A fruit salad bowl is a great snack idea when hunger strikes. Fruits are healthy, after all. The problem is, when you’re a diabetic, you need to worry about more than just how much sugar you add to your coffee or tea. There are natural sources of sugar, and while some of these natural sweeteners are safe for diabetics, they are not all equal. Certain fruits can have a high sugar content, quickly raising your blood sugar levels and even hyperglycemia. If you’re looking to enjoy foods without worrying about your glucose levels spiking, try out the options we share in this article.
How To Know Which Fruits Are Safe For Diabetics
A single cup of mango slices contains around 23 grams of sugar. For the average healthy person, that’s usually not a significant concern. When you have diabetes, however, those 23 grams of sugar are pretty high, and you may likely find yourself eating the entire mango – not just one cup’s worth. Apart from mangoes, lychees are also culprits that can raise your blood sugar levels.
Understanding the fact that the sugar content differs between different fruits is essential. It will allow you to make smarter choices when choosing which fruits to incorporate into your diet. With this said, if fruits are high in sugar, it does not necessarily mean you cannot eat them. Sugar is not the only aspect you should look at, but also the nutrition the fruit offers and its calorie content.
For example, half a cup of lychee contains about 14.5 grams of sugar. At the same time, it also contains almost 100% of your recommended calcium intake. Sometimes, the nutrition that the fruits pack can help add to your daily intake of minerals and vitamins, and by adjusting the other food you will eat, you won’t necessarily have to worry about a spike in your sugar levels.
Fruit With The Lowest Sugar Content
While you need to focus on nutrients alongside sugar, if you struggle to maintain your glucose levels, you might want to turn to fruits that won’t contribute too much to your daily sugar intake. We’re going to take a closer look at some of the fruits with low sugar levels.
Blackberries
When it comes to safe fruits for diabetes, berries are often at the top. Berries are healthy and good for you; many berry varieties contain very little sugar. If you decide to have 100 grams of blackberries, you’ll get about four to five grams of sugar from them. Apart from the sugar content, blackberries contain essential nutrients. This 100-gram serving provides you with 1.39 grams of protein and 5.3 grams of fiber.
The antioxidant content of blackberries is another thing that makes them so popular. Free radicals cause oxidative stress in your body. Many factors can cause these free radicals to circulate through the body. Antioxidants help neutralize the free radicals, thus reducing the oxidative stress inside your body.
Limes
Limes are certainly not the most popular fruit for snacking. Many people avoid limes due to their sour taste. What you may not realize, however, is that one lime fruit contains just about two grams of sugar. This is one of the lowest sugar options you can find, plus, you’ll get a high dose of vitamin C while snacking on a lime.
The vitamin C in limes helps to strengthen your immune system and makes your body more resilient against colds. The fiber content in limes is also quite impressive, which means these fruits are great for maintaining the well-being of your digestive system.
It’s easy to use limes as more than just a snack. If you don’t like the sour taste when eating them as snacks, consider squeezing lime over your salad or perhaps some seafood.
Avocados
Many people are quite surprised to learn that avocados are actually a fruit. Avocados are also one of the best fruits for diabetics, as they are generally considered to be naturally sugar-free.
While it’s free of sugar, avocados contain many nutrients that are sure to contribute to your health. The fruit contains the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin K
- Riboflavin
- Magnesium
- Pantothenic acid
- Folate
- Potassium
There are also healthy fats in avocados, and the fruit can help to reduce hunger over a more extended period. The fat content helps reduce the rate at which carbohydrates break down in your body, which can improve blood sugar regulation. Avocados contain beta-carotene, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Peaches
Another fruit that you can consider adding to your diet includes peaches. They have a juicy, sweet taste, but one peach contains just around 13 grams of sugar. A peach has several nutrients, including niacin, vitamin E, vitamin K, copper, manganese, and vitamin C. One peach contains about 58 calories, making it an easy fit in your diet if you count calories. There are 14 grams of carbohydrates, which comes with about two grams of fiber.
The nutritional content is not the only factor that makes peaches great for people with diabetes. These fruits are also high in antioxidants that help to fight against oxidative stress and damage in your body. Opt for the ripest peach in the bunch, as they usually have the most antioxidants.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to remove fruit from your diet after you are diagnosed with diabetes, but knowing which fruits to eat and which ones to avoid is essential. Diabetics can safely enjoy strawberries, blackberries, lemons, grapefruit, and other fruits. As with other foods in your diet, practice moderation and diversity in the fruits you eat to help improve your nutritional balance.