Fruit for diabetic patients

Diabetes patients throughout their lives are supposed to control their carbohydrate consumption and limit that to moderate portions.

Fruits are available in huge amounts in the market during summer. Many believe they are not allowed to eat fruit as fruits are mostly sweet. Some believe they can adjust it by increasing the intake of insulin or medicine if necessary in case of a carbohydrate influx. This also is a misconception.

If fruits are eaten at certain times following rules, neither will the blood-sugar level go up, nor will one have to increase their insulin or medicine intake. So let’s find out which fruit a diabetic patient is allowed to eat and in what quantity.

Jackfruit

A diabetic patient can consume three to four pods of a ripe jackfruit. However, it must be remembered that no sweet fruit such as mango, banana, watermelon, ripe papaya or dates can be eaten on the same day.

Mango

One can either eat a medium-sized or half of a large-sized mango in one day.

Lychee

A diabetes patient may never eat more than six lychees a day. But they have to exclude any other sweet fruit from their diet on that particular day.

Watermelon

Many believe as watermelon is high in water content, it won’t increase the sugar level much. This is a myth. A diabetic person can consume just one slice of a watermelon in a single day.

Blackberry

Blackberries play crucial role in controlling the sugar and fat level of blood. So, diabetes patients can eat as much blackberries as they wish, without worrying.

· It is better to consume whole fruit instead of drinking juice or smoothies because it keeps the fibre intact.

· Do not eat fruit together with main course (lunch or dinner) because, the main course includes rice, or bread-like carbohydrates already. Eat fruit as snacks or in the afternoon. Practice eating snacks on a regular basis.

· You can use carbohydrate counting methods to measure your sugar intake. In other words, you have decrease the intake of other carbohydrates on the day you are eating a sweet fruit.

* Hasina Akter is a clinical nutritionist at Labaid