Diabetes-Friendly Fruit

Fruits contain sugars, which can directly impact our blood sugar levels. Your doctor may have told you that you need to reduce your intake of certain fruits to help control your blood sugars and lower your A1c. However, this can be misleading, and eliminating fruit from your diet can impact your health.

Although all fruits naturally contain sugar, some fruits may have a bigger impact on your blood sugar levels than other fruits. This is because of their higher sugar content, and the type of sugar they contain. 

Types of Sugar Found in Fruit

There are two different types of sugar found in fruit – fructose and glucose. Ultimately, both types of sugar are monosaccharides and can increase your blood sugar (glucose) levels, although in different amounts.

For fructose to impact your blood sugar, it must first be converted from fructose into glucose which takes time, and is not 100% efficient. As a result, fructose has smaller impact on your blood sugar than glucose^[1]Bantle, J. P. (2009). Dietary Fructose and Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition, 139(6), 1263S. https://doi.org/10.3945/JN.108.098020^[2]Bantle, J. P. (2006). Is fructose the optimal low glycemic index sweetener? Nestle Nutrition Workshop Series. Clinical & Performance Programme, 11. https://doi.org/10.1159/000094427. For comparison, fructose has a glycemic index of 23, while glucose has a glycemic index of 100^[3]What is the Glycemic Index of sugar? . (2022, January 10). Sugar Nutrition Resource Centre. https://www.sugarnutritionresource.org/news-articles/what-is-the-glycemic-index-of-sugar.

Health Benefits of Fruit

Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, which work to keep our bodies healthy and energized. Studies have found that including fruits in our diet can provide our body with essential nutrients, help reduce our risk of some diseases, and lower cholesterol.

Fruits are also a great source of antioxidants which can help to fight off free radicals and protect your cells from damage. By eating a variety of fruits, you can ensure that your body is getting the best of what nature has to offer!

High-Sugar Fruits

Some fruits are considered to be high in sugar, relative to other fruits. Meaning they can cause a larger spike in your blood sugar than other options.

per 100 grams of fruit

Some of your favourite fruits on the list? Although it might sound counter-intuitive, many high-sugar fruits can still be part of a diabetes-friendly diet.

Low-Sugar Fruits

These fruits are naturally lower in sugar and contain less than 15 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, which can make them easier to include in a diabetes-friendly diet.

per 100 grams of fruit

Keep in mind, these numbers are per 100 grams of fruit. Depending on the fruit, you may consume more, or less than 100 grams in a sitting. The amount of fruit you consume at a time determines the amount of sugar you consume at a time. For example, a medium pear is about 178 grams. This translates to approximately 27 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of sugars. You can also download a free copy of my fibre in fruit cheat sheet for quick reference.

Diabetes-Snacking Guidelines

Keeping an eye on the amount of carbohydrates on your plate is a key component in managing your blood sugar. Current guidelines recommend consuming approximately 30 grams of carbohydrates at meals, and 15 grams of carbohydrates for snacks.

These guidelines can make it difficult to include high-sugar fruits in your diet, but it does not eliminate them altogether.

Tips for Including “High-Sugar” Fruits in Your Diet

High-sugar fruits can still be part of a diabetes-friendly diet from time to time. One aspect of including high-sugar fruits in your diet is portioning. 100 grams of blueberries (approximately 1/2 cup) contains 14.5 grams of carbohydrates and is considered a high-sugar fruit. Rather than consuming 1/2 cup of blueberries with your snack, or meal, you can try including 1/4 cup (approximately 7 grams of carbohydrates).

Combining these fruits with fat- and protein-rich foods can help limit how much they impact your blood sugar.

Example Snack Combos

Some combinations to try include,

• Bananas + Greek yogurt + nuts
• Oatmeal + blueberries + raspberries
• Mango + Greek yogurt + seeds

Check out 3 Simple Tips for Building a Healthy Plate to learn more about building balanced snacks to help manage your blood sugars.

More Diabetes-Friendly Foods

Don’t forget to check out the articles on milk, and chia seeds for tips on making your mornings more diabetes-friendly!