One of the most common misinterpretations concerning individuals living with diabetes is that they should not eat fruits. Diabetic people are made to believe that eating fruits can add to the surge or unnatural status of their blood sugar levels. Well, this impression is not true at all! If you haven’t known yet, fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals that the body needs to remain healthy and functioning. Eating fruits is one healthy option to combat infections and other illnesses that someone is possible to acquire.
In line with this discussion, there are still certain factors that someone needs to follow in eating fruits, especially if that person has been living with diabetes. With regards to dealing with diabetes, everything you eat must be monitored as much as possible, most especially the succulent fruit – pineapple.
Is pineapple really good for a diabetic person?
Scientifically termed as Ananas comosus, Pineapple is characterized as a tropical plant containing delicious and edible fruit. Pineapple is a native fruit of South America, from which it was cultivated in the continent for many years. For many, this fruit is a symbol of luxury, most especially in the European region. Furthermore, the said fruit has been recognized as the third-ranked most important tropical fruit in the world.
Aside from the facts mentioned, pineapple contains the following nutritious elements:
- 86% water for its pulp
- 13% carbohydrates
- 5% protein
- 50 kilocalories (essential for food energy)
- Rich in manganese
- Rich in Vitamin C
In the listed components above, you will notice that the amount of carbohydrates in pineapple is high. While this fruit is considered safe for diabetes, the presence of carbohydrates can affect the glucose levels in the blood. Note that carbohydrates or natural sugar can have an impact on your health, especially for diabetic individuals. In this case, pineapple intake must be limited. A thin slice of pineapple has 7.4 grams of carbs, so beware of eating too much of the fruit. It is also necessary that you still follow a healthy and balanced diet, alongside daily exercise and regular visits to the doctor.
Benefits of Pineapple
Apart from the delicious taste of pineapple, there are many health benefits that you can get from consuming this juicy fruit. These are as follows:
- It is loaded with a lot of nutrients – As mentioned above, pineapple consists of an incredible amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Some of these include Vitamin C, manganese, protein, Vitamin B6, fiber, potassium, iron, carbs, calories, riboflavin, and many more. These are all necessary to maintain good health and ideal well-being.
- Diminishes someone’s chances of having cancer – One of the many benefits of pineapple is its ability to minimize inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. When these conditions are eliminated, it also reduces a person’s risk of acquiring cancer.
- It boosts the body’s immune system – Given the long list of nutrients that pineapple has, it supports the body’s immune system in working better and fight off different diseases, which also includes stopping diabetes from becoming more complicated.
- It contains antioxidants – Natural substances such as antioxidants are very much capable of combating free radicals. Pineapples are a good source of antioxidants that reduces someone’s risk of having diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
There are a lot more health benefits that you can get from eating pineapple. However, for diabetic people, it is necessary that you monitor your daily or weekly intake of this fruit. Limiting yourself can help you recover fast and win over this life-threatening health condition.
Associating Pineapple on Your Meal Plan
It is not a must to eat pineapple daily. Its major components, such as carbohydrates, can still affect how your blood sugar levels move. You should also know the glycemic index score of the fruit you are consuming so that you won’t have difficulty in following your daily meal plan. For pineapple, the GI score spans from 51 to 73. For GI standards, this is high. With this in mind, limit your pineapple intake so that the glucose levels of your blood are still normal and stabilized. In doing this, you are keeping your doctor’s words in managing your diabetes well. Eat healthily and live healthily!
Doctor’s Recommendation
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Disclaimer: Please note that the contents of this community article are strictly for informational purposes and should not be considered as medical advice. This article, and other community articles, are not written or reviewed for medical validity by Canadian Insulin or its staff. All views and opinions expressed by the contributing authors are not endorsed by Canadian Insulin. Always consult a medical professional for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.
