Fruit: you know it as nutritious, delicious and sweet. Even though fruit contains natural fructose sugar, you may still eat it. Fruit is one of the important food groups that your body needs to stay healthy. According to the 2008 Glycemic Index Tables, dairy products, beans and fresh fruits were found to have a low glycemic index value. Consume canned fruit and fruit juice in moderation, as they contain added sugars or heavy syrup that can raise your blood sugar to high levels.
Glycemic Index and Fruits
Foods that raise your blood sugar to high levels require more insulin than foods that only raise your sugar levels slightly. Foods containing carbohydrates have been tested to determine how high that particular food raises a person's blood sugar levels. Tested foods are assigned a number called a glycemic index value, or GI. Foods that have a high GI value will raise your blood sugar levels rapidly and to high levels. Foods that have a low GI value raise your blood sugar slowly and help regulate your sugar levels. Most raw fruits have low GI values. However, be aware that the GI value does not take into account portion sizes -- only the type of carbohydrate in the food. Portion sizes are also important when managing your blood-sugar levels. Talk to a registered dietitian to determine how to use the GI list with your exchange lists. Learn how much raw fruit you may include in your diabetic meal plan.
Fresh Fruit
You may eat most fresh or raw fruit -- meaning fruit right off the vine or branches. Fresh fruit are low GI foods. Foods with a GI value of 55 or less are low GI foods. The Glycemic Index Value Tables published in "Diabetes Care" in 2008 provide a list of raw fruits that have a low GI value. Apples, oranges, bananas, mangos, and dates are common raw fruits that you can add to your list of fruits. The GI value for an apple is 34 to 36; the GI value for an orange is 40 to 46; the GI value for a banana is 48 to 54; the GI value for a mango is 50 to 56; and the GI value for dates are 38 to 46. Canned peaches without any added sugar or heavy syrup have a GI value of 38 to 48.
Pineapple
The GI value for raw pineapple can be as low as 51 or as high as 67. Foods with a GI value between 56 and 69 are moderate GI foods. The sweetness of fresh fruit is sometimes determined by when it is picked, the conditions of the soil and watering schedule of the fruit. If the pineapple is picked early, it may not be as sweet.
Watermelon
The GI value for watermelon is 72 to 80. Foods with a GI value of 70 or greater are high GI foods. The American Diabetes Association recommends combining low GI foods with one high GI food to balance your sugar levels. If you enjoy watermelon, meet with a registered dietitian to determine the best way to include watermelon in your meal plan.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juices such as pure apple juice, orange juice and pomegranate juice have low GI values. "Pure" means no added sugars and 100-percent fruit juice. The GI value of pure apple juice is 39 to 43; the GI value of pure orange juice is 48 to 52 and the GI value of pure pomegranate juice is 50 to 56. Some fruit juices are a blend of several fruit juices that may include pineapple or watermelon or added sugars having higher GI values, so be sure to read the ingredients on the label.
