Fruit contains fructose, whereas processed sugar (sucrose) is made up of both glucose and fructose. By itself, fructose breaks down more slowly in the body than sucrose does; sugar and insulin levels remain relatively constant. In contrast, sucrose is processed extremely quickly, causing a spike in insulin levels that is stressful for the body. Fruit can be a healthy addition to a diabetic meal plan in moderation. But an excessive amount of fructose daily can also pose some potential health risks. Fructose has been found to contribute to insulin resistance and to raise blood triglyceride levels.
A great guideline for fruit is to consume no more than three fruit servings a day, always ensuring that the fruit choices are low on the glycemic index, that they are balanced with a protein, and that they are spread throughout the day.
Examples of good fruit with protein combos:
# Scrambled pastured eggs with a cup of fresh organic cherries
# ½ cup of blueberries with eggs
# Scrambled pastured eggs with a cup of fresh organic cherries
# ½ cup of blueberries with eggs
The biggest mistake people make is falling for the marketing hype from juice manufacturers. They want you to think their “fresh juice” is actually good for you. If you read the package, you’ll see that many fruit juices are made “from concentrate,” which, according to Paul Chek, could easily be translated to mean “from syrup.” But even fresh, not-from-concentrate juice is still not a good choice for a diabetic whose blood-sugar levels may quickly increase with even a small serving of fresh fruit juice. I recommend that diabetics do not drink juice in any form. A whole fruit is a much better choice because it comes along with the naturally occurring fiber in the fruit, which will help keep blood sugar stable.
Some of the best fruits and berries for diabetics are strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, pears, and oranges.