Fruits in Diabetes
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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A person, who has any form of diabetes mellitus, almost immediately faces many restrictions - mainly in nutrition. As a result, a lot of questions arise regarding a new diet: what to eat, so as not to harm and not cause excess of sugar in the bloodstream? In particular, is it allowed to include fruits in diabetic menus in the daily menu? And if the answer is positive, what kind of fruit can it be, and in what quantities?
Of course, people who have diabetes mellitus should exercise maximum caution when choosing products. Diabetes is a serious and complex incurable pathology, in which any violation of diet or wrong therapy can cost the patient not only health but also life.
Is it possible to eat fruit with diabetes?
Anyone from infancy knows that fruits are of great benefit to our health, and without them the diet will be inferior. Healthy people without fear can eat both sweet and sour fruits, without fear for any adverse consequences. However, fruits with any kind of diabetes should be chosen with caution: many fruits are too sweet and can harm diabetics.
A few decades ago many physicians were convinced that for a person with diabetes all fruits should be forbidden. This was explained by the fact that fruits are rich in sugars, which increase the glucose content in the bloodstream.
Fortunately, numerous works of scientists have made it possible to make sure that fruits can be harmless, and even useful for people with a diagnosed form of diabetes. Of course, there are warnings about fruits, and every diabetic must know about them.
So, when selecting fruit, it is important to focus on the glycemic index (GI) index - the higher this index, the more it is undesirable to use such products.
Is it worth repeating that fresh fruit fruits help to strengthen immune defense, stabilize carbohydrate metabolism, normalize many processes inside the body. Therefore, to refuse fruit in diabetes, at least, is not advisable.
What kind of fruit can be eaten with diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2: resolved foods with diabetes
Picking fruit for the table for a person who has type 1 diabetes, the first thing to take into account the glycemic index - the higher it is, the greater the level of glucose in the blood after eating the fruit.
A similar indicator indicates how much the amount of glucose in the bloodstream will change after the use of a given product, compared with the change in this content when whole glucose is administered. At the same time, the whole glucose index is taken as 100.
If the GI of fruit or other product is less than 40, then it is considered low - products with this indicator are most suitable for inclusion in the menu for diabetes. The value is more than 40, but less than 70 refers to the average - such fruits can be eaten with diabetes, but infrequently and in small amounts. A value greater than 70 is considered too high and is not recommended for those who have diabetes.
Low GI indicators are recorded in relatively acidic fruit species:
- citrus fruits;
- sour berries;
- sour apples;
- green bananas;
- kiwi.
Here you can also include apricots, cherries, hard pears.
High GI has dried fruits, grapes, ripe bananas, and almost all fruit juices.
People who fell ill with type 2 diabetes should also pay attention to the GI score. However, more important for them is not the GI, but the calorie content of a particular fruit, since type 2 diabetes most often develops against the background of metabolic disorders and obesity.
Nutritionists are advised to use such berries and fruits for type 2 diabetes:
- strawberry;
- cherry;
- melon;
- citrus fruits;
- apples.
Useful fruit in diabetes mellitus
Dietary food involves the use of such especially useful berries and fruits in diabetes mellitus:
- Strawberries are an excellent source of ascorbic acid and other important components for diabetes mellitus. Potassium from strawberries stabilizes blood pressure, strengthens the heart. And fiber improves digestive processes and permanently eliminates the sensation of hunger.
- Avocados - perhaps, the most useful fruit for diabetics. It contains polyunsaturated fats that improve cardiac activity and stabilize the cholesterol in the blood.
- Apples are the most common dietary fruit in diabetes mellitus. Against the background of low GI, apples contain a lot of vitamins, pectin and other useful ingredients.
- Apricots are valuable sources of fiber and retinol. For complex beneficial effects on the body of a diabetic patient, it is enough to eat five apricots a day.
- Lemon and orange are popular sources of ascorbic acid with a small GI. In addition to vitamin C, citrus fruits contain folic acid and potassium necessary for diabetes.
The list of fruits with diabetes can be significantly expanded. The main thing for type 1 diabetes is to control the carbohydrate content in the fruit. So, it is allowed to eat not more than 15 grams of carbohydrates at a time. And with type 2 diabetes, attention should be paid to the glycemic index. With an average of 40, you can eat about an average cup of sliced fruit, which will surely benefit the body.
Fruits in Diabetes of Pregnant Women: What Fruits Can You Have in Gestational Diabetes?
Not so long ago, doctors assured that with gestational diabetes, you can not eat fruit. It was assumed that the fruit because of the high content of easily digestible carbohydrates in them, may be harmful to the pregnant woman. Fortunately, over time, scientists have revised their attitude to the fruits of diabetes in pregnant women. It was proved that fruits, on the contrary, normalize metabolic processes and improve a woman's well-being. The main thing is to pay attention to the index of the glycemic index and to pick fruits on this indicator.
Fruits, like no other food, are rich in vitamin and mineral components, pectin, fiber and a host of other important substances for the body of pregnant substances. And fruits such as apples and hard pears, even able to lower the sugar content in the blood. Fiber, which is present in the fruit, regulates digestion and facilitates the state of toxicosis.
Fruits with diabetes, which are recommended to give preference:
- apples, solid pears;
- apricots;
- bananas of an average degree of maturity;
- berries of blueberries, strawberries;
- citrus fruits.
In addition, the recommended use of gestational diabetes watermelons, pineapples, pomegranate seeds.
What kind of fruit can not be eaten with diabetes?
In the list of dietitians, which includes forbidden fruit in diabetes, the sweetest representatives are designated: ripe bananas, melons and persimmons, figs, dates, grapes.
Also under the ban fall and initially allowed fruits and berries, which added sugar and other additions, as well as most of the dried fruits. By the way, dried fruits have a much higher calorie content and glycemic index than their fresh counterparts. That is why their use should be limited.
In addition, it is undesirable to consume fruit juices: juices contain much more glucose than whole fruits. In addition, carbohydrates from juices are digested much easier and faster.
In summary, you can determine the most harmful fruit in diabetes:
- Fruits containing a large number of easily assimilated carbohydrates (ripe bananas, grapes, persimmons, dates and figs).
- Dried fruits - especially processed with syrup (dried bananas, figs, dates, candied fruits).
It is allowed to use a small amount of dried fruit in the form of soaked dried apricots, prunes, unabi.
The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus does not mean that from now on you will have to eat monotonously, limiting yourself to fruits and berries. If you follow all the recommendations of the doctor and competently draw up a menu, then you can lead a completely full-fledged lifestyle. The main thing is to observe moderation and adhere to a certain diet, and then the fruits with diabetes will only benefit.