Cantaloupe, Pears, More Fruit You Can Eat If You're Diabetic

27 May.,2024

 

Cantaloupe, Pears, More Fruit You Can Eat If You're Diabetic

At some point, you may have heard that you cannot eat fruit if you have diabetes. Or. maybe someone said you can eat fruit, just not extra-sweet ones like grapes or watermelon.

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Neither of these statements is entirely true. You can enjoy fruit if you have diabetes, but you simply need to make strategic decisions about which fruits to eat and how much.

This article explains the ways that fruit can impact diabetes, both positively and negatively, as well as which fruits to favor or limit&#;and why.

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Pros and Cons of Eating Fruit if You Have Diabetes

Fruits have many health benefits, some of which are helpful to people living with diabetes. But, there are also potential risks to eating fruit, particularly in your blood sugar is not controlled.

Pros

There are many "pros" to eating fruit if you have diabetes. Some are nutritionally dense and others contain compounds that help reduce inflammation and damage caused by free radicals.

Among the benefits of adding fruit to a diabetes-friendly diet are:

  • Fiber: Dietary fiber is the portion of plant-based foods that cannot be completely broken down by digestive enzymes. Fiber is beneficial in helping prevent blood sugar spikes, reducing blood cholesterol, and increasing satiety (the feeling of fullness) to help control appetite.

  • Vitamins and minerals: Potassium in fruits like bananas, citrus, melons, and, apricots can help reduce blood pressure.

    Vitamin C and folic acid in citrus fruits help promote wound healing increase brain function and boost immunity.

  • Antioxidants: Antioxidants such as

    anthocyanins

    found in berries, cherries, and red grapes can help thwart cell damage and may potentially slow the progression of certain chronic diseases, including heart disease.

    Other antioxidant-rich foods include peaches, figs, pears, guava, oranges, apricots, mango, cantaloupe, and papaya,

When choosing fruit, you'll want to think about portion size, convenience, cost, and flavor. But it is also important to consider the health benefits as well.

Cons

On the flip side, there are potential risks to eating fruit if you have diabetes. In most cases, the benefits will outweigh the risks as long as you maintain portion control and avoid overconsumption.

Even so, be aware of the following "cons" if you have diabetes:

  • Fructose: Fruit contains carbohydrates. Carbohydrates&#;whether from bread, milk, yogurt, potatoes, or fruit&#;get broken down during digestion and turn into sugar (glucose). The main type of carbohydrate in fruit is a natural sugar called fructose. Eating too much fructose can have the same effect as eating too much table sugar.

  • Excess potassium: If you are on a potassium-restricted diet for

    diabetic nephropathy

    (diabetes-related kidney disease), you may need to restrict your intake of citrus fruits, bananas, apricots, and certain melons. These fruits are loaded with potassium.

  • Interactions: Citrus fruit like grapefruit and Seville oranges can interact with drugs like statins, steroids, and certain blood pressure medications, making them less effective.

For these reasons, people with diabetes need to monitor how many carbs they eat and advise their healthcare provider about any drugs they take to avoid interactions.

1:49

Click Play to Learn About Low Glycemic Fruit

This video has been medically reviewed by Meredith Bull, ND.

Choose Fruit With a Lower Glycemic Index

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you choose fruits that have a low glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index is used as a reference to measure how much a carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood glucose. A high GI food will raise blood glucose more than a medium or low GI food.

Here is how certain fruits compare on the glycemic index:

  • Low GI (55 or less): Apples, pears, mango, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, grapefruit, pears, nectarines, and oranges
  • Moderate GI (55 to 69): Cherries, mango, papaya, and grapes
  • High GI (70 or greater): Watermelon and pineapple

Most fruits have a low to moderate GI, except pineapple and watermelon. That doesn't mean you can never eat pineapple or watermelon unless it causes a blood sugar spike.

It is also important to note that fructose levels tend to increase the more that fruit ripens, amplifying its impact on your blood sugar.

Even so, some nutritious foods have a higher GI than foods with little nutritional value. As such, don't use a food's GI as the sole determining factor as to which you should eat. A healthy diet should always be balanced to meet your daily nutritional needs.

Opt for the Whole Fruit

If you have diabetes and enjoy fruit, it is always best to opt for whole fruit rather than dried fruits or juices. This includes fresh, frozen, or canned whole fruit (as long as no sugars are added).

Dried fruits may be a problem because they are higher in carbohydrates per serving than natural whole fruit. They may also contain added sugar (particularly with products like dried cranberries or banana chips), Dried fruits can also be lower in fiber if the skin has been removed before dehydration.

Fruit juices pose similar risks even when there is no added sugar. That's because the flesh of the fruit, which contains fiber, is discarded during the juicing process. Moreover, with juices, you may be drinking more fruit than you would eat. Pasteurized juice or juices made from concentrates often have very high fructose levels.

Here are two examples of what one portion of dried fruit or juice can contribute to your blood sugar:

  • One-quarter cup of raisins delivers 120 calories, 32 grams of carbohydrates, and 24 grams of sugar.

  • One cup of unsweetened 100% fruit juice contains 130 calories, 33 grams of carbohydrates, and 28 grams of sugar.


Keep Portions in Check

The ADA recommends that about 45% of your daily calorie intake come from carbohydrates. If you are following a consistent carbohydrate meal plan, you need to factor in fruit as a carbohydrate choice.

Try to stick with one fruit serving per meal or snack. Limit your fruit servings to no more than about two to three per day.

Keep in mind that one fruit serving is about 15 grams of carbohydrates. How much of each fruit you can eat within that one-serving limit will depend on the type of fruit.

Here is a list of what is considered one serving of common whole fruits:

  • 1 small apple, orange, peach, pear, or plum 
  • 1/2 medium banana
  • 2 small tangerines or 1 large tangerine
  • 2 kiwi 
  • 4 apricots
  • 1 cup of melon (cantaloupe, honeydew)
  • 15 grapes or cherries 
  • 1/3 of a medium mango
  • 1-1/4 cup of strawberries
  • 3/4 cup of blueberries
  • 1 cup of raspberries and blackberries

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Pair Fruit With Protein

Pairing fruit with protein can help slow down any rise in blood sugar. You can do this by including fruit in your meal allotment for carbohydrates or by adding protein to your fruit snack.

Here are some examples 

  • Pair 4 ounces of sliced apples with 1 tablespoon of almond butter.
  • Pair 1 cup of raspberries with 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt.
  • Part one small peach with 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese.

Summary

If you have diabetes, eating fruit can sometimes be of concern. That's because the carbohydrates in fruit can cause blood sugar to rise.

Even so, fruit is an important part of a healthy diet when you have diabetes, providing fiber that can limit blood sugar spikes. It can also help lower cholesterol, which is especially important given that diabetes can put you at an increased risk for heart disease.

If you have diabetes, focus on eating whole fruit rather than dried fruit or juices. You should also favor fruits that are low on the GI index, keeping an eye on portion sizes and the carb count.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the lowest glycemic index fruits?

    Some of the lowest glycemic index fruits include cherries, grapefruit, pears, apples, apricots, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and plums.

  • What are the highest glycemic index fruits?

    Some of the highest glycemic index fruits include watermelon, pineapple, and overly ripe bananas (under-ripened bananas fall into a moderate glycemic index).

  • How is diabetes managed?

    There are a variety of management and treatment options for diabetes, including keeping blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels in a healthy range. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and keeping up with regular doctor visits are also important ways to manage diabetes.

Worst fruits for diabetes: Fruit types to avoid or include

People with diabetes should always include fruit in a balanced diet, and there is no restriction on which fruits a person should eat.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends that people with diabetes include fruits in a balanced diet. However, some fruit products, such as juices and dried fruit, have a high sugar content. Avoiding these fruits can help reduce the risk of blood sugar spiking.

Many fruits are high in sugar but are also an important source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This nutritional content makes fruits a healthier option than candy and high sugar baked goods.

For example, essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in many fruits can help promote optimal health, while fiber supports blood sugar control and diabetes management.

Eating fruits and vegetables may put a person at lower risk of developing heart disease and cancer.

This article will explore which fruits a person with diabetes should eat and avoid and how they relate to diabetes.

Fruits to avoid

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People should not exclude fruit from their diet. In fact, one study suggests that eating fruit can actually help prevent diabetes.

However, it is important to be aware of the full-picture nutritional content of fruits and plan diets accordingly.

Fruits high in sugar

Not all fruits are created equal, and some have a significantly higher sugar content than others. High sugar fruits include:

  • watermelons
  • overly ripe bananas
  • pineapple

These fruits are still safe for a person with diabetes to eat, and there is no need to exclude them from the diet. However, it is important to be aware of their sugar content and plan accordingly.

It can be beneficial for people with diabetes to stick to a single serving of fruit at a time and pair fruit with a source of protein or fat.

For example, pairing berries with Greek yogurt or apple with almond butter or another nut butter can aid blood sugar management.

Fruits high in carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient and are essential to overall health. However, carbohydrate intake has a significant impact on blood sugar levels.

Fruits are rich sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber and should be present in every diet. However, people wishing to limit their carbohydrate intake should pay attention to their fruit portion sizes to ensure they do not exceed their carbohydrate goals.

If a person is following a low carb diet, they should identify which carbohydrates they eat that are low in nutrients or unhealthy in other ways and cut those out first.

FruitCarb content per 100 grams (g)red grapes20.2 gbananas20.1 gFuji apples15.6 gmangos15 gpineapples13.1 g

While these fruits are high in carbohydrate content, they are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Prioritizing fruits as a carbohydrate source can help form an integral part of a diabetes-friendly diet.

Fruit juice

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that drinking fruit juice during a meal or on its own quickly raises a person&#;s blood sugar levels.

Unlike eating fresh fruit, which contains fiber, fruit juice is a concentrated source of sugar that can quickly raise a person&#;s blood sugar.

A study found that consuming fresh fruit reduced a person&#;s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The researchers also found that people with diabetes who ate fresh fruit regularly had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular conditions.

Learn more about carb counting with diabetes.

Dried fruit

People can also include dried fruit in their diet, as long as it is not dried with added sugar.

For example, pairing dried fruits with nuts can also help in blood sugar management. Nuts are rich in fats, fiber, and protein. These three nutrients slow digestion and can help prevent blood sugar spikes.

In a study, researchers found a positive correlation between eating nuts and dried fruit and preventing type 2 diabetes.

Due to the removal of water in the drying process, dried fruits have a much higher sugar concentration by comparative volume with fresh fruits, meaning the suitable portion size is much smaller.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) confirms that eating dried fruit in moderation can be a good option for people with diabetes.

Popular dried fruits that may have high sugar content include:

  • apricots
  • pineapple
  • raisins
  • dates

Product labels

The ADA suggests that people watch out for certain phrases on product labels. For example, they should opt for products with labels that say:

  • packed in its juices
  • unsweetened
  • no added sugar

One way of replacing processed fruit in the diet is to freeze fresh fruits, such as banana slices. According to Diabetes UK, a person can mash this frozen fruit after a couple of hours to make healthy ice cream.

Portion sizes

A person with diabetes should aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

According to Diabetes UK, the following amounts of fruit constitute one portion:

PortionExamplessmall fresh fruit: 2 or more fruits2 plums2 satsumas2 kiwi fruit3 apricots6 lychees7 strawberries14 cherriesmedium-sized fresh fruit: 1 fruit1 apple1 banana1 pear1 orange1 nectarinelarge fresh fruit: fewer than 1 fruithalf a grapefruitone 5-centimeter (cm) slice of papayatwo 5-cm slices of mangodried fruit: 30 g1 heaped tablespoon of raisins, currants, or sultanas2 dried figs1 handful of banana chipscanned fruit in natural juice: as with fresh fruit2 pear or peach halves8 segments of grapefruit

Summary

Fruit plays an important part in a person&#;s diet. Though fruits have a large amount of sugar, fresh fruit does not contain added sugars, which can significantly affect a person&#;s blood sugar.

Fruits also have a high amount of fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

Several studies have shown that consuming whole fruits can help lower the risk of developing diabetes.

Therefore, a person should look to cut other carbs from their diet and leave fruit as part of their normal dietary routine.

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