Can Diabetics Eat Figs

Fruits are nature’s answer to satisfy your hunger when you want to eat something delicious and nutritional at the same time. However, if you are diagnosed with diabetes and have to watch your sugar intake, a lot of fruits are off your platter.

Fruits are rich sources of natural sugar. Figs are one such fruit that contains a plentiful of sugar. So you might very well ask that is fig safe for consumption for a person with diabetes?

Eating figs has a lot of health benefits.

Figs are a good source of potassium that helps in blood pressure control. They also have very good amount of calcium that is useful to strengthen bones and teeth.

The fiber content in figs helps in the digestion process. It is always a valuable addition to the diet of people having bowel movement problems.

Figs are eaten in both- fresh and dried forms.

Can Diabetics Eat Figs?

Despite the high sugar content in figs, they are one of the best foods that a diabetes patient can consume. They are one of the perfect food items that can help a person with diabetes achieve their ideal blood sugar level.

It’s not just the fruit of the fig tree that helps in tackling diabetes. Even the leaves of the fig tree can help to improve insulin sensitivity in the body.

5 Benefits of Figs

Figs can prove to be a valuable addition to a diabetes diet. The following are the benefits of figs for diabetes patients-

  1. Source of fiber- Figs are a rich source of dietary fibers. People with diabetes should try and include foods that have high fiber content in their diet.

Foods with lots of fiber content slow down the release of sugars in the bloodstream. The sugar from food is not released into the blood all at once but releases over time.

Therefore, even when sugar content is high in figs, the high content of fiber helps break down blood sugar. 

2. Source of essential nutrients and vitamins- Apart from the presence of a high proportion of dietary fibers, figs are also a store of essential nutrients and vitamins. Figs contain essential nutrients such as alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc.

Various vitamins such as Vitamin K, B, C, and A are also present in figs in large quantities.

3. Improving insulin sensitivity- The leaves of the fig tree and the leaf extract help improve the insulin sensitivity in the body. People with Type 1 diabetes usually face the problem of insulin sensitivity.

Insulin production in the body gets affected due to diabetes, and the body fails to react well to injected insulin. Such a situation is known as the problem of insulin sensitivity.

Figleaves and fig leaves extract help the body to react to the injected insulin in the required manner.

4. Aids weight loss- People with Type 2 diabetes have to control their weight along with blood sugar levels. Due to the presence of dietary fibers and natural sugars in such a large number, figs are ideal for weight loss and weight management.

5. Manages heart health- Figs can lower the blood pressure level in the body by reducing the bad cholesterol. People with Type 2 diabetes who include figs in their regular diet are at a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Some FAQs about Figs and Diabetes

It is a widely accepted fact that figs are among the best fruits to be included in a diabetes diet. However, there are bound to be questions regarding the benefits figs can add to a diabetes diet. Some FAQs about figs and diabetes-

can diabetics eat figs

Do figs lower blood sugar?

Figs is one of the many pro-diabetes foods. The fruit and leaves of the fig tree possess nutritional qualities that help in managing diabetes.

Figs have many dietary fibers that help break down sugar in the body and successfully manage blood sugar levels.

So, yes, figs are known to lower blood sugar.

How many figs can a diabetes patient eat per day?

A diabetes patient has to monitor glucose levels and also their food intake. Figs are beneficial for diabetes patients in many ways. However, people with diabetes must practice moderation while eating figs.

What is the best time to eat figs?

Fresh figs grow during summer. That is the time when you can eat the fresh fruit from the harvest. For the rest of the year, you can always snack on dried figs.

Is fig good for gestational diabetes?

Yes, a fig is good for gestational diabetes.

A lot of women crave certain food items during their pregnancy. Because of such cravings, they either face obesity issues and gestational diabetes. Figs also contain alkaline properties, and due to these alkaline properties, fig can help control gestational diabetes and obesity.

Which dry fruit is best for diabetics?

Dry fruits with a low and medium glycemic index are the best for people with diabetes. Dry fruits such as dried figs, prunes, apricots, dried apples, dried peaches, and dried plums can be the best dry fruits for diabetes.

Are dried figs low glycemic?

The glycemic index of dried figs is 61, which makes them a moderate glycemic food item. 

How many dried figs can a diabetic eat?

A person with diabetes has to limit their sugar intake. As figs are naturally rich in sugar, it is advisable for people having to eat a maximum of 3 to 5 dried figs in a day. A diabetes patient must always practice moderation in eating each food item with special attention for knowing the benefits and harms the food item can cause their blood sugar levels.

Summary

Adding figs to a diabetes diet can play a metamorphic role in controlling the blood sugar levels of a diabetes patient.

Due to all its nutritional benefits, figs can also help in curing diabetes.

There is a constant debate regarding fresh figs and dried figs and which one is better. Fresh figs are much better than dried figs.

Fresh figs contain fewer calories and sugar than dried figs. Dried figs or dry fruits, for that matter, consist of a lot of concentrated sugar and therefore must be totally avoided by people with diabetes.

As a thumb rule, before adding or changing any item from the diet, a diabetes patient must always consult their doctor or nutritionist. These are the people who can guide you with eating right while having diabetes.