Fruit plays an important role in a healthy diabetes diet. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes include fruit with every meal. The sugar in raw fruit does not elevate your blood sugar in the way that simple sugars, such as those in candy and baked goods, do. Choose fruits high in fiber and potassium to control your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Diabetes puts you at above-average risk of developing heart disease. High blood pressure and high cholesterol make you especially vulnerable. Additional risk factors for heart disease include your age, weight, family history and lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages daily and failing to exercise properly. Work to reduce all risks within your control. A carefully managed diet can help you control your blood sugar levels as well as your blood pressure and cholesterol. Fruit can be an important part of a heart-healthy menu.
Fiber
Dietary fiber can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Men should aim to include 38 g of fiber in their daily diets, and women, 25 g. Citrus fruits, berries and fruits with edible skins or seeds can help you meet your daily quota for fiber. Raspberries, for instance, contain 8 g of fiber per cup. A pear with skin provides 5.5 g of fiber, and an apple with skin contains 4.4 g of fiber. Other high-fiber fruits include dates, bananas, raisins, strawberries and blueberries.
Potassium
Adding potassium to your diet can help reduce your blood pressure. You should include 4,700 mg of potassium in your daily menu, according to the American Dietetic Association. Fruits high in potassium include raisins, 1,086 mg per cup; dates, 1,168 mg of potassium per cup; banana, 422 mg per one medium; cantaloupe, 427 mg per cup; canned apricots, 403 m per cup; blackberries, 233 mg per cup and papaya, 360 mg per cup.
Precautions
Although fruit rich in fiber and potassium can improve your cholesterol and blood pressure, make certain you observe recommendations about balance and portion sizes. The American Diabetes Association, for instance, recommends that you include about a half cup of fruit with lunch and dinner -- a measurement that would apply to berries and citrus fruit. You should eat much smaller portions of dried fruits such as raisins, because they have higher concentrations of sugar. Avoid canned fruits packed in syrup. Grapefruit, high in fiber and low in sugar, makes a good choice for some people, but it can interfere with some medications, including birth control and cholesterol medications. Check with your doctor before eating grapefruit if you use these medicines.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Create Your Plate
- American Dietetic Association, Eat Right; Potassium Power; Joan Salge Blake; August 1, 2010
- American Dietetic Association, Eat Right: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber; 2008
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 24, 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Nutrition and Healthy Eating: High-Fiber Foods; 2009
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database: Potassium Content of Selected Foods
