Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Updated : May 21, 2014 1:27 PM IST
Usually, people who get diagnosed with diabetes believe that their food choices become highly restricted. Apart from following a strict diet plan, they have a lot other doubts about eating right and managing their sugar levels. One of them is whether or not they can eat fruits.
But the truth is, when it comes to diabetes management, no food is out of bounds. All you need is the key to balance it right. In this article, renowned diabetologist Dr Pradeep Gadge answers all common queries that diabetics have regarding eating fruits.
Is it true that people with diabetes can have only specific fruits?
No. A lot of misconceptions about eating specific fruits and avoiding others exist in people with diabetes. However, a diabetic who has well-controlled sugar can have all kinds of fruits, but in limited quantities. Fruits are no doubt sweet because of natural sugars present in them, but they also provide loads of other nutrients like vitamins, fibre and antioxidants, which are highly beneficial for diabetics.
Should people with diabetes follow specific guidelines when it comes to eating fruits?
Not really. Diabetes is a complicated condition and every person having diabetes is treated with an individual approach. Therefore, we cannot confine a patient's diet or having fruits to specific guidelines. For example; consider two diabetic individuals. A father who is suffering from diabetes for the past 15-20 years and his son who is diagnosed with the condition just 2 months ago. Now, if the father eats one banana, his sugar levels may increase greatly, as high as 80 mg/dL. But his son who eats the same fruit may not observe a drastic rise in blood sugar levels. This is because the son still has his pancreatic reserves intact while the father may have uncontrolled, highly fluctuating sugar levels. So the fruits and their quantity that are recommended also depends on what stage of diabetes is the person at.
What are the best fruit options for people with diabetes?
Most fruits that have a low glycemic index (GI) and can be a good option to include in one's daily meal plan. These include fruits such as apples, oranges, strawberries, lemons and plums. 'Fruits like grapes, mangoes, bananas, chickoos, custard apple can be eaten in limited quantities (one or 2 slices). It is also advisable to avoid eating over-ripe fruits,' adds Dr Gadge.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
What about fruit juices? Can they be consumed by diabetics?
Fruit juices are not ideal for diabetics; even the packaged ones that claim to be sugar-free. Juices can lead to spike in blood sugar levels which is not desirable. Instead, chewing fruits leads to a steady and gradual rise in sugar, which is more important while maintaining sugar levels in diabetes.
What do you recommend is the best time for diabetics to have fruits?
Diabetics should avoid having fruits immediately after lunch or dinner because it can cause further rise in sugar levels. There should be a gap of at least 2 hours between a meal and fruit intake. The ideal time to take fruits would be mid-morning ideally at about 11 am or in the evening at 5 pm.
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