There is a common myth that if you have diabetes, you should not eat certain foods because they are “too sweet.” Some fruits actually contain more sugar than others, but this does not mean that you should refuse them in the presence of diabetes.
The total amount of carbohydrates in your daily diet affects blood sugar more than a specific carbohydrate-containing product, whether it is a sweet fruit, berry, sugar or starch. One serving of fruit should contain no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates. Serving size depends on the carbohydrate content.
The advantage of consuming fruits that are low in carbohydrates (or low glycemic index) is that you can eat more of them than sweets without risking a significant increase in blood sugar.
1 serving of fruit should contain no more than 15 g of carbs
These fruits include:
- Avocado
- Mandarins
- Pear
- Grapefruit
- Apricot
- Orange
- Apple
- Nectarine
- Peach
On the other hand, you can also eat fruits or berries that are high in carbohydrates, but significantly less to prevent a sharp jump in blood sugar. The serving size should contain 15 g of carbohydrates – in this case, the effect on blood sugar will be the same.
The following servings of fruit contain about 15 grams of carbohydrates:
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1/2 cup (83 grams) diced mango
- 190 grams of watermelon
- 180 grams of strawberries
- 125 grams of pineapple
With the invention of ultrashort insulin for patients with diabetes, doctors began to allow them to eat sweet fruits and berries within normal limits.
Also, it should be remembered that fruits high in carbohydrates well help to quickly raise blood sugar with hypoglycemia. In this case, they are much more useful than sugar or sweets, having the same effect.