Are Fruits Good for People with Diabetes? Here’s What Research Says
Takeaways
Fruits contain naturally-occurring sugars that can have an impact on blood glucose levels. However, fruits' fiber content helps slow down the breakdown and, thus, absorption of sugars into the bloodstream—reducing sugar spikes spikes.
In addition to blood-sugar-level-regulating fiber, fruits contain many health-beneficial nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
That said, not all fruits are equal. Ideally, individuals with diabetes should eat more low-GI fruits and limit their consumption of high-GI fruits.
Other factors beyond a fruit's GI value can also determine its impact on blood glucose levels. Examples include total carbohydrate intake, the timing of consumption, and its "form" (e.g., fresh, whole fruit, or fruit juice concentrate).
In general, consuming fruits closest to their most natural “form”, ideally with fiber and most nutrients intact, will result in the gentlest effects on blood sugar levels.
When you have diabetes, making blood-sugar-level-mindful dietary choices isn’t as cut and dried as simply avoiding all sugar-containing foods. Case in point? Fruits. Most pack a serious punch of sugar.
Yet, despite that, plenty of research shows that fruits are good for diabetes management. For instance, a 2017 study published in PLOS Medicine tracked diet and health in 512,891 participants for an average of seven years, controlling for smoking, alcohol intake, blood pressure, and other factors. In people with diabetes, the researchers found that those who ate fruit three times a week had a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 13-28% lower risk of developing diabetes-related complications.
So what’s the truth? Are fruits good for people with diabetes? Or not? Continue reading to find out.
Fruits contain natural sugars, along with health-beneficial nutrients
Fruits undeniably contain sugar. However, when talking about sugar and its effect on our health, it’s important to clarify the type of sugar:
Is it naturally occurring sugars? Naturally occurring sugars are the kinds found in all fruits, many dairy products, and some vegetables. They are an inherent part of the foods.
Is it added sugars? Added sugars are the kinds created or added in during the manufacturing process. They’ll often show up on nutritional labels as anything containing the word “syrup” (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup) or ending in “-ose” (e.g., dextrose, glucose, and maltose).
Fruits contain naturally occurring sugars, a mix of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. While your body cannot distinguish between naturally occurring sugars like “fruit sugars” and added sugars from a molecular viewpoint, fruits are typically full of fiber that can affect how your body reacts to the sugar in the food.
Consider a piece of candy compared to an apple, each with 15 grams of sugar. The fiber in the apple—which is missing from the candy—helps slow the breakdown and absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. So, although you’re technically consuming the same amount of sugar from both foods, your blood sugar levels won’t spike quite as aggressively when you eat the apple.
Beyond blood-sugar-level-regulating fiber, the naturally occurring sugars found in fruits also come with:
Vitamins and minerals (e.g., vitamin A, magnesium, and iron): These are micronutrients required by the human body to maintain optimal health. Except for vitamin D (i.e., the "sunshine vitamin"), micronutrients are not produced in the body and must be derived from the diet.
Phytonutrients (e.g., polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpenoids): These are plant-based compounds or chemicals found in fruits and vegetables. Phytonutrients may play a role in maintaining optimal health and preventing disease by fighting oxidative damage, reducing inflammation, and supporting immune system function. Note: while phytonutrients are found in all parts of fruit, they’re especially concentrated in the peel (i.e., skin or rind).
Fruits can and will impact blood sugar levels
Alright, so case closed—fruits are good for people with diabetes … right? Not yet, it’s a little more complicated than that. As all fruits contain sugars, they can and will still raise your blood sugar levels. Plus, not all fruits are equally good for diabetes.
How would you know which fruits are good for diabetes and which to avoid? Checking out a fruit’s glycemic index (GI) could help. The GI ranks carbohydrate-containing foods on a scale of 0 to 100 based on how quickly they raise blood sugar levels. Here are the three GI ratings:
Low GI: 55 or below
Moderate: 56 to 69
High: 70 and above
Ideally, if you have diabetes, you should go for fruits with lower GI values; they’ll cause a more gradual rise in your blood sugar levels, increasing the chances that you’d stay within your target blood sugar levels post-consumption. Before you scream internally at the prospect of pulling up multiple tabs and Googling "GI value of [insert fruit]" for all your favorite fruits, we have good news: we've done most of the hard work for you.
Low-GI fruits good for individuals with diabetes
Here are low-GI fruits good for individuals with diabetes:
Cherry (22)
Green apple (38)
Orange (42)
Dates (44 to 53)
Durian (49)
Grape (46)
Guava (31.1)
Banana (52)
Avocado (40.3)
Dragon fruit (48)
Kiwi (53)
Blueberry (36 to 39)
Strawberry (40)
Pomegranate (no research-based GI value, but known to be low glycemic index)
Mango (51)
Lemon (no research-based GI value, but shown to elicit a lower glycemic response than water)
Soursop (32)
Plums (39)
Pear (38)
Jackfruit (36.5)
Which moderate-to-high GI fruits should people with diabetes avoid?
Based on our experience, it’s actually not essential to avoid any fruits in order to achieve good blood sugar control! All fruits can be enjoyed in moderation, as long as it is taken as part of a healthy, well balanced diet.
We have found that even high GI fruits, when taken in small portions at the end of a well balanced meal, will not cause a huge increase in blood sugar level. The key is to learn how to estimate the amount of carbohydrate consumed and to balance them out with fiber and protein (more on this later).
That being said, here are some moderate-to-high GI fruits that people with diabetes should consume in moderation:
Are dried fruits good for diabetes?
Dried fruits are made by drying them out in the sun or via a machine dehydrator (they may also be freeze-dried). Since research shows that the volume of food, independent of energy density (i.e., number of calories), affects satiety, the risk you run is needing to eat a lot more dried fruits to feel satisfied. So, you risk unconsciously loading up on lots of fruit sugar, which will wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels.
How could dried fruits possibly be good for people with diabetes, then? Well, dried fruits still contain many health-beneficial nutrients, like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Meaning? So long as you practice mindful eating and keep portion size in check (we’ll cover what an appropriate portion size should look like in just a bit), dried fruits can still be a nutritious addition to your diet.
What to keep in mind when consuming fruits
Note that we've rarely mentioned the word "eliminate", only "limit" or "moderate". You can still indulge in moderate-to-high GI fruits—just in moderation. That said, eating platefuls of fruit just because it has a low GI value isn't a good idea. While low-GI fruits produce a slower, lower rise in blood sugar levels than high-GI fruits, they still contain carbohydrates.
Ultimately, beyond its GI value, how a particular fruit impacts your blood sugar levels can also depend on your total carbohydrate intake, along with other factors:
Total carbohydrate intake: A general rule of thumb is that individuals with diabetes should limit their carbohydrate intake to 45 to 70 grams per meal and 15 to 30 grams for snacks.
If you’re eating the fruit as part of your meal, eat it after. The protein and fat in your meal could help slow carbohydrate breakdown, translating to a more gradual rise in blood glucose levels.
If you’re eating the fruit as a snack, try to do so only after two to three hours have passed since your last meal. This helps spread out your carbohydrate consumption.
Whether you keep the skin on: Beyond being rich in phytonutrients, a fruit’s peel is also packed with fiber, which, as mentioned earlier, could slow the breakdown and absorption of fruit sugars into your bloodstream. So, always eat your fruits unpeeled whenever possible (e.g., apples, pears, and guavas but not bananas, oranges, and watermelon).
Its “form”: Have difficulties chewing or prefer to have fruit in liquid form? In general, blended fruit juice will have the gentlest effects on your blood sugar levels:
Blended fruit juice: Blending involves liquidizing the whole fruit by chopping them into fine pieces at high speed. You'll get everything a fresh whole fruit offers—from pulp and skin to fiber. These help increase the volume of the drink, which fills you up and limits your total carbohydrate consumption.
Fresh fruit juice: Juicing removes all fibrous materials, leaving only the liquid of the fruits. Since you'd typically need more than one fruit to make a glass of juice, you'll consume more fruit sugar than if you were to eat a single fruit. In addition, the absence of fiber could translate to a dramatic spike in blood glucose levels. Worse still, the heat produced during the juicing process may also strip away some of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in whole fruits.
Cold-pressed fruit juice: Refers to the juice extracted from fruits via a hydraulic press. While some argue that this heatless process helps retain more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients as possible, research is inconclusive. Once again, the absence of fiber makes it easy to overconsume fruit sugars.
Fruit juice concentrate: A thick, syrupy product. You can essentially think of fruit juice concentrate as fresh fruit juice but with most of its water content removed. Many of its health-beneficial nutrients get destroyed during the manufacturing process as well. There are two common types of fruit juice concentrate:
100% fruit concentrate: Made from 100% fruits. They don't contain fiber and are easy to overconsume. May contain additives like flavorings and preservatives.
Concentrated fruit cocktail, punch, or beverage: Made from a blend of juices. These ultra-processed juices often include added sugars or sweeteners, which can raise your blood sugar levels even more dramatically than 100% fruit concentrate.
Fruit is a crucial part of a healthy, balanced diet for people with diabetes
Okay, now you know the truth: you can still eat your favorite fruits, but you might need to eat smaller portions, opt for them in their most "complete forms", or enjoy them less often. Ultimately, there is no “diabetes diet” that requires you to eliminate anything from your plate or eat in a specific pattern (e.g., ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting). In general, a smart diabetes diet looks a lot like the healthy eating plan doctors, and dietitians recommend for everyone:
Whole, minimally processed foods (including fiber-rich fruits and vegetables)
Complex carbohydrates in moderation
Healthy fats
Limited added sugars and refined grains
That said, understanding what a healthy, blood-sugar-levels-mindful diet looks like is one thing. There’s still the matter of actually implementing it into your life. So, if you’re looking for more personalized guidance on where and how you could change your dietary habits for better blood glucose profiles, check out NOVI Magnum.