the evening. In general, no more than 2 sour apples, usually green in color, are allowed per day. They are eaten with the peel, and after consumption, the sugar level is monitored - to know how the dish affects a particular patient.

Recipes for baked apples can be complicated: stuffed with compatible ingredients - cottage cheese with dried apricots, nuts, raisins, eggs, cinnamon, stevia. It is better to bake greenish fruits with a hard skin (Semerenko, white filling varieties).

Dried apples for diabetes

Almost all dried fruits retain the vitamins and minerals found in fresh produce. Their use by diabetics depends on the glycemic index level and the amount of harmful saccharides. They are used for snacks, making uzvar, vegetable stew, baked meat.

• Dried apples are on the list of permitted foods for diabetics, although some authors classify all dried fruits as harmful, citing high sugar concentrations as their reasoning.

However, apples for diabetes in the form of dry slices, in combination with prunes or dried apricots, provide an opportunity to refresh yourself, enrich the blood with components that are especially useful for the diabetic body.

• A diabetic diet takes into account not only the benefits of food, but also the balance of nutrients.

The safe dose also depends on the acid content of dried fruits. If the stomach acidity is normal, then additional acids are not scary. With increased pH, on the contrary: sour dried apples become a source of excess acids, which in this case is unsafe.

The dried compote is prepared after preliminary soaking of the raw material and double draining of the liquid after boiling. Then water is poured again and finally the uzvar is cooked with a sugar substitute, adding cinnamon for taste.

Dried apple slices are also healthier for diabetics after soaking them in hot water for 8 hours. During this time, the water is changed several times, and then the softened apple pieces are eaten with pleasure and benefit.

Green apples for diabetes

Fresh fruits, including apples, are beneficial for diabetes as a source of vitamin and mineral complex, polysaccharides, fructose, acids, and tannins. These substances are useful for everyone, but they play a special role for diabetics. Thus, vitamins strengthen the vascular system, which is especially vulnerable in diabetes, and plant fibers absorb excess sugars.

• The optimal variety is green apples for diabetes. In their favor is the lower amount of sugar compared to sweet red varieties.

Although, if you look closely, the sweetness of apples is not directly related to the shade of the peel. The variety is not only the color, but also other factors. Moreover, in domestic gardens a whole range ripens: yellow, pink, almost white, spotted-striped, orange-hued fruits.

• The most suitable varieties for diabetics are Granny Smith, Semerenko, Golden Rangers, Antonovka, and the popular white filling.

The best apples are fresh. It is advisable not to mix them with other products: such a combination burdens the pancreas.

Dried green apples are good for compote. The sugar concentration in them is several times higher than in fresh fruits, and this is fraught with an increase in glucometer readings. Water dilutes the concentration to quite safe levels.

• The best option is pickled fruits. They retain the entire set of vitamins with a reduced glycemic index.

Stewed or baked fruits are especially useful if a diabetic has digestive problems.

Jams, preserves, marmalade are used to urgently increase sugar levels in insulin-dependent diabetics. A portion of the sweet potion quickly acts against hypoglycemia, restores a person's normal condition and well-being.

Fresh juice prepared at home, without any sweet additives, is allowed in a minimal amount: up to half a glass. Or a full glass diluted with water.

• Industrial drinks are always too sweet, and this is the danger for every diabetic.

Apples are also used for diet baking, fruit salads, desserts, stuffing. All this is tasty and healthy, but when eating such food, do not forget to control its quantity so that the glucometer indicator does not "swing" to a dangerous limit.

Antonovka apples

People with diabetes have to be especially picky with fruit products. Despite the undoubted usefulness of all fruits, not all of them are equally well perceived by the sick organism. Even apples with diabetes should be chosen meticulously, taking into account the variety, quality, degree of ripeness, and presentation. Because a wonderful, affordable, familiar fruit from childhood can not only bring food pleasure, but also harm the body.

• Antonovka apples are among the varieties recommended for diabetics.

Rich taste, low percentage of sugar and calories, abundance of vitamins and pectins make them very appropriate in the diet of people with metabolic disorders, in particular, glucose absorption. In addition to fresh, pickled fruits are useful.

Antonovka is favored by the fact that it is recommended to start the baby's first complementary feeding with fruits of this variety. And eating apples by pregnant women ensures the prevention of allergic and asthmatic attacks in the newborn.

• There is also a flip side to the coin. Any fruit can become harmful if you abuse it or eat it at the wrong time.

Thus, the digestive tract does not accept Antonovka apples on an empty stomach, and tooth enamel can be damaged by organic acids present in apples. To prevent this, rinse your mouth with water every time after eating apples.

The seeds of this, as well as other varieties, contain not only useful iodine, but also substances that release poisonous hydrocyanic acid in the stomach. To avoid poisoning, do not get carried away with the seeds: the maximum safe dose is 6 pieces.

Apples are not recommended for bloating, ulcers and some other gastrointestinal diseases.

White filling apples

The white filling variety is one of the earliest. The sweet and sour taste, soft skin, and delicate aroma of apples ripening in midsummer make them unique among the variety of varieties: multi-colored, with a whole range of tastes and colors. It is with them that the apple season begins in our latitudes.

• The pulp of white filling apples is loose and fine-grained in appearance. The name arose due to the specific whitish hue of fully ripened fruits.

The pleasant sourness and vitamin benefits of the variety are due to the abundance of ascorbic acid. Thanks to apples, immunity is strengthened, protection against infectious diseases. Insoluble fibers cleanse the intestines and the body as a whole, normalize cholesterol. The antioxidant quercetin counteracts the destructive action of free radicals.

• The tastiest fruits are those picked straight from the tree. But this opportunity is rare.

Apples for diabetes are mainly purchased. They are cut into pieces for desserts or salads, baked whole, used for compotes, dried for uzvar. White filling is used to prepare filling for baking, marinated and salted for the winter, processed into jam, marmalade, wine, juice.

• Juicy sour white fruit is a great snack. Baked fruits serve as an afternoon snack or late dinner. Pickled apples are also suitable for diabetics.

Dried apple fruits, jams, syrups, and industrial juices should not appear on a diabetic’s menu: they contain too much sugar, which is harmful to health.

What can and what can not?

What can you eat?

An apple is one of the safest and most common fruits. People of all ages eat them with pleasure, and even patients who have undergone operations resume their diet with apples - baked ones, though. Apples are definitely useful for such a specific disease as diabetes. Nutritionists give their recommendations regarding the method and amount of fruit in a diabetic's diet.

Apples will be most beneficial for diabetes if:

• eat them whole;
• one medium apple per meal;
• distribute the dose evenly throughout the day;
• Do not consume canned juice, processed or dried fruits.

A doctor who is aware of your health and dietary requirements will help you answer the question "What can you eat?" in addition to apples. Your unique diet will not be qualitatively worsened if some ingredients are replaced with analogues. The main thing is that the overall result and the amount of critical components, i.e. sugar, do not increase.

In short, it does not matter what product will be the source of carbohydrates; what is important is their weight in the overall structure of the diet. From the fruit and berry group, grapefruits, oranges, strawberries, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, blueberries, kiwi are considered permitted sources.

What shouldn't you eat?

Diet is an important part of the lifestyle of people suffering from diabetes. You need to give up a lot, change a lot, but this is within the power of anyone who wants to live a full and positive life. At first, a diabetic often faces the question "What can't you eat?", and the attending physician is obliged to answer him.

In particular, questions arise about the admissibility of fruits, which, as a rule, contain sweet components that affect blood parameters. The answers should be sought separately for each fruit. In particular, apples for diabetes are a kind of compromise between the undoubted benefit and the potential harm that can become real if they are consumed incorrectly.

Important components for diabetics are found both in the pulp and in the peel. These are microelements, pectins, vitamins, acids, antioxidants.

• Nutritionists welcome fresh, baked, soaked fruits, they are wary of dried ones, or rather, of their quantity and method of use, and they resolutely reject jams, preserves, and preserves.

It is better to use dried fruits for unsweetened compotes; also, you should not sweeten compotes made from fresh fruits.

As for juices, they are also prohibited, especially canned ones: they always contain a lot of sugar. Fresh juices made from your own fruits are allowed - in small quantities, preferably diluted with water.

Contraindications

Any fruit can increase blood sugar if consumed without control. Apples are no exception for diabetics. Patients should follow the diet prescribed by the doctor and deny themselves these fruits if there are contraindications. Health is worth it.

• When it comes to apples, it's not just fresh fruit.

Unsweetened compote and baked apples are quite dietary food. However, jams and dried fruits, which contain too much sugar, are recommended to be excluded from the diabetic diet.

Possible risks

Proper organization of the regime based on the principles of healthy eating helps to reduce the risks associated with the diet. Everything is like healthy people, but with control over the sugar level. A balanced diet makes it possible to avoid critical situations, including diabetic coma.

Apples can and should be consumed by diabetics, and not necessarily green ones. Modern nutritionists recommend trusting your taste and believe that the sugar concentration depends mainly on the ripeness of the fruit, and not just on the color or variety.

Complications

With diabetes, it is important to keep the process under control to prevent possible complications. Among a number of points on how to do this, an important place is occupied by healthy nutrition that meets the needs of the diabetic body. Apples are usually included in the diet for diabetes and, if consumed correctly, do not cause complications.

Complications arise in the presence of concomitant problems, in particular, various pathologies of the digestive organs, for which apples are not recommended.

Detailed menu for every day

The main restriction for diabetes is foods with a high sugar content: honey, sweet berries and fruits, cakes, candies. Spicy, fatty, fried foods are traditionally not recommended.

• When calculating a detailed menu for each day, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of other pathologies, age, and physical activity of the patient.

To maintain normal health and performance, a person must take insulin in an optimal dosage. A deficiency or excess of the hormone provokes deterioration and complications.

• Nutritionists offer diabetics lists of permitted and prohibited foods.

Apples for diabetes are included in the first list, but, as a rule, with some conditions. Individual diet may differ slightly, but the general recommendations regarding apples are as follows:

• Eat no more than one medium-sized fruit per day.
• Choose ripe, fresh, healthy apples.
• Preference is given to sour varieties, usually green in color, grown in the private sector.
• In addition to fresh ones, include baked apples, fruit and appetizer salads with apples, compotes and sugar-free fruit drinks in the menu.
• Do not buy industrial juices, jams, and preserves with a high percentage of sweet ingredients.
• The best time for apples is second breakfast or dinner.

Recipes

The classic version of apples for diabetes is baked. The dish is prepared quickly and easily. There is no need to peel the apples, just take out the cores. Instead, put cottage cheese mixed with eggs, ground nuts, cinnamon. Some people like to add various berries. Bake the apples in the oven, readiness is determined by softness.

• Since jams and preserves are not recommended for diabetics, puree is prepared for the winter.

The pulp, cleaned of all unnecessary things, is cut into pieces, sugar and water are added to the bottom of the pan and boiled, stirring. The soft mass is placed in jars for sterilization.

Apple recipes include not only sweet ingredients. Snack salads with apples have a piquant taste and lightness. An example of a salad: grated apples, green onions, nettles, seasoned with sour cream. Or grated apples, horseradish, celery, poured with yogurt.

Unjustly forgotten pickled apples have a special taste and health benefits. The original recipes, with such exotic ingredients as rye straw, have probably been lost, but they are successfully replaced by existing products.

• Take hard winter apples, an oak barrel or a regular glass jar, cover the bottom with currant leaves, and place two rows of fruit on them.

Cover them with mint, then put apples again. Cover tightly with currants on top and pour in brine: 15g salt, 20g honey, 10g rye flour per 1 liter of warm boiled water.

Reviews

There are no negative reviews about apples. Some authors are sent to the English proverb that just one apple prolongs youth and saves a person from visiting doctors. There are other "flattering" comments, but seriously, only the attending physician should recommend (or not) apples for diabetes.

Results

Vegetables and fruits with a lot of plant fiber are always appropriate in the diet of a person who cares about healthy eating. However, it is difficult to measure the specific results of their use according to medical indications and recommendations. One thing is certain: apples for diabetes should be eaten as much as the daily sugar intake allows. On average, it is 1-2 pieces.

Diet is often associated with something bland and tasteless. Plant foods and fruits for dessert make nutrition complete and tasty. Practice shows that apples do not cause harm in diabetes in the permissible dosage; on the contrary, favorite fruits diversify the diet, supply carbohydrates and natural vitamins, and provide food pleasure.