Can diabetics eat any type of fruit?

The diabetics They are people with more delicate health and, for this reason, they must have special care with nutrition, food and physical activity. And it is not a minor problem since, for example, Spain is among the European countries with the most patients diagnosed with diabetes and cases increased by 42% since 2019. high blood sugar is the main concern, so it is essential control glucose levels with an adequate diet, exercise and with the appropriate medication in each case. But, when one reads the list of Healthy habits, as well as the foods recommended to have a balanced diet, you cannot avoid focusing on vegetables and fruits. The reason is that, although they are healthy foods, what is good for some is not necessarily the best for others, for example, fruit has sugarso it is advisable to know which are the best for those who suffer from diabetes and which ones should not be consumed by a diabetic.

It is evident that Fruits are very powerful foods and help to have a healthy diet. and, therefore, people who suffer from a disease such as diabetes should consume them, but only those with a lower glycemic index so as not to alter blood sugar. It must be clear that diabetes refers to a group of diseases that affects the way the body uses glucose in the blood. Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and tissues, and it is also the brain’s main source of fuel. The main cause of diabetes varies depending on the type. But regardless of the type of diabetes, it can cause excess glucose in the blood and too much glucose in the blood can cause serious health problems.

In general, it is enough to know that there are two main types of this disease: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Likewise, there are two diabetic disorders that are potentially reversible, prediabetes and gestational diabetes.The first of these occurs when blood glucose levels are higher than usual, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. If steps are not taken to control it, prediabetes can lead to diabetes. For its part, gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, but that, It usually goes away after childbirth.

For this reason, avoid consuming products loaded with sugars and harmful fats It is a great strategy to prevent a disease like diabetes. In addition, frequent water intake is also relevant to meet this goal. However, fruit is an essential food in a balanced and healthy diet. But, taking into account its sugar content, What fruits for diabetics are the most recommended? And on the other hand, Which ones should be avoided?

The fact that diabetics should avoid some fruits is because they contain more amount of sugar in their composition, but this does not mean that they have to be eliminated since the natural fructose they contain ranges between 1 and 20 grams per 100 gramsand there is no doubt that they are one of the foods with the best nutritional value that provide benefits to health. But if one wonders What are the fruits with the most sugar? The first thing you should know is that It’s not about the watermelon or the banana, that provide 6 and 12.23 grams respectively, but they are the dates and the raisins, with 63 and 59 grams of fructose per 100 grams of food. But what is fructose? The fructose It is a type of carbohydrate found in vegetables, fruits and honey. The fructose present in fruits It is a type of monosaccharide sugarconsidered the sweetest of natural carbohydrates.

Before eliminating a fruit from the list of regular consumption, you should know that the simple sugar which is found in the fruit It provides energy to the body, and is not the same as the sweetener that is added to infusions. Having said that, What are the fruits that contain the least simple sugar per 100 grams of food?:

• Strawberries: 4.66 grams.
• Raspberries: 4.4 grams.
• Blueberries: 4 grams.
• Lime: 2.5 grams.
• Lemon: 1.3 grams.
• Avocado: 0.7 grams.

Despite this classification, it should be clear that the fruit They are all healthy, but some options contain more sugar than others, so if your blood glucose level is a little high or you simply choose to control your sugar consumption, it is important to take into account the glycemic index (GI)but above all the glycemic load (CG) of fruits. This is because regardless of the amount of sugar a fruit contains, the IG is the response in blood glucose after eating a food containingcarbohydratesbut the value of the CG is more important to consider because this index not only takes into account the carbohydrate qualitybut also the amount of consumption.

What can diabetics eat?

As a general rule, daily It is recommended to take three pieces of fruit, But some people with diabetes have to eat at almost the same time every day. Others may be more flexible with the timing of their meals—depending on your diabetes medications or the type of insulin you use, you may need to eat the same amount of carbohydrates at the same time every day. As far as fruit is concerned, to control diabetesit is best to consume: blueberries, raspberry, currant, lemon, melon, blackberry, grapefruit, watermelon, apricot, plum, strawberry, strawberry, pomegranate, kiwi, apple, tangerine, passion fruit, peach, orange, nectarine, papaya, paraguayan, pear or pineapple.

Recommended fruits for diabetics

In general, diabetic people They can consume practically all fruitswhen ever it is in moderation and in small quantities to control increased blood sugar. However, the most suitable fruits for diabetics are those with peel, such as oranges or kiwis, and it is recommended to eat 2 to 4 pieces a day. But, What fruits are best for this disease?

• Plum: Some research suggests that, specifically, black plums provide benefits in the treatment of diabetes. Its content of anthocyanins, hydrolyzable tannins and ellagic acid make it a highly recommended fruit for diabetic people.
• Cherries: Cherries are also rich in anthocyanins, pigments with great antioxidant power that also contribute to reducing blood sugar, producing a high increase in insulin production. In addition, its glycemic index is one of the lowest in relation to other fruits, therefore, half a cup of cherries is a great consumption option for diabetics.
• Orange: Orange is one of the healthiest and most recommended fruits for diabetics since its high fiber, vitamin C and mineral content helps control sugar levels. Likewise, it is a fruit with a low glycemic index. In this sense, another similar fruit that is especially suitable for losing weight is grapefruit.
• Apple: Apple is also another suitable option. Thanks to its high fiber, vitamin C and pectin content, it becomes another fruit that is an ally for diabetics. And it reduces the need for insulin by up to 35%. Likewise, its glycemic index is adequate, since it ranges between 30 and 50. The pear is also another similar food and, therefore, also recommended.
• Kiwi: This is another of the best fruits for diabetics, since, as has been proven, eating a kiwi a day helps reduce blood sugar levels. In addition, its content of vitamins A and C, potassium, flavonoids and beta-carotene will benefit health.
• Watermelon: Although many believe a diabetic cannot even smell the smell of watermelonthe reality is that this fruit only contains 6 grams of sugar per 100 grams of food, has a GI of 75 and provides only 5 g of carbohydrate, which means Its glycemic load is very low: 3.8due to its high water content.
• Ripe banana: In this sense, it has a GI of 61 and contains 23 grams of carbohydrates, so its glycemic load is 14, that is, it has 3 times more than watermelon. However the Banana is not the fruit with the most impact on blood glucose levels.

What are the fruits with the highest glycemic load?

• Sultanas Raisins: 100 g provide 73 g of carbohydrates and have a GI of 69, so their glycemic load is 50.4.
• Muscat Raisins: 100 g contain 68 g of carbohydrates and have a GI of 66, so their glycemic load is 44.8.
• Dried date: 100 g contain 69 g of carbohydrates and have a GI of 70, so their cblood glucose level is 45.5.
• Fresh date: 100 g contain 70 g of carbohydrates and have a GI of 50, so their glycemic load is 35.