People with type 2 diabetes always want to know if fruit is okay for diabetics. Unfortunately, newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics need to absorb so much information that this simple question is impossible for them to answer. On top of that, there is a lot of information on the Internet about fruit and diabetes that is completely false.
Fortunately, there are quite a few types of fruit that have great benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. These include citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, all kinds of berries…strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and apples. Even bananas can fall into the good fruit category, though they do tend to have a bit more sugar than some fruits.
Apples: The Perfect Fruit for Diabetics?
As long as you control your blood sugar levels and don’t overdo it with too many servings of fruit, you can enjoy the nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, in many fruits. Let’s take a look at the apple as it could be the perfect fruit for diabetics.
Apples are so good for diabetics that research done on people with prediabetes found that apples might even prevent people from developing diabetes. Within twenty-four hours after “eating apples,” prediabetes symptoms were less. It seems that an apple a day really can be as good at keeping the doctor away as the old saying goes.
Apples are loaded with fiber:
Apples are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Eating a medium sized apple has the same effect as eating a bowl of bran cereal. In fact, just one apple contains 20% of the daily fiber recommendation. Because an apple has so much fiber, it is good for controlling blood sugar levels by releasing it more slowly into the blood. This can give you long-term energy and not the quick glucose spike that many other fruits and juices give you.
Studies have shown that apples can reduce the risk of some types of cancer and heart disease, and can reduce inflammation in those with joint disease. Apples are great for digestive health and have a positive effect on the colon. Also, one of the most brilliant research findings is that apples are packed with antioxidants.
Apples contain antioxidants:
Antioxidants get rid of free radicals…substances that cause cell damage and raise blood sugar levels. The antioxidants in apples are known as phytochemicals and include an extra special flavonoid called quercetin. Quercetin has been shown to prevent cancer and its benefits for many other diseases are now being investigated. It has promising benefits for Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. If you ate an apple (with skin), approximately 100 grams, you would receive the same antioxidant benefits as if you took 1500 grams of vitamin C.
Not only do they reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, apples help remove plaque that builds up in blood vessels and causes blockages and heart disease.
Perhaps the expression “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” should be changed to “two apples a day will keep type 2 diabetes away”.