If you are a diabetic, it is important to keep your blood sugar as stable as possible. This can be done be abstaining from foods that are high in sugar, especially simple sugars, that tend to raise blood glucose levels. You may be confused as to whether you can eat fruit such as cherries, because although fruit is a healthful source of vitamins and minerals, it does have sugar. According to the American Diabetes Association, you can eat fruit, and cherries are certainly allowed.
Cherries and Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, you can eat cherries. In fact, the Association encourages you to do so if you have a "sweet tooth." Although cherries have sugar, it is natural sugar and not in the form of added sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, which can raise your blood sugar levels and significantly encourage fat storage. The best type of cherries, or fruit in general, is either fresh, frozen or canned without any added sweeteners.
Glycemic Index
Cherries score a 22 on the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a quantitative chart that measures your body's after-meal glucose response. In other words, the glycemic index shows how much a food can raise your blood glucose levels. At a ranking of 22, cherries are a low-glycemic food that will not significantly raise your blood sugar levels. It is important to note that this ranking is for unsweetened cherries, not maraschino cherries or cherry "drinks" that have added sugars that will likely raise your blood sugar levels. Diabetics should avoid those food choices.
Health Benefits
In his book, "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D and a clinical nutrition specialist, considers cherries among the very most healthful and nutritious foods you can eat. Aside from being a good source of vitamin A, Dr. Bowden explains that cherries contain two valuable cancer-fighting compounds, quercetin and ellagic acid. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals and also exhibits anti-inflammatory capabilities that may help to prevent heart disease. According to Dr. Bowden, ellagic acid can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and may even directly kill existing cancer cells without affecting your healthy cells.
Buy Organic
Dr. Bowden recommends eating cherries on a regular basis, but he suggests that you only consume organic cherries. His suggestion is based largely upon a 2003 report by the "Environmental Working Group," a non-profit consumer safety and protection research organization. The report lists cherries to be one of the foods most likely to be contaminated by toxic pesticides or herbicides. Organic cherries are not guaranteed to be free of these toxic chemicals, but will likely be a safer choice, according to Dr. Bowden. You should still wash them thoroughly.
References
- "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth"; Dr. Jonny Bowden; 2007
- American Diabetes Association: Fruits
- Harvard Medical School: Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods
- Princeton University: A Sweet Problem: Princeton Researchers Find That High-Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain
- Southbeach Diet Plan: Glycemic Index Food Chart
