Diabetics have to be careful what they eat. They are usually on the lookout for foods high on the Glycemic Index list. And, while avoiding these foods does help to prevent sugar spikes, it doesn’t completely reverse the symptoms of diabetes. This helps, in part, to create some misconceptions about diet and diabetes.
Take fruit, for example. Many people may avoid eating fruit due to its relatively high content of natural sugar. However, fruit is full of vitamins and minerals your body needs. Studies have been done to prove that diabetics can eat fruit much the same as non-diabetics can.
A recent study investigated the plasma glucose response of diabetics in commonly consumed fruits. Ten people with type 2 diabetes mellitus participated. In all, five fruits were included in the clinical trial: banana; orange; pineapple; mango; and papaya. Fifty-gram portions of these five fruits were given at one week intervals to the participants, along with a carbohydrate glucose load administered at random intervals for comparison purposes.
The research team then collected blood samples during the fasting state and half-hourly over a two-hour period after eating the fruits. Plasma glucose responses were assessed by a series of standard tests.
The researchers found that mango showed the least change in plasma glucose levels, followed by orange and papaya. They also noted that the glucose load produced a significantly higher change in glucose concentration than the fruits did.
The research team concluded that the plasma glucose response to consumption of these five fruits was similar, though less than with an equivalent carbohydrate load glucose. They finished by stating that it appears safe to recommend these fruits to persons with diabetes within the prescribed daily total calorie intake.
If you’re diabetic, don’t miss out on adding healthy fruits to your diet. Get your doctor’s advice if you have any concerns about how much you should be eating. Just remember that it’s a myth that diabetics shouldn’t eat any fruit at all.
To learn more about reducing your risk for developing diabetes, read the article How to Cut Your Diabetes Risk by 80%.