When you are identified by diabetes, the first that your doctor will suggest is to clean your diet. Food is one of the controversial topics when designing a diabetes diet. Most diabetics worry if the sugar content in the pineapple can cause spike in their blood glucose levels, and make diabetes worse. Pineapple is one of the important fruits available. It is a sweet fruit that several diabetics shy away due to its presumed impact on blood sugar. Is it safe for a diabetic? Continue reading to know more about it.
Is Pineapple Safe In Diabetes?
Nutrition: Pineapple is a purely safe food for diabetes. It has negligible amount of fats in it. Pineapple contains good amounts of vitamins, and fiber that helps to reduce blood glucose, regulate bowel movement, and reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels in the body. A single serving (around 1 cup of pineapple) provides only 78 calories, and 2.2 grams of fiber in it.
GI Value: The higher the GI index of a certain food, the more it has the ability to increase blood glucose, and vice versa. In diabetes, foods with low GI are preferred to be incorporated in the diet. Pineapple has got high ranking on GI index in comparison to other fruits. As per the nutrition experts, whole pineapple ranks 59th on 1-100 scale of GI index. This makes is a moderate high GI food.
Let us see a comparison of pineapple with other fresh fruits on the GI glycemic index:
- Watermelon: 77
- Pineapple: 59
- Banana: 52
- Mango: 52
- Grapes: 48
- Orange: 44
- Strawberries: 39
- Apple: 38
- Pears: 32
- Grapefruit: 26
- Cherries: 21
Unsweetened form of pineapple juice has got low GI ranking as it doesn’t contain solid carbohydrates. The GI index of a food increases as you slice it. So, pineapple in the form of pieces, or juice has more GI index than whole pineapple. Tinned, and juice form of pineapple is not advised for a diabetic. As it is ranks moderately high on GI scale, you need to eat pineapple in moderation.
Positives of eating pineapple
- Frozen or fresh or pineapple is lowest in carbs.
- It has high amounts of vitamin C
- It has low amount of sodium.
Negatives:
- Pineapple is a medium-high GI fruit.
- Pineapple juice, or dried pineapple is rich in sugar.
- Pineapple is a “medium” GI food to consume it in tiny amounts.
- Canned pineapple is a strict No as it sugary syrup is added to it for preservation purpose. This can be an unhealthy, and safe for a diabetic.
Ways to Relish Pineapple In A Safe Way
The moderately high rankings of GI give you the first impression that pineapple is not a safe food for diabetes. Even if you consume in small amounts, it is a healthy way to satisfy your sudden cravings for sweet tooth.
People who are fond of eating pineapple should limit their consumption to a single portion of pineapple. Also, pair it with protein rich foods in the diet such as Greek yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese.
Protein-rich foods have low to medium GI index that compensates the impact of high GI pineapple. The right way is to eat the protein food first and follow it by pineapple. As protein gives you a feeling of fullness, when you eat it first it, you will eat less pineapple. Also, this order of eating, will lead to slow increase in the blood glucose level.
Foods with which you can pair pineapple with are as follows:
- pasta
- barley
- converted rice
- whole wheat bread
- bulgur
- rolled oatmeal
- legumes
Tips to balance your diet
A healthy diet is important for efficient management of diabetes. It is required to track daily consumption of carbohydrate, and calories to maintain a healthy diabetic meal plan. Your diet has to contain foods that are rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. Fruits like Pineapple should be only 1/4th of your total meal size. Fill the remaining 3/4th portion of the meal with vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
Avoid to add foods that are highly processed, and high in sugar and fats. Consulting your doctor or nutritionist will help you create a balanced diet to effectively manage your condition.
Conclusion
If you are a diabetic, you can eat this fruit in moderate amounts. To balance the sweetness of this fruit, you can pair it up with other foods such as whole grains, pulses etc. Start with a low amount, to find it how it impacts your blood glucose levels. In this way, you can arrive at the right dosage for your consumption. Ask your doctor to determine suitability of pineapple in your diet.