Fruit for diabetes

A person who is diagnosed with any form of diabetes almost immediately faces many restrictions - mainly in nutrition. As a result, a lot of questions arise regarding the new diet: what to eat so as not to harm and not cause excess sugar in the bloodstream? In particular, is it allowed to include fruits in the daily menu for diabetes? And if the answer is yes, then what kind of fruits can it be, and in what quantities?

Of course, people with diabetes should be extremely careful when choosing products. Diabetes is a serious and complex incurable pathology, in which any violation of the diet or incorrect therapy can cost the patient not only health, but also life.

Can you eat fruit if you have diabetes?

Every person knows from infancy that fruits are of great benefit to our health, and without them the diet will be incomplete. Healthy people can safely eat both sweet and sour fruits, without fear of any adverse effects. However, fruits for any type of diabetes should be chosen with caution: many fruits are too sweet and can harm a diabetic.

Just a few decades ago, many doctors were convinced that any fruit should be prohibited for people with diabetes. This was explained by the fact that fruits are rich in sugars, which increase the glucose content in the bloodstream.

Fortunately, numerous scientific studies have made it possible to verify that fruits can be safe and even beneficial for people with diagnosed diabetes. Of course, there are warnings about fruits, and every diabetic should know about them.

So, when choosing fruits, it is important to focus on the glycemic index (GI) - the higher this indicator, the more undesirable it is to consume such products.

Is it worth repeating that fresh fruits help strengthen the immune system, stabilize carbohydrate metabolism, and normalize many processes within the body. Therefore, giving up fruits when you have diabetes is, at the very least, not advisable.

What fruits can you eat with diabetes type 1 and 2: permitted foods for diabetes

When choosing fruits for a person with type 1 diabetes, the first thing to consider is the glycemic index - the higher it is, the higher the blood glucose level becomes after eating the fruit.

This indicator indicates how much the glucose content in the bloodstream will change after consuming a particular product, compared to the change in this content when whole glucose is introduced. In this case, the whole glucose indicator is taken as 100.

If the GI of a fruit or other product is less than 40, it is considered low - products with this value are most suitable for inclusion in the menu for diabetes. A value of more than 40, but less than 70 is considered average - such fruits can be eaten with diabetes, but not often and in small quantities. A value exceeding 70 is considered too high and is not recommended for those who suffer from diabetes.

Low GI values are recorded for relatively acidic types of fruits:

• citrus fruits;
• sour berries;
• sour apples;
• green bananas;
• kiwi.

Apricots, cherries, and hard pears can also be included here.

Dried fruits, grapes, ripe bananas, and almost all fruit juices have a high GI.

People with type 2 diabetes should also pay attention to the GI indicator. However, what is more important for them is not the GI, but the caloric content of a particular fruit, since type 2 diabetes most often develops against the background of metabolic disorders and obesity.

Nutritionists recommend eating the following berries and fruits for type 2 diabetes:

• strawberries;
• cherry;
• melon;
• citrus fruits;
• apples.

Healthy fruits for diabetes

Dietary nutrition involves the consumption of such especially useful berries and fruits for diabetes:

• Strawberries are a great source of ascorbic acid and other components important for diabetes. Potassium from strawberries stabilizes blood pressure and strengthens the heart. And fiber improves digestion and eliminates hunger for a long time.
• Avocado is probably the healthiest fruit for diabetics. It contains polyunsaturated fats that improve heart function and stabilize cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Apples are the most common dietary fruits for diabetes. With a low GI, apples contain a lot of vitamins, pectin and other useful components.
• Apricots are full-fledged sources of fiber and retinol. For a comprehensive beneficial effect on the body, a diabetic patient only needs to eat five apricots a day.
• Lemon and orange are popular sources of ascorbic acid with a low GI. In addition to vitamin C, citrus fruits contain folic acid and potassium, which are essential for diabetes.

The list of fruits for diabetes can be significantly expanded. The main thing for type 1 diabetes is to control the carbohydrate content of the fruit. Thus, it is allowed to eat no more than 15 g of carbohydrates at a time. And for type 2 diabetes, you should pay attention to the glycemic index. With an average of 40, you can eat about an average cup of sliced fruit, which will bring undoubted benefits to the body.

Fruits for gestational diabetes: what fruits can you eat with gestational diabetes?

Not long ago, doctors insisted that fruit should not be consumed with gestational diabetes. It was assumed that fruit, due to its high content of easily digestible carbohydrates, could be harmful to a pregnant woman. Fortunately, over time, scientists have revised their attitude to fruit in gestational diabetes. It has been proven that fruit, on the contrary, normalizes metabolic processes and improves a woman's well-being. The main thing is to pay attention to the glycemic index and select fruit according to this indicator.

Fruits, like no other food, are rich in vitamins and minerals, pectin, fiber and a host of other substances important for the body of a pregnant woman. And such fruits as apples and hard pears can even lower blood sugar levels. The fiber present in fruits regulates digestion and alleviates the condition during toxicosis.

Fruits for diabetes that are recommended to be preferred:

• apples, hard pears;
• apricots;
• medium ripe bananas;
• blueberries, strawberries;
• citrus fruits.

In addition, it is recommended to eat watermelons, pineapples, and pomegranate seeds for gestational diabetes.

What fruits should not be eaten if you have diabetes?

The list of fruits generally accepted by nutritionists, which includes fruits prohibited for diabetes, includes the sweetest representatives: ripe bananas, melons and persimmons, figs, dates, grapes.

Also banned are originally permitted fruits and berries, which have added sugar and other additives, as well as most dried fruits. By the way, dried fruits have a much higher caloric content and glycemic index than their fresh counterparts. That is why their consumption should be limited.

In addition, it is not advisable to drink fruit juices: juices contain much more glucose than whole fruits. In addition, carbohydrates from juices are absorbed much easier and faster.

To summarize, we can identify the most harmful fruits for diabetes:

• Fruits containing a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates (ripe bananas, grapes, persimmons, dates and figs).
• Dried fruits – especially those processed with syrup (dried bananas, figs, dates, candied fruits).

It is permissible to consume small amounts of dried fruits in the form of soaked dried apricots, prunes, and jujubes.

Diagnosis of diabetes does not mean that from now on you will have to eat monotonously, limiting yourself in fruits and berries. If you follow all the doctor's recommendations and correctly compose the menu, then you can lead a completely full lifestyle. The main thing is to observe moderation and adhere to a certain diet, and then fruits with diabetes will only be beneficial.