Monday, October 18, 2010

Best Fruits for Diabetics - Eat these Fruits to Control Your Blood Sugar

The diabetic is not allowed to eat all kinds of fruits even though fruits are highly recommended: this is because some of them are potentially harmful, since they have a high glycemic index. He should therefore put the glycemic index into consideration when deciding what to eat for his health and safety.

To understand why certain fruits are forbidden, one needs to understand what glycemic index is. Glycemic index is simply a way of ranking foods according to the way they affect the blood glucose level. So those foods that are high on the glycemic index are generally dangerous for the diabetic.

So foods below 50 in the glycemic index are considered generally safer for the person with diabetes. Some of the fruits are considered best for the diabetic are:
1.Pears: Pears are generally recommended because they contain copper and vitamin c, and they contain a very low level of glucose. Avocado pears contain antioxidants and are rich in Vitamins A, B and E. they may look fatty, but only a little percentage of its fat is actually saturated. They are safe for the diabetic.
2.Apple: Apple is low on the glycemic index and has high antioxidant content. It is also a good source of high fibre, vitamin c and mineral.
3.Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits and lemon are good sources of vitamin C and soluble fibre. The fibre content helps to lower blood sugar by ensuring that glucose is not released in high quantity at a time into the blood.
4.Cherries: Cherries have a glycemic index of 22, which is the lowest amongst all fruits. This makes them generally safe for the diabetic as their sugar content is very low.
5.Apricots: Apricots also contain vitamin C and vitamin A. they have a glycemic index of 31, making them also very safe foe consumption and for the control of blood glucose level in diabetes.
6.Figs: Figs are a good source of potassium, Iron, calcium and other essential minerals. The fresh fig is particularly recommended; the dried ones contain concentrated sugar, and as such they are not good for the diabetic.
7.Berries: Berries are very good for the patient as well. Examples of berries that could be eaten include Blackberries, Elderberries, blueberries, strawberries, loganberries, and Acai berry which is one the most sought after fruits right now because of its health benefits.

You must not eat any fruit simply because it appeals to the eyes or because it is palatable. When deciding the kind of fruit to eat, the following must be put into consideration – the glycemic index, the fibre content and the nutritional value.

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