Dry Fruits for Sugar Patients: Benefits for Diabetics

Health experts always recommend people to take in dried fruits in their daily diet. This is mostly because dried fruits are filled with essential nutrients that are highly beneficial for your overall health. But people who are diabetic, that is, those who suffer from diseases like type 2 diabetes as a result of high levels of blood glucose levels, should be cautious about the types of dried fruits they take in their diet.

So, if you are diabetic and wish to add dried fruits in your diet for deriving health benefits from them, you are at the right place as this article will help you to get a detailed account of the types of dry fruits are safe to be consumed if you have diabetes, the relation between high blood sugar and intake of dried fruits, and other related details.

Having dried fruits when you are diabetic:

Dried fruits are rich in some of the key nutrients that are required for healthy physiological functioning. But many people who are diabetic are found to become doubtful, when it comes to consuming dried fruits. Dried fruits lack the water content within them but can be a healthy alternative to foods that are high in calorie and carbohydrate content that can be added to their foods in breakfast or can be consumed during snack time.

But it is also important to remember that dried fruits such as almonds, cashews, raisins and so on, though are healthy food options, but when they are added to the diet of a person who is diabetic, should be combined well in a balanced diet. That is to say, diabetic people should be careful about choosing the types of dried fruits that they are taking in and in which portions they are consuming to prevent the risks of spikes in blood glucose levels.

Types of dried fruits to choose for diabetic people:

There are various types of dried fruits that can help you to get some of the most vital nutrients that are required for your body in order to stay healthy. But when you are a patient of type 2 diabetes, you must choose your dry fruits carefully to keep the blood sugar levels at an optimum.

Though there is nothing to be restrictive about the choice of dried fruits if you are diabetic, you can try having the types of dry fruits as listed below:

1. Dried apricots:

Also known as khumani, dried apricots are rich in essential vitamins such as vitamin A, minerals like iron, potassium, and calcium, along with essential antioxidants. Apart from these, dried apricots are also low in calorie content, which will not only be beneficial for your diabetic conditions but will also help to reduce the risks of developing conditions such as obesity which can be quite worsening if you have diabetes.

2. Dates:

Dates are known to be some of the healthiest choices as dry fruits, especially for people who have type 2 diabetes. This is because, unlike other fruits, the sweet taste in dates is known to have a moderate glycemic index, which can be beneficial for diabetic people.

Dates can be available in both dry and wet forms, and they are high in fiber content, which helps you to stay full for quite a long time. This in fact, aids in lowering repetitive cravings and can thus reduce the intake of foods that are rich in calories, which is actually beneficial for people with high blood sugar levels.

3. Almond nuts:

Almonds are some of the most common types of nuts that are recommended for diabetic people by many experts. This is mostly because almonds are significantly low in carbohydrate content, which is a major factor for people who have type 2 diabetes and almonds are also rich in various types of nutrients that can be beneficial for your health, such as minerals like magnesium, healthy fats, and are rich in fiber content.

Alongside this, it is also important to note that almonds are healthy dry fruit options for diabetic people because when you have soaked almonds, the glycolic index or GI is almost close to 0 and can help to reduce spikes in blood glucose levels post-meals.

4. Walnuts:

Walnuts consist of essential nutrients that will not only help to maintain optimum levels of blood glucose in your body by controlling conditions like insulin resistance, which is required for diabetic people, but can also help in better metabolism. Walnuts are rich in inflammatory properties; they are high in fiber content and are also rich in other healthy nutrients such as in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants which are known to be helpful for diabetic patients as well.

5. Pistachios:

Pistachios are also considered to be rich sources of key nutrients that are beneficial, especially for diabetic people. Pistachios are generally green-coloured dried fruits that are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and essential antioxidants. These nutrients along with low calorie content in them help to improve the glyemic control, which is beneficial for controlling your blood glucose levels. Apart from these, pistachios also help to reduce insulin resistance and chances of inflammation among people who have type 2 diabetes which is required to reduce blood glucose and improve insulin levels in your body.

6. Figs:

Figs are not only tasty but are also filled with plant-based and nutritional components which can have low to moderate GI, and this can be specifically beneficial for diabetic patients. Figs are also high in fiber content, which can be helpful for those who have high blood sugar levels. Moreover, the nutrients in figs can help in proper digestion and improve your blood sugar regulation. Figs must be chosen as a healthy option compared to other dry fruits, because figs consist of nutrients which are rich in natural compounds that enhance insulin sensitivity.

7. Raisins:

Though this sounds odd, mostly because raisins have a sweet taste, they are rich in protein and fiber which can be beneficial for diabetic conditions. In fact, raisins have low to medium glycemic index and consist of essential phytochemicals which help to enhance better glucose metabolism. But it is also important to mention here that you need to make sure that you do not take in too much of raisins if you are diabetic, because increased intake of raisin can increase blood sugar levels.

Points to consider when choosing dried fruits when you have diabetes:

There are certain crucial aspects that need to be taken into considered when it comes to choosing dried fruits for diabetic patients. It is important to make sure that the dried fruits that are consumed should not be rich in sugar, carbohydrate or calorie content. Here are some points that you must note while choosing dried fruits for diabetic people:

1. Consider the portion:

Be mindful about the portion size of dried fruits that you are consuming. Over-consumption can be truly harmful for your health and can worsen your diabetic conditions further.

2. Be mindful about what you include:

When you are diabetic and are trying to include dried fruits in your diet, then according to experts, it is important to add dried fruits that are low in sugar content and mix various types of dry fruits together to keep the balance of blood glucose levels intact, which will not affect your diabetic conditions adversely. Most importantly, you need to be aware that you need to prevent the blood sugar spike that would develop as a result of having a package of dried fruit alone. You can also try to combine your dry fruits with foods that are rich in protein and fiber.

3. Here is what you need to limit:

Even when the types of dry fruits that you are choosing for their incredible health benefits and their positive effects for your diabetic conditions, experts always advise to limit the amount of dried fruit that you consume at one go or in each day. Instead, you need to snack your dry fruits smartly so that they do not affect your diabetic conditions negatively.

Conclusion:

As a final thought its is important to mention that having dried fruits is always a healthy option for all because of the essential nutrients that are present in dried fruits and the health benefits that you derive from them. But if you have high blood glucose levels, that is diabetic, or have diabetic tendencies, then you must choose your dry fruits accordingly, that are low in carbs, calories and sugar. You can also consult an expert if needed.