Some people believe that diabetic patients should stay away from fruits if they wish to improve their health. Although this is true for some fruits, not all fruits are bad for people with diabetes. In fact, some fruits can help to improve the health of patients. These are the best fruits for diabetes and we will look at some of them shortly.
Fruits with a low glycemic index (GI) are good for diabetes while those with high GI can be harmful, according to research. The glycemic index of fruits is usually measured on a scale of 1 – 100. Fruits that fall under 55 or less have a low GI; 56 to 69 is moderate; while those that fall between 70 and above have a high GI. Read on to discover some fruits with low GI which are good for Diabetes.
Best Fruits For Diabetes That Can Improve your Health
The fruits discussed here are recommended by experts. Aside from being safe for diabetic patients, they also help to improve their health when you consume them in their most natural form.
1. Pear
You may have known that pear is good for treating some conditions like inflammation, constipation and even hangover. But it doesn’t stop there. Pear also helps to improve the health of diabetic patients. More so, it helps to control sugar and reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes. This makes one of the best fruits for diabetes.
According to healthline.com, a medium-sized pear has a GI of 30. This keeps it well within the low GI level. Asides from lowering blood sugar, pear is a good antioxidant. It also has a high level of potassium and vitamins K & C. it is important to note that not all fruits with pear in the name are actually pears. An example is prickly pear.
2. Cherries
There are different types of cherries; sour cherries, sweet cherries, canned cherries and maraschino cherries. These cherries have different nutritional and caloric content. However, despite being naturally sweet, cherries have relatively low caloric content. They also have a GI as low as 20.
Seasonal, fresh and organic cherries are best for managing diabetes. More so, the sour ones have the highest antioxidant level when compared to other cherries, Canned cherries on the other hand contain a lot of sugar and may increase sugar levels. Hence, diabetic patients should avoid them.
3. Berries
Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, name them. Diabetic patients are free to enjoy these fruits without feeling guilty. The GI for Berries falls between 28 – 40. Also, berries are good antioxidants and they contain fibre and minerals. The good thing is that you can eat berries in different ways, either as a dessert or as part of a main meal. These among other advantages makes it one of the best fruits for diabetes.
4. Apple
Another incredible fruit that people with diabetes should try is the apple. Quite interestingly, this fruit has thousands of variants, unlike other fruits. There are about 2500 variants in the united states alone. These variants are differentiated by their flavour.
Hence, there are no bad apples only that they taste different from one another and some are healthier than others. For instance, variants like Granny Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, Gala, and Honeycrisp contain more antioxidants than Empire and Golden Delicious.
Most of the nutrients in apples are contained in the fruit’s skin. Hence, it is advisable to eat the fruit whole. Also, apple juice is not the same as the fruit. The juice lacks fibre and contains a high amount of sugar. Hence, diabetic patients should stick to eating fruits only.
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5. Avocado
Avocado is also one of the best fruits for diabetes and it has about 20 different minerals and vitamins. It is particularly high in potassium, lutein, beta-carotene and vitamins C, K and E. Avocado is good for people with diabetes because it contains monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) among other nutrients. These MUFAs help to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is bad for the body and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol which is good for the body.
Healthy cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure level help in reducing the risk of blood pressure and stroke. According to research, diabetic patients are twice more likely to have heart disease and stroke than someone without the disease.
6. Citrus
Citrus are among the best fruits for diabetes. The glycemic index of the different types of citrus is between 25 to 47. Hence, they are not only safe for diabetic patients, but also help to improve the health of the patients. More so, citrus contains a substance called Flavonoid. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic and they also fight oxidative stress.
7. Peach
Peach, like many other fruits, has multiple health benefits. In addition to its low GI, it is rich in potassium and antioxidant. The fruit has a glycemic index of 28, which is very low. More so, it has anti-cancerous properties which makes it a great fruit for everyone whether or not the person has diabetes.
Finally
The belief that diabetic patients should avoid eating fruits is false. There are fruits that are not only safe for people with diabetes but help to improve their condition. These best fruits for diabetes have certain things in common like low GI and anti-oxidation properties. They also have their unique properties which have been discussed in this article.
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