Can A Diabetic Eat Grapes?
Introduction
It is not that easy for a diabetic to select fruits for consumption. Diabetes is an acute, but manageable condition where the body constantly struggles to balance the blood sugar levels. There are some types of fruits that aids in management of the disorder. One of such fruit is grapes. Let us learn more about its impact in diabetes.
Fruits and GI
If you are a diabetic, and not sure which fruits to eat and which to avoid, then consider the glycemic index of that fruit. Fruits that have high GI score gets quickly absorbed by the body and increase the blood glucose levels abruptly. This can cause sugar imbalance in the blood. A diabetic can only eat those fruits that rank either low or medium on the GI scale. Such foods get slowly absorbed by the body and do not quickly raise sugar levels in the blood. This scale ranges from 1 to 100. Following is the list of foods and their respective GI score to help you find the right foods to include in your diabetic diet.
Low GI and GL fruits
These are the fruits that have GI value below 55.
- apples
- bananas
- avocados
- cherries
- berries
- grapefruit
- kiwi fruit
- grapes
- orange
- nectarines
- pears
- peaches
- strawberries
- plums
- watermelon
Medium-GI fruits (GI value between 56 to 69)
A fruit that has a GI value between 56 to 69 is a medium-GI food. These fruits can also be included in your diabetic meal plan, but your first preference should be Low GI fruits.
- honeydew melon
- papayas
- figs, and
- pineapples
High-GI fruits
Fruits that have GI value more than 70 are risky for a diabetic. It can aggravate the symptoms of diabetes, so a diabetic should refrain from them.
- dates
- mangoes
Benefits of grapes:
There are various benefits of eating grapes. Firstly, it has a phytochemical as “Resveratrol” that controls the glucose levels in the blood and affect the way the body produces and uses “insulin”. Slow digestion and absorption of grapes, help body to feel fuller for a long time. It plays a significant role in efficient management of diabetes.
Grapes have a lot of soluble fiber that slows down the rate at which sugar gets absorbed in the body. They help in controlling sugar levels in the blood. As they are eaten along with its skin, they have more fiber, and nutrition in them compared to the ones that are eaten without their upper skin. Grapes are filling due to their high water and fiber content.
How to eat grapes for maximum benefit?
The way a diabetic consumes the fruit has a lot of impact on blood sugar. Freshly brought fruits or frozen varieties of fruits are considered to be healthier than processed form of fruits that is available in can, smoothies, juice or sauce form.
Processed fruits have negligible fiber content, more sugar and very less nutrition that a diabetic should avoid completely from their diet. Processed fruits are quickly absorbed by the body, and leads to sudden rise in sugar in bloodstream. Such fruits have low levels of fiber, and vitamins.
The best way to eat grapes is to eat them raw, and as a whole. Ensure that you buy only fresh, and good quality grapes.
Do not eat in the form of any dish that has grapes in cooked form such as grapes sauce, etc. This is because when a fruit is cooked, then it transformed from low GI to high GI food. This implies that the carbs in the fruit gets quickly absorbed by the body and imbalances the blood sugar levels in the body.
How to design a diabetic meal with fruits?
These are the recommended guidelines for inclusion of fruit in a diabetic meal plan.
- It is recommended to have five servings of different colored fruits in a day
- The right way to eat a meal is by filing up half of the plate with fruits, and veggies. Fill the remaining portion with whole grains that have high protein and fiber.
- Include only non-starchy and low GI fruits.
- Include healthy fat in every meal to get a feeling of fullness and improve absorption of vitamins, and antioxidants.
Conclusion
You should not stop eating fruits, just because you are a diabetic. Fruits are a great choice for diabetics when you careful select them on the basis of their nutritional profile. The low GI, less sugar, and high fiber content, makes Grapes a healthy addition to a diabetes meal plan.