Diabetes patients generally avoid consuming bananas due to the confusion and they don’t get the important ingredients like Potassium that the bananas contain. Bananas are good for health as they are rich in Potassium, which helps to control blood pressure and keeps the heart healthy. Bananas also help in lowering the risk of stroke, keep our bones healthy and help to prevent kidney stones. Bananas are a rich source of prebiotics and also contain a number of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Magnesium.
People suffering from diabetes feel that the consumption of fruits can lead to higher sugar levels. But it is not true and it is considered healthy to consume some fruits by diabetes patients. Fruits contain natural sugar, which is totally different from normal sugar.
If we talk about banana diabetes patients can consume it but they need to be careful about a few things for more benefits.
Vibha Bajpai, dietician at Asian Hospital, Noida, says that if diabetic patients are eating ripe bananas, then they should take it as a snack. If they eat raw bananas, then it should be taken as a vegetable. Consistency and usage of both are different. Diabetes patients can eat ripe bananas, but it depends on their sugar level. Bananas have a high glycemic index. It is important to keep in mind whether you are consuming banana as a snack, taking it with food or taking it as a meal, suggests Bajpai.
Dietician Vibha Bajpai also says that if you have breakfast at 8:30 in the morning, then you can have banana at 11, but it is not right to eat banana with poha or upma for breakfast.
According to her, around 100 grams of banana can be taken as a snack as bananas have a high glycemic index and carbohydrates, which may also increase sugar levels. You can have banana as a snack in between meals, but banana should not be eaten at all with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Only 100 grams of bananas should be taken in between meals, suggests Bajpai. Those, who have sugar levels under control, can take a medium size banana as a snack. Carbohydrates, energy, and proteins are present in sufficient quantities in your diet throughout the day. In such a situation, you should not take bananas with them, and then all these things will be extra, due to which there is a possibility of increasing sugar.
Unripe bananas can also be eaten by diabetic patients in any form. It is not harmful. It can be consumed by making vegetables or any type of filling.
