As a diabetic, you have to monitor how much sugary food you eat. Natural fruits often contain high amounts of sugar in the form of fructose. Fructose does raise blood sugar levels, though slightly more slowly than glucose. If you're diabetic, try to eat two or more portions of fruit each day for good health.
Glycemic Index
You may use the glycemic index to figure out which foods to choose. Along with the glycemic load, this figure gives an indication of how quickly a food increases sugar levels in the blood. Generally, the lower the GI, the better for diabetics. Low to moderate GI natural fruits include apples, prunes, grapefruit and pears. Some fruits, such as watermelon, have a high GI but a low glycemic load, so you can include them in your diabetic diet.
Fiber-Rich Fruits
Fruits naturally high in fiber suit a diabetic diet. Fiber itself doesn't raise blood sugar levels. It may also help to prevent conditions related to diabetes, such as high cholesterol. Some fruits are higher in fiber than others: an apple contains approximately 3.3 g of fiber, 1 cup of raisins 5.5 g, 1 cup of blackberries 7.6 g and a medium pear has 5.1 g.
Pomegranates
In a study published in the Fall 2004 "Journal of Medicinal Food," researchers measured the effects of drinking concentrated pomegranate juice on the blood lipids of people with Type 2 diabetes. Participants took 40 g of concentrated pomegranate juice each day for eight weeks. Researchers noted a decrease in harmful low-density lipoprotein at the end of the study. Eating natural pomegranate may be both a delicious and beneficial fruit for diabetics.
Strawberries and Blueberries
Blueberries and strawberries both have properties that could be beneficial if you have Type 2 diabetes. For example, scientists from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center found that people who drank blueberry smoothies every day in a controlled study had better insulin sensitivity -- an important factor in Type 2 diabetes. Strawberries may also help control blood sugar levels.
Considerations
The way you eat your fruit also affects its suitability for a diabetic diet. For example, the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse suggests avoiding fruit juices with added sugar or with the bits removed -- and opting for whole, fresh fruit rather than juice, whenever possible. Smaller pieces of fruit rather than a large melon or pineapple, for example, deliver less of a sugar hit. Fruits in pastries and desserts usually include a lot of added sugar, so avoid these.
References
- University of Illinois Extension: The Fruit Group
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes; October 2007
- "Journal of Medicinal Foods"; Concentrated Pomegranate Juice Improves Lipid Profiles in Diabetic Patients with Hyperlipidemia; A. Esmaillzadeh, et al.; Fall 2004
- Colorado State University Extension; Dietary Fiber; J. Anderson, et al.; December 2010
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Pennington Center Study: Blueberries Improve Pre-diabetic Condition; Results Published in The Journal of Nutrition; September 2010
- Harvard Health Publications: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for 100+ Foods
