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People with diabetes have to watch their food to monitor their blood sugar levels. Although it is advisory for them to add fresh food to their diet, it is better to be oblivious to certain fresh fruits and vegetables.
Not all fruits and vegetables are suited to a diabetes diet; some fruits and vegetables help control glucose levels better than others.
A common adage is ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ but is it valid for someone with diabetes?
Apple And Diabetes
Apples may benefit people without diabetes, but can diabetics eat apple?
The answer to this is yes. People with diabetes can eat apples without worrying about a spike in blood sugar levels.
Apples are rich in nutrients in the form of antioxidants and phytochemicals. These nutrients reduce the risk of health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, cancers, and heart ailments.
Does that mean apples contain no sugar, and it is healthy to eat apples for diabetics?
It is healthy for people with diabetes to eat apples. However, it is not true that apples do not contain sugar. Apples do contain naturally occurring sugar or fructose. Fructose is present in almost all fruits, albeit in varying quantities.
Fructose in apples does not spike the blood sugar level because apples are also rich in dietary fibers. These nutritional fibers slow down the digestion and absorption process of fructose in the bloodstream.
Apples also contain plant compounds known as polyphenols. These polyphenols help lower glucose levels.
The low glycemic index and glycemic load also make it favorable for apples to be a part of a diabetes-friendly diet.
4 Benefits Of Apples For Diabetes
Apple is a safe food for people with diabetes. It benefits people having diabetes in ways more than one. Some of the health benefits of apples and diabetes are-
1- High Nutritional Value:
Apples are among the most popular fruits across the globe. They are also rich in nutritional value.
Apples contain vitamin A and C in large quantities, and these vitamins are known to ease the problem of inflammation in diabetes patients.
Dietary fibers present in apples keep diabetes patients from frequently getting hungry.
Because of its ability to provide nutrition to diabetes patients and help control diabetes by not spiking blood sugar levels, apples make an ideal snack choice.
2- Assist In Weight Loss:
After eating an apple, a person does not feel hungry for a while. An apple fills the appetite because of the high number of dietary fibers.
When you don’t eat a lot, you tend not to gain weight.
Apple is a good choice for people with type 2 diabetes, who need to manage their weight for their well-being. Adding apples can also benefit from plant compounds that aid weight loss.
3- Improve Cardiovascular Health:
The dietary fiber in apples is soluble. It dissolves readily in the bloodstream without harming cholesterol levels.
The antioxidants present in apples improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure levels and reducing the chances of a heart attack.
4- Manage Carbohydrate Intake:
A diabetes patient has to monitor his carb intake regularly because excess carbohydrates can spike blood sugar to a large extent.
An apple of medium size contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates; out of the 27 grams, approximately 4.8 grams is dietary fiber.
An abundance of dietary fiber in apples helps manage the carbohydrate intake for a diabetes patient.
FAQs
☑️How Many Apples Can A Diabetic Eat Per Day?
Although apples benefit a diabetes patient, they are to be eaten in moderation because excess of anything can be fatal to people with diabetes.
It is always best to consult a doctor or dietician while adding and removing food items in a diabetes diet. Dieticians and doctors can provide you with the best health solutions suited for your diabetes condition.
In general, a diabetes patient can eat apples in moderation. Approximately 100 to 150 grams of apple a day can be considered safe for people having diabetes.
☑️Which Apple Is Best For Diabetics?
Apples, in general, are quite beneficial to people with diabetes. They not only help in controlling glucose levels but also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
If you compare regular red apples with tart green apples, tart green apples are better for diabetes patients because of their low sugar content.
The Granny Smith variety of tart green apples is the best apple for diabetics.
☑️Can Diabetics Eat Apple At Night?
Yes, diabetes patients can eat apples at night. Eating apples at night can be a nice bedtime snack for them.
Apples are a rich source of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. A diabetes patient benefits a lot from all these food compounds.
A quick healthy bedtime snack for a diabetes patient would be having an apple sliced into pieces and topping those pieces with a peanut butter spread.
☑️Do Apples Spike Insulin?
No, apples do not spike insulin; they have minimum impact on blood glucose levels.
The glycemic index and glycemic load of an apple are low. They are 40 and 10 respectively. Foods with a low glycemic index and glycemic load do not cause a spike in insulin or blood sugar levels.
Food items that are low glycemic are capable of controlling blood sugar levels.
☑️Is Green Apple Good For Diabetes?
Yes, green apples are suitable for people with diabetes.
According to some studies, eating green apples can reduce the probability of type 2 diabetes. Also, green apples are low in sugar compared to regular apples.
☑️Are Apples Good For Gestational Diabetes?
Eating a healthy and balanced diet when detected with gestational diabetes is necessary for the well-being of the mother and the child. Gestational diabetes patients should avoid foods containing excess carbs as they are bound to spike blood sugar.
Apples have about 27 grams of carbs containing dietary fibers. These fibers prevent blood sugar from spiking up.
So, yes, apples are a good choice for people having gestational diabetes as apples help monitor the carb intake in the body.
Conclusion
An apple a day truly keeps the doctor away.
A diabetes patient can add apples to his diet because of the high nutritional value provided by apples. Apples contain various vitamins and minerals, all of which positively impact controlling diabetes.
Apples contain fructose and are low glycemic foods with a glycemic index of 40. Apart from controlling blood sugar levels, apples have several other benefits for diabetes patients.
Apples provide nutrition, help in weight management, promote cardiovascular health, and help manage carb intake in the body.
Granny Smith is the best apple for diabetics.