Learn all about the Glycemic Index and which fruits are best for controlling your blood sugar level.
For a lot of people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it's hard to be BFFs with a lot of fruits. It's not that they're bullies or anything, it's just they're not everyone's cup of tea. But just because you're not looking to make your relationship with fruit exclusive doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little bit of nibbling now and then.
Actually, recent studies show that eating fruits in moderation (especially if you pair them, with healthy fats and protein), can be added to your healthy eating plan. And the reason is simple: fruit is good. Really-really good. From prunes to pineapples, all fruit is made up of soluble fibre, epic vitamins and awesome minerals you’ll want to load up on.
So, instead of having a "hell no!" attitude towards certain fruit types, change your position and start keeping track of a) the carbohydrate content in your favourite fruits and b) where they rank on the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL). Once you know all that, well, all you need to do is adjust your portion sizes.
What is this glycemic index?
For those that don't know, glycemic load (GL) takes into account both the GI and the amount of carbohydrates (in grams) included in each serving. To put it simply: foods that have a low GI and GL score are a lot better for controlling your blood sugar levels. Not only that, but some experts have gone as far as saying the glycemic load is great at predicting the effect a food will have on blood sugar levels. That's how accurate it is.
So, to give you the no-nonsense bottom line, fruits that have a high GI will raise your blood sugar levels more than those with a low GI, and foods that have both a low GI and a low GL will help you better control your blood sugar levels.
And, with that in mind, here are the best fruits to chomp on for anyone with type 1 or 2 diabetes. We would tell you to hold them high in the air and then create a shrine for them, but you'll probably just want to eat them, which is cool too.
Thanks for reading! And you can find out more about our Glucose Test here.