Index
Fruit and diabetes
The management of Diabetes mellitus, which is the disease characterised by an excess of sugars (glucose) in the blood, it depends a lot, as well as on the therapies, on the lifestyle and from the usual diet. Care must therefore be taken with sugars or carbohydrates: a rapid increase in blood glucose levels favours the progression of diabetes complications, such as certain Pathologies affecting the eyes, kidneys, cardiovascular system and nervous system.
- One of the foods that naturally contains sugar (fructose) is Fruit and the opinions on which fruits can or cannot be eaten in case of diabetes are truly numerous and, at times, even contradictory. What we can state with certainty is that to advise against eating fruit for people with diabetes is Undoubtedly wrong.
- Fruit contains Precious micronutrients (vitamins, mineral salts, antioxidantsand it is, furthermore, an excellent source of fibrea balanced diet involves the consumption of two portions of fresh fruit a day. The Mediterranean diet, recognised as a UNESCO heritage, also includes consuming one to two portions of fresh fruit with every main meal.
However, diabetics must be careful about the quantity and type of fruit they consume, because sugars also interact with the other nutrients in the fruit, as is the case with kiwis, which are rich in fibre and vitamin C. For this reason, it is advisable to implement some useful strategies to keep blood glucose levels under control.
What fruit can you eat with diabetes?
Knowing how much sugar the fruit you intend to eat contains is fundamental for good diabetes management. Recommended fruits for diabetics, so those containing less soluble sugars, I am:
| Fruit | Sugar content in a 150g portion |
|---|---|
| Watermelon | 5.6 g |
| Winter melon | 7.4 g |
| Strawberries | 8 g |
| Peaches | 8.7 g |
| Yellow and red kiwifruit | 8.85 g |
| Grapefruit | 9.3 g |
| Raspberries | 9.8 g |
| Summer melon | 11.1 g |
| Oranges | 11.7 g |
| More | 12.2 g |
| Green kiwifruit | 13.5 g |
| Honey | 15 g |
| Blueberries | 15.2 g |
| Pere Williams | 15.3 g |
While The sweetest fruits, so then those who One must not eat excessively., I am:
| Fruit | Sugar content in a 150g portion |
|---|---|
| Figs | 21.3 g |
| Banana | 22.2 g |
| Grape | 23.4 g |
| Pomegranates | 23.9 g |
| Persimmon | 24 g |
| Tangerines | 26.4 g |
*Data source: CREA Food Composition Tables, Research Centre for Food and Nutrition
Diabetes: 2 tips for consuming fruit correctly
- First of all, it is necessary Weigh the daily amount of fruita medium portion is about 150 grams but in the case of particularly sugary fruits (see tables in the previous chapter), it is better to limit yourself to 80 grams. In general, it is advisable Do not exceed 300 grams of fruit per day.
- Secondly, it is necessary Always eat fruit on a full stomach, after lunch or after dinner, to reduce the glycaemic index, i.e. the ability of the sugars in a food to raise blood sugar levels.
Benefits of kiwi in the diet of diabetics
A fruit beneficial for diabetes, and lately also much studied, is precisely the kiwi.
- In particular, the Kiwi adults are mainly made up of Water e soluble sugars, bound by the cell walls and the turgor of the fruit. Approximately the 84% of the dry weight (i.e. dehydrated, water-free) of kiwi is made up of soluble sugars available in the form of glucose, fructose and sucrose. The glycaemic index of kiwi, which is the ability of its sugars to raise blood glucose, è Relatively bass, thanks to your high water content, fibre and above all why these sugars are “restrained” in the fibres/cells of the plant within the fruit. However, the quantity of total sugars and their ratios can vary not only according to ripeness but also according to the kiwi variety itself (e.g. yellow and red kiwis contain less sugar than the more common green kiwi).
- Studies on humans have shown that the fibres of the kiwi They have a remarkable The ability to delay the mixing and diffusion/absorption of glucose. The consumption of this fruit can, therefore, confer a Protection against disorders related to sugar absorption speed, contrasting the rapid rise in the postprandial glycaemic curve (After the meal). This is why the glycemic index of kiwi is considered medium-low: when measured in humans, it is lower than that calculated solely from the glycemic indices of its constituent sugars in vitro.
- La Kiwi fruit fibre Can I have a Protective role additional against the atherosclerotic consequences of hyperglycaemia or diabetes, reducing the absorption of lipids (fats) and bile acids. The kiwi, in all its varieties, is therefore a fruit Absolutely recommended for a diabetic diet and for that of those suffering from impaired fasting blood glucose. As to the potential effects Benefits of kiwi They continue to be studied extensively, so we can expect further scientific evidence in the future regarding the contribution of kiwi consumption to general human health, not just diabetes. Did you know, for example, that kiwis can help Fight constipation?
- Finally, in addition to fibre, kiwi (especially the yellow variety) is rich in biological acids, As citric acid and malic acid, capable of reduce the rate of gastric emptying, thereby suppressing the postprandial blood glucose increase.
Scientific collaboration Dr Raffaella Cancello, Nutritionist Researcher, Department of Medical and Rehabilitative Sciences with an endocrino-metabolic focus, Laboratory of Research in Nutrition and Obesity, IRCCS-Istituto Auxologico Italiano Milan Publications https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Raffaella+Cancello Essential bibliography:
- Wilson R, Willis J, Gearry RB, Hughes A, Lawley B, Skidmore P, Frampton C, Fleming E, Anderson A, Jones L, Tannock GW, Carr AC. SunGold Kiwifruit Supplementation of Individuals with Prediabetes Alters Gut Microbiota and Improves Vitamin C Status, Anthropometric and Clinical Markers. Nutrients. 2018 Jul 12;10(7):895. doi: 10.3390/nu10070895. PMID: 30002355; PMCID: PMC6073280.
- Mishra S, Edwards H, Hedderley D, Podd J, Monro J (2017) Kiwifruit non-sugar components reduce glycaemic response to co-ingested cereal in humans. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111195
- Rush E, Drummond LN (2009) The glycaemic index of kiwifruit. N Z Kiwifruit J 192(May/June):29–33
- Monro J, Bentley-Hewitt K, Mishra S. Kiwifruit Exchanges for Increased Nutrient Richness with Little Effect on Carbohydrate Intake, Glycaemic Impact, or Insulin Response. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 8;10(11):1710. doi: 10.3390/nu10111710. PMID: 30413045; PMCID: PMC6265741.
- Monro JA. Kiwifruit, carbohydrate availability, and the glycemic response. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2013;68:257-71. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394294-4.00014-6. PMID: 23394992.
