in Silvia Turin
The portions are the standard ones except for the more sugary fruits, but with a few precautions (for example the right combinations in meals) even diabetics can enjoy summer fruits. But it doesn’t apply to some preparations
In summer it is a pleasure to taste fruit of every color: it quenches thirst and is healthy with its load of fibres, vitamins and minerals. In addition, the varieties are many and for every palate. But is fruit feasting good for everyone?
Contains fructose
Given that it contains fructose (a “simple sugar”), how should diabetics regulate themselves, who have to keep their blood sugar (the concentration of sugar in the blood) under control? «Fruit is also an important food for diabetics – specifies Ilaria Prandoni, biologist and nutritionist of Palazzo della Salute of the San Donato Group -: there are no absolute bans. For the diabetic patient, as for everyone, the evaluation takes into consideration the dietary style as a whole: within a daily diet set well and balanced in the correct way, fruit can be inserted without problems, following appropriate precautions”.
The right portions
The recommendation of the Guidelines for healthy eating (elaborate dal CREA) is to consume between two and three portions of fruit a day, equal to about 150 grams net of waste. And that goes for each of us. In the case of diabetics, the portions may be the same, except for more sugary fruit (such as, for example, bananas, figs, grapes, persimmons) which must not exceed 100 grams per portion.
The rules for diabetics
«The impact of more or less sugary fruits on blood sugar will be the same if you follow some indications – clarifies the nutritionist and explains -. In addition to the portions to be respected, the first rule is not to consume fruit on an empty stomach or as a meal replacement. In fact, to minimize the impact of fructose, it is advisable to always add other foods to the meal, in particular those that help to lower the glycemic peak that occurs after ingestion; for example foods rich in fiber, protein or good fats (such as fish). A winning combination as a mid-morning snack is a fruit with a handful of dried fruit in shell or with yoghurt (which contains good quality proteins and fats)». No peaches and apricots to take to the beach or on a trip as a packed lunch, then, perhaps in the false belief that fruit “cleanses” the intestines of what we eat that is “wrong” (with respect to our state of health).
The preparations to be discarded
Fruit, however, is not only consumed whole: while dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots…) can be included once a day in a diet for diabetics (raisins, prunes, apricots…), they are absolutely fruit in syrup and industrial juices because they contain other sugars, added artificially. And the juices? «They can replace a portion of whole fruit once a day, but be careful because they do not give the same satiety as a whole fruit – observes Prandoni -. Furthermore, being in liquid form, it often happens that one drinks more than necessary». Freedom instead on the moments in which to consume portions of fruit: before or after meals and as a snack, even for diabetics there are no differences.
What to do if you need to lose weight
And the others? «The rules listed are good for everyone. Specifically, a person who does not suffer from diabetes can eat more sugary fruit more frequently, perhaps even without associating it with other foods, or can drink an extra juice”, concludes the expert. And for those who need to lose weight? In addition to having anti-inflammatory-antioxidant properties and therefore playing a fundamental role in the prevention of neuro-chronic-degenerative diseases, fruit can also be useful in a balanced diet for weight loss. Despite containing sugar, in fact, it is useful (with its fibers and its water base) to keep hunger under control, especially between meals. Also excellent for counteracting in a more natural way the desire for sweets that “takes” some people on a low-calorie regime in the evening: preparing your favorite fruit clean and sliced in a small bowl, perhaps with the addition of cinnamon, works as an anti-junk food to be enjoyed calmly, some time after dinner. Also in this case the important thing is not to eat only fruit in order to lose weight: it is very rich in water and has a very low caloric density, which is why it seems the best choice, but in reality it is not. It doesn’t give enough satiety and it’s not a balanced meal (it contains fiber, water, a little sugar, vitamins, mineral salts, but everything else is missing): the risk of “compensatory” binges would be just around the corner.
August 13, 2023 (change August 13, 2023 | 08:18)
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