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Diabetes is a disease that happens when your body does not make enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels. People suffering from this disease have to be careful of what they eat. Even healthy foods such as dry fruits can be tricky for diabetics to eat. While dry fruits for diabetic patients may offer a host of benefits and do not cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, some dry fruits aren’t as good. Dates, dried cherries and dried bananas are some of the dry fruits that must not be consumed by diabetics. As for consuming other dry fruits for diabetic patients, there are some tips and tricks to prevent a sugar spike.
Did you know more than 200 million people suffer from diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way your pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that regulates your blood glucose levels. According to the World Health Organization, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin in diabetes. If left uncontrolled, diabetes can cause serious damage to your nerves and blood vessels. As per the data by WHO, diabetes was the direct cause of death for more than 1.6 million people around the globe in 2021, and more occur due to diabetes as an indirect cause. One of the best ways to keep your blood sugar levels in check is to watch your lifestyle habits and eating healthy tops the chart. Eating a healthy diet is important to both, control diabetes and reduce its risk.
The process of removal of water from fresh fruits by certain drying methods such as sun drying or dehydration etc. makes the fruits ‘dried fruits’. “This mechanism makes them nutrient-dense, increases their shelf life and gives them a rich flavour,” says dietician Garima Goyal.
The consumption of dry fruits for diabetic patients can be tricky as these snacks can impact blood sugar in a major way. With the removal of water, the sugar levels get concentrated in dry fruits, meaning there is more sugar content per gram of dry fruit when compared with fresh fruit. This concentrated form of sugar, fruit sugar ‘fructose’ and glucose, spikes the blood sugar levels if these dried fruits are consumed in large quantities. Also, certain dry fruits possess a higher glycemic index (GI), which makes dry fruits unsuitable for diabetic patients. This doesn’t apply to all the dried fruits as a few even have comparatively lower GI and are fibre-rich, making them good options for diabetics by preventing blood sugar spikes.
It can be helpful to consume dry fruits for diabetic patients. However, these should be the right kind and should be in the right dosage. There are certain dry fruits which should be avoided. Read on to know more.
Also known as anjeer, figs consist of 50-60 per cent of sugar by weight and this marks their unsuitability for diabetics by shooting up blood sugar levels. A study, published in the study Molecules, states that figs are high in sugars, including fructose, dextrose and glucose. “This is why figs should be avoided when it comes to consuming dry fruits for diabetic patients. They are rich in fibre too, but the ill effects of sugar outweigh the benefits of fibre,” says Goyal.
Dates have a naturally high concentration of sugar content in them. A study, published in the journal Nutrients, states that dates consist of more than 70% sugar. Additionally, their high glycemic index ranging between 42 and 72 makes them highly unsuitable when it comes to consuming dry fruits for diabetics.
Dried cherries are another tricky dry fruit for diabetic patients. These possess 35-40 grams of sugar per serving, explains Goyal. Certain varieties have more sugar content that has been added during processing. This decreases its likelihood of being safe for a diabetic individual, with fresh cherries being a better alternative any day.
Comparative to fresh bananas which are both calorie- and nutrient-dense, dried bananas are even higher in caloric density due to the processes of frying or sugar coating. “Its processing also leads to nutrient losses in bananas. So though fresh bananas have high GI and this makes them a fruit that has to be avoided for diabetics or consumed in moderation if needed, dried bananas are a big no!” says Goyal.
Consuming dried mango can also be tricky when it comes to dry fruits for diabetic patients. This high glycemic index dry fruit is usually processed by adding a lot of sugar. This makes it highly unhealthy for a diabetic individual by shooting up blood glucose levels. Fresh mango is safer than dried mango. More the fructose content, the higher the blood sugar spiking nature. A study, published in the journal Metabolism Open, states that fresh mango consumption may be beneficial in improving satiety responses and postprandial glucose control when compared to its dried alternative.
These are not real dry fruits, but rather highly processed and sugar-coated candies. These should, under no circumstance, be part of the list of dry fruits for diabetic patients. “Their processing makes them lose their nutrient value as well and the high sugar proportion leads to a high spike of blood sugar levels. So never consume fruit in candied form. There are many diabetes-friendly fruits that should be had instead,” says Goyal.
Certain dry fruits have low sugar content and also low GI, making them suitable for diabetics. The American Diabetics Association states that when dry fruits are eaten in moderation, they can help control blood sugar. Dry fruits for diabetic patients include almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, peanuts etc. These dry fruits are a rich source of various essential nutrients namely healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids), fibre and protein. Few possess low carbohydrate content and others with moderate carb content are also healthy for consumption in moderation due to the presence of other beneficial nutrients.
Consuming dry fruits for diabetic patients can be tricky as overeating can lead to a sugar spike. Diabetics should be mindful while eating dry fruits and prefer unsweetened varieties that are minimally processed.
They should watch out for their portion size and limit it to 25-30 grams per day and for lowering the impact of their carbohydrate level on blood sugar spikes. Pair these nuts with high-fibre or high-protein foods namely yoghurt, oats, millet etc. Fibre and protein aid in slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates in the body and declining the sudden spike in blood glucose levels.
The consumption of dry fruits for diabetic patients should be limited to a handful i.e. 25-30 grams per day as overeating may lead to high post-prandial blood sugar levels.
For sustained energy for the entire day, it's best to consume them as the first thing in the morning or your breakfast meal. Also, they are a great option for a pre-workout meal. As a mid-morning snack, dried fruits are helpful too for maintaining the body’s glucose homeostasis.
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