Can diabetes patients eat fruits?
The common understanding is - NO. Almost all diabetes patients I know, hesitate to eat fruits. Logic is - fruits are sweet and contain sugar. Diabetes patients already have high sugar and eating fruits will lead to increase in blood sugar. Is this right? Let's see.
Does diabetes mean excess sugar in blood?
No. Diabetes means excess glucose in blood, not sugar. What is the difference? The difference is - all sugars are not glucose. Glucose is just one type of sugar and the only sugar that causes diabetes. Glucose is present in many foods that we eat. It is highest in white table sugar, processed & packed foods and grains like rice & wheat.
Which kind of sugar is in Fruits?
Fruits contain a sugar called fructose. Fructose is a simple sugar like glucose. Fructose acts very differently as compared to glucose. It does not mix with blood, as glucose does, and gets stored in the liver. Therefore, they act as stored sugar, not instant sugar like glucose. Some fruits also contain some glucose, but in low quantity, which do not raise blood glucose level. Remember, glucose is energy fuel for our body and even diabetes patients need it. But not in excess.
Fruits & diabetes
Fruits, having fructose, do not increase blood glucose level. Because of this, fruits are not only safe for diabetic patients, they also help in lowering levels of glucose.
Fruits also come packed with so many useful vitamins and minerals, that maintain the nutritional balance of the body. Moreover fruits provide a good dose of soluble fibres that have glucose lowering effect.
So in conclusion - Diabetics must not hesitate to eat fruits, but must eat 3 different types of fruits everyday, including one citrus fruit like orange, sweet lime.