The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes aim for a consistent carbohydrate intake at each meal, usually ranging between 45 and 60 g per meal. Fruits contain carbohydrates, just as grains and starches, milk, yogurt, sweetened drinks and desserts do. However, it is important to understand that carbohydrates, especially healthy carbohydrates from fruits, should not be avoided as they can protect your health. The key is to control portion sizes and choose the ones with the highest fiber content, because fibers help you feel fuller with less calories. In addition, dietary fibers can be subtracted from the total carbohydrate content of a food to obtain the available content, or the amount of carbs able to raise your blood sugar levels.
Berries
People with diabetes can safely eat berries, because these fruits contain fewer carbohydrates than most fruits plus lots of fiber. A 1-cup serving of strawberries provides 49 calories, 11.7 g of carbohydrates and 3 g of fiber, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, which leaves only 8.7 g of available carbohydrates. A cup of blueberries contains 84 calories, 21.5 g of carbohydrates and 3.6 g of fiber, which correspond to 17.9 g of available carbohydrates. As for raspberries, 1 cup provides 64 calories, 14.7 g of carbohydrates and as much as 8 g of fiber, which means that the available carbohydrate content of this serving is only 6.7 g.
Melons
A cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories, 11.5 g of carbohydrates and 0.6 g of fiber, which corresponds to 10.9 g of available carbohydrates, while a cup of cantaloupe contains 60 calories, 14.4 g of carbohydrates and 1.6 g of fibers, or 12.8 g of available carbohydrate per serving. A cup of diced honeydew melon also constitutes a good choice with 61 calories, 15.5 g of carbohydrates and 1.4 g of fiber, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, which leaves 14.1 g of available carbohydrates.
Plums
Plums also are a good option for people with diabetes. A serving of 2 plums provides 61 calories, 15.1 g of carbohydrates and 1.8 g of fiber, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, which corresponds to 13.3 g of available carbohydrates.
Grapes
Most people with diabetes believe they need to avoid grapes, usually because they eat too much at a time and their blood sugar levels rise too high. However, by controlling portion size, grapes constitute a healthy fruit choice. A serving of 15 grapes, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of grapes, provides 51 calories, 13.3 g of carbohydrates and 0.7 g of fiber, or a total of only 12.6 g of available carbohydrates per portion.
Kiwifruits
Eating kiwifruits, green or gold, is a great way to get more vitamin C for people with diabetes. One fruit contains 42 to 52 calories, 10.1 to 12.2 g of carbohydrates and 1.7 to 2.1 g of fiber, or only 8 to 10.5 g of available carbohydrates per kiwifruit.
