Can people with diabetes eat star fruit?
Proper blood sugar management involves the consumption of healthy, nutritious food, including fruits. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, which help control diabetes and prevent various health complications. One of the fruits that are deemed beneficial for people with diabetes to eat is star fruit. What is it? How does it help manage blood sugar levels?
Also known as Carambola, it is famous for its five-point star shape with a sweet and sour taste. Both its skin and flesh are edible, which makes it a popular mix and side dish to a number of cuisines. Star fruit can be small or big in size. It also comes in yellow and green shades.
Is star fruit safe for people with diabetes? The answer is a whopping YES! Aside from its enjoyable taste, it also helps manage blood sugar levels! Its glycemic index is only 45, which is relatively low compared to other popular fruits and vegetables. If you haven’t known yet, any food that has a low glycemic index, mostly below 50, is considered safe for people with diabetes to enjoy and consume on a daily basis.
What are other ways that star fruit help manage diabetes? Let’s take a look at the nutritional profile of this amazing fruit.
Like other nutritious food, it is a rich source of fiber. What makes this nutrient extra healthy for people with diabetes is that it slows down the digestion process. This prevents a surge in blood sugar levels because people tend to feel full easily and stop eating more food, which may cause their diabetes to spike. This process also prevents unwanted cravings, a factor that easily affects blood sugar management as people eat foods that may trigger diabetes complications.
Other than fiber, the following nutrients are available in it:
- Fiber – 3 grams
- Protein – 1 gram
- Carbs – 6 grams
- Calories – 28
- Copper – 6%
- Magnesium – 2%
- Potassium – 3%
- Folate – 3%
- Vitamin C – 52%
- Vitamin B5 – 4%
Other health benefits for diabetes
- Star fruit relieves symptoms of chronic illnesses like psoriasis and dermatitis. This prevents diabetes skin problems.
- Star fruits are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are healthy substances that treat inflammation, a condition common in people with diabetes.
- The high amount of vitamin C in star fruit helps builds immunity. This assists in preventing future infections, particularly those that people with diabetes often experience.
- As mentioned, star fruit is rich in fiber. This nutritional content helps in weight loss. This also prevents insulin resistance, which is what causes type 2 diabetes.
How to eat star fruit?
Eating star fruit should be simple. Like other fruits, you can enjoy star fruit simply while also helping your blood sugar levels stay in the normal range. For your convenience, here are the steps on how to eat star fruit.
- Make sure the it is ripe. How to tell it’s ripe? The fruit should appear yellow with small hints of green.
- Wash or rinse the fruit properly.
- Cut both ends of the fruit.
- Slice it (thinly or thickly).
- Remove the seeds.
- Lastly, enjoy!
You can follow these steps if you wish to add this fruit to your diet.
- For salads, you can easily chop the fruit thinly and add it directly into the salad bowl.
- For pies, you can either make a star fruit pie or simply add the fruit as a flavoring.
- For juices, you can prepare this fruit as a beverage or a refreshment like what you do for oranges or mangoes.
