10 Excellent Fruits for Diabetics

Many people with diabetes believe that they must avoid consuming fruit, and although there are some fruits that tend to elevate the blood glucose rather quickly like melons, pineapples and bananas, there are several that actually affect glucose levels positively, by actually preventing it from spiking. So if you're diabetic, instead of avoiding all fruits like the plague, you can start adding them into your diet for color, variation, fiber, as well as additional nutritional value. The safest fruits for diabetics are highlighted below, and hopefully there are some on the list that you enjoy.

Cherries - Not only are cherries tasty, but they're an excellent fruit for controlling blood glucose levels. Certain chemicals in cherries actually lower blood glucose levels by increasing insulin production by as much as 50%.

Strawberries - With a low glycemic index, this delectable fruit is another excellent choice for those with diabetes, as it keeps glucose levels balanced, preventing sudden spikes. In addition, strawberries taste great and can easily be incorporated into the diet by adding them to salads, smoothies, yogurt, or simply eating the whole fruit.

Apples - This fruit is a diabetic's best friend. Due to the large amount of fructose, or natural sugars found in apples, as well as the high fiber content, apples are perfect when it comes to keeping spiking blood glucose levels controlled.

Plums - When this fruit is in season, it's a good idea to take advantage of it and eat it often. With a low glycemic index of 39, you don't have to worry about your glucose becoming too high. Plums are great in puddings, as a snacks, with breakfast, or any time you crave one.

Peaches - Another great fruit for diabetics, peaches have a low glycemic index as well, at 42. Add some peaches to your lunch, in a salad, or have a juicy peach for a snack, and you'll be rewarded with stable blood glucose in addition to the sweet taste of the peach.

Blueberries - This fruit is a super fruit for a number of reasons, but one main reason is because it has a very low sugar content, making it excellent to be consumed on diabetic diets. Blueberries are very versatile and can be incorporated into many meals.

Pears - Many people love apples, but for some reason pears are often forgotten. You could be really missing out when it comes to the many health benefits provided by pears, including how low glycemic they are, helping you to keep your diabetes under control.

Apricots - This delicious fruit is a good choice for diabetics as well because of its low glycemic index and sugar content.

Grapefruit - With a super low glycemic index, this fruit is a wonderful choice for diabetics and might even be a substitute for an orange, although because of the size, ½ grapefruit is a serving size as opposed to one whole orange.

Lemons - If you're a fan of lemonade and other foods or drinks made with this fruit, you're in luck, because lemons are great at preventing insulin surges and blood glucose spikes. Squeeze some lemon juice in your water next time you have some, or try some in your salad. Lemons are also great on fish and even chicken.

References

Complete Diabetes Information Page - http://www.diabetesmellitus-information.com/diabetes_fruits.htm

Daily Diabetic News Page - http://www.daily-diabetic.com/50226711/fight_diabetes_with_cherries.php

Glycemic Index Page - http://optimalhealth.cia.com.au/gi17.html