Fruit and Diabetes


Fruit is one of the basic five food groups and a key element of the recommended dietary allowances created by the Food and Nutrition Board … So how can fruit be bad for you? What about the old adage that says an apple a day keeps the doctor away?

For those living with Diabetes, that apple and fruit in general can actually be dangerous. In fact, you may have even heard that you can’t eat fruit if you have Diabetes. Too much of anything is bad for you. While there is no need to deprive yourself, it’s important to learn some quick facts before taking a scoop out of that fruit salad bowl. Food education, understanding portion control and knowing the chemical make-up of fruits will allow you to eat what you want, when you want to eat it. Moderation and understanding the data is the key to enjoying life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

UNDERSTANDING THE GLYCEMIC INDEX AND GLYCEMIC LOAD

It may sound complicated, but it’s the key to understanding how fruit or any food for that matter affects Diabetes. “The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how a food affects your blood sugar. Foods that are low on the scale raise it slowly. Those high on the scale raise it quickly. Eating mostly low-GI foods can help you keep control of your blood sugar.”1 But, they may not always be good for you.

Fruits that score 55 or under are considered low on the GI scale and include fruits like apples, avocados, oranges, bananas, mangoes, berries, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, plums, strawberries, and pears. On the medium to higher GI scale scoring between 56 and 70+ are pineapple, melon, figs, papayas, dates, and watermelon.

It is also important to factor the Glycemic Load into the daily plan which will help with all types of food. The Glycemic Load (GL) is an equation that takes the planned portion size of a food as well as the Glycemic Index of that food into account. “The formula for Glycemic Load is GI/100 multiplied by the net grams of planned carbohydrate. For example, an orange has a GI of 52 but a Glycemic Load of 4.4, which is low. A candy bar with a GI of 55 may have a GL of 22.1, which is high. A large serving of a low-GI food will usually raise your blood sugar as much as a small amount of a high-GI food”2 so it’s important to understand the details.

USING CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITORS TO MEASURE FRUIT EFFECTS ON DIET

For many years, all we had to rely on to track glucose levels was the Glycemic Index along with fingersticks. This gave us a way to guesstimate what a piece of fruit or any type of food might do to blood glucose levels. The creation of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) in the 1990s took much of that guesswork out of the mix and provided real time, useful data to help us pinpoint the details and track results. Continuous Glucose Monitors can help to keep an eye on those foods that can make blood glucose rise quickly and keep levels in check. A Continuous Glucose Monitor helps to create a customizable food plan and takes the mystery out of food spikes. With CGMs, we now have 24/7 access to the numbers and know where they are headed to avoid any issues in the future.

FRUITS TO EAT

Fruit provides numerous health benefits and most dietary guidelines recommend that adults and children eat five servings of fruit and vegetables per day and that applies to everyone – even people with Diabetes. Many fruits are high in fiber. A diet high in soluble fiber can slow the absorption of sugar and control its levels in the blood. Fruits can also satisfy a sweet tooth craving and are a healthier and more nutritious alternative to candy and sweets.

Knowledge is power and understanding food and portion sizes is the key to managing Diabetes and living a healthy lifestyle. When controlling fruit portions, it’s important to know what is considered a serving size since most fruits don’t come with labels. One serving of fruit is equivalent to 15 grams of carbohydrates which adds to your sugar intake.

  • ● 1 small piece (4 ounces) apple, orange, peach, pear, or plum
  • ● ½ medium banana
  • ● 2 small or 1 large tangerine (4 ounces total)
  • ● 2 small (2 ounces each) kiwi
  • ● 4 small (1 ounce each) apricots
  • ● 1 cup of melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew)
  • ● 17 small grapes or cherries
  • ● 1/3 medium mango
  • ● 1 ¼ cup strawberries
  • ● 3/4 cup blueberries
  • ● 1 cup raspberries or blackberries
  • ● 1/3 to ½ cup of fruit juice
  • ● 1/8 cup of raisins

Optimal fruit choices are berries, like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. All are high in antioxidants and fiber which helps to control blood sugar. Strawberries, in particular, have been “shown to reduce cholesterol and insulin levels after a meal, as well as improve blood sugar and heart disease risk factors for people with type 2 Diabetes.”

Citrus fruits research has shown that citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons, have antidiabetic effects. Eating citrus fruits is a great way to get vitamins and minerals from fruit without the carbohydrates. Citrus fruits are also a great source of: vitamin C, folate, and potassium.

“Apples have been studied specifically for their potential role in Diabetes management. The polyphenol antioxidants they contain are thought to protect pancreatic cells from damage that often worsens diabetes.”

An unsuspecting fruit that many people think is a vegetable is the avocado which can actually help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, making it one of the best foods for diabetics watching their blood glucose levels. “Avocados contain a significant amount of healthful fats and dietary fiber, which help slow carbohydrate digestion and absorption and prevent spikes in blood sugar,”

FRUITS TO AVOID

Not all fruits are healthy. Canned fruit has high sugar content unless it’s packed in its own juices or labeled as unsweetened or no sugar added. Fresh and frozen fruit is a better option. While tasty and nutritious, dried fruit often contains added sugar so sugar and carbs will add up quickly. “Two tablespoons of raisins have the same amount of carbs as a small apple.”

Fruit juice can fill your daily food totals quickly, but “an 8-oz glass of apple juice contains 29 grams and doesn’t have fiber to slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes like whole, fresh fruit does.”2 The National Institute of Diabetic and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends that people with diabetes avoid fruit juices and canned fruits with added sugar. Fruit blends like smoothies also have high sugar content and are more rapidly absorbed leading to higher spikes in blood sugar so while drinking fruit seems like a healthy option – it may not be so monitor levels and make substitutions when necessary.

FOOD EDUCATION AND RESOURCES

Having Diabetes doesn’t mean giving up fruit or any of your favorite foods completely. Food education and knowing what is in the food that you eat and how foods, like fruit, affect blood sugar levels is key. Through careful planning and by monitoring the data, people living with Diabetes can choose from a variety of foods ranging from fruit to chocolate cake and many other favorites in between.

Quest Health Solutions is here to support you during this food journey and always. We are committed to providing Diabetes education to our patients and healthcare providers. To learn more about how Continuous Glucose Monitors can help you incorporate fruit into your daily meal plan, contact us at 1-877-888-7050 Option 3, Ext. 1011 or email ben@questhealthsolutions.com .

1. (2020) Mayo Clinic. Nutrition and Healthy Eating available at Click Here accessed on 5 December 2020.

2. (2020) WebMd. Diabetes and Fruit available at Click Here accessed on 5 December 2020.

3. (2020) Very Well Health. Eating Fruits When You Have Diabetes available at Click Here accessed on 6 December 2020.

4. (2020) Healthline. The 16 Best Foods to Control Diabetes available at Click Here accessed on 6 December 2020.