With summers already here, who doesn’t want to thoroughly enjoy the seasonal fruits that come with it. But if you have diabetes, then you must have been told countless times to consume fruits with utmost caution. Seasonal fruits like watermelon and grapes are high in glycemic index (GI), and thus with it comes the question — Can a diabetic have fruits? Is it safe?
It is a mainstream belief that a diabetic need to be careful while consuming fruits to avoid complications or they can eat fruit, just not extra-sweet ones, particularly summer varieties.
However, bursting the myth, a diabetic can enjoy fruits, but simply need to make strategic decisions based on fruit and how much to consume as per its GI as it assists the person in selecting fruit.
Some fruits, like apples, oranges, grapefruits, cherries, and guavas are safe to eat for diabetics and also help in managing type-2 diabetes.
People who have diabetes are usually advised to keep an eye on the number of carbohydrates and portion size of their meal, even if it contains low GI, which is indeed true. While consuming fruits certain factors such as the ripeness of the fruit that influences its GI should be taken into account.
For diabetics, fruits like blueberries and strawberries are preferred to fulfil sweet indulgence. They are also a great source of antioxidants, fibre, potassium, manganese, and vitamins C and K.
Fruits like watermelon have a glycemic index (GI) of 72 per 100 g serving, but one watchful serving of the fruit contains little carbs and will have minimal effect on the blood sugar level.
It is safe to consume blackberries, apples, avocados, strawberries, plums, grapefruit, peaches, pears, and cherries in watchful quantity as they have 20-49 GI levels, which technically classifies them as low GI fruit. With lots of fibre and a low GI, these fruits help improve blood sugar tolerance.
