Fruit is Not Forbidden But
Some Fruit Choices are Better Than Others
If you
have diabetes, chance are someone has said that you are not allowed to eat
fruit.
This is
not true; people with diabetes can eat fruit and fruit can be
included in a healthy eating plan.
But, because fruit is a carbohydrate, fruit will affect
your blood sugar and you cannot eat
unlimited amounts. And certain fruits may cause your blood sugars to spike at a
quicker pace than others.
The
tricky part about eating with diabetes is that everyone responds to food
differently.
While one person may be
able to eat
apples without any issue, someone else may find that apples cause their
blood sugars to spike.
Testing
your blood sugars before and after eating fruit
can help you to determine which fruits are best for you.
Other ways to keep blood
sugars controlled while enjoying fruit is to think about the context in which
you eat it.
You'll have a better
chance at keeping your blood sugars controlled if you avoid
juice altogether,
limit your fruit servings
to no more than 2-3 per day (1
serving = 15 g of carbohydrate),
pair your fruit with
protein or include it into your meal as part of your carbohydrate choice,
and avoid fruits that are
very ripe.
The more ripe a fruit is
the higher its glycemic
index, which means it will raise your blood sugar more than a food with a
low glycemic index.
In addition to juice, there
are certain fruits that make my do-not-eat list.
These fruits have been
placed on this list either because they have a higher glycemic index or because
most people overeat them, which results in higher blood sugar.
1. Grape
One small
grape contains 1 gram of carbohydrate, which means that fifteen grapes is
considered one serving of fruit.
Odds are that
if you are eating grapes, you are eating way more than fifteen.
To avoid
overeating, its best to either count them and put them into a small bowl, or
avoid temptation and choose to eat a fruit such as berries.
You can eat 1 1/4 cup of strawberries for the same amount of carbohydrate as fifteen grapes.
2. Cherries
Most
people don't stop eating cherries at just a handful, which is why eating
cherries will usually result in blood sugar spikes.
Similar
to grapes, 1 cherry contains 1 gram of carbohydrate.
If you
find that yourself snacking on a big bowl of cherries, it's probably best to
avoid them altogether.
3. Pineapple
Fresh
pineapple is delicious and sweet, especially when it is very ripe, which makes
it a high glycemic index food.
Depending
on how you slice it, the thickness and width can change the amount of
carbohydrates and make it easy to overeat too.
If you
must eat pineapple, stick to a 1/2 cup serving (pineapple cut into chunks) and
aim to eat it with a meal or a protein rich food such as low-fat Greek yogurt
or low-fat cottage cheese.
4. Mango
Ever eat
an entire mango in one sitting - you are not alone.
Depending
on the size, an entire mango will cost you about 30 grams of carbohydrate and
about 26 grams of sugar.
If you do
eat mango, make sure to limit your portion to 1/2 and aim to eat it when it's a
bit more firm.
As the
mango softens, it becomes more ripe and its glycemic index - the rate at which
it can increase blood sugar - will rise.
5. Banana
You may
have heard that banana's are too sweet. It's not that bananas are actually
sweeter than other fruit choices.
Rather, 1
medium banana contains the same amount of carbohydrate in two servings of
another fruit choice, such as one small piece of fruit or 3/4 cup of
blueberries.
If you
must eat a banana, stick to 1/2 and place the other half in the refrigerator
for a later time.
6. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit,
especially varieties that have been coated in yogurt, chocolate or sugar
contains a large amount of carbohydrates for a small portion.
Two
tablespoons of raisins has the same amount of carbohydrate as 1 cup of
raspberries or 1 small piece of fruit.
Replace
dried fruit with fresh fruit to add volume to your meal plan and reduce the
sugar content.
7. Fruit Juice
Think
about how many oranges it takes to make 1 cup of juice - many more than one.
One 8 oz
cup of orange juice contains 30 grams of carbohydrate, 30 grams of sugar and no
fiber.
The body
doesn't have to do a great deal of work to break down the sugar in juice,
therefore it is metabolized quickly and raises blood sugars within minutes.
Juice can
also tack on extra calories without affecting your satiety and therefore can
prevent weight loss and even promote weight gain.
Swap
fruit juice for whole fruit, and limit your portions to no more than 2-3 per
day.
Original Article: http://diabetes.about.com/od/nutrition/ss/Fruits-to-Avoid-if-You-Have-Diabetes.htm
Sources:
American Diabetes Association. Glycemic Index and Diabetes.
Accessed on-line. August 24,
2015: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html
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