Vegetables for Diabetics to Avoid

A diabetic patient needs a lot of attention and accuracy in his food, as he cannot eat all the foods he wants. In fact, diabetics must pay attention to the amounts of sugar in it, especially if it is related to foods that already contain a high content of sugar, specifically fruits, and starchy vegetables. In this article, we will talk about what Vegetables for diabetics to avoid and fruits. Also, we will display the list of foods for diabetics to eat and avoid depending on the glycemic index.

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Bad eating habits for diabetics

Before talking about vegetables and fruits to eat and avoid, we must talk first about factors that impact diabetics blood sugar significantly, like how different types of foods impact which are the eating habits.

Generally, each one has his own unhealthy eating habits, especially if you were diabetic.

These habits include:

Skipping breakfast.
Eating foods prepared with a lot of fat.
Eating unbalanced meals, like eating one type of food rich in carbohydrates.
Long stay without food.
Basing your snacks on bakery.
Exercising without eating.
Overeating, especially when taking insulin as it makes you hungry.
Having dinner late in the day and right before bed.

Check out diabetic diet type 2 tips.

Vegetables for diabetics to avoid

As a rule, doctors advise diabetics to fill their plates with vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables.

Green leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, lettuce, molokhia, and dozens of other types of vegetables.

Luckily, these vegetables contain various types of vitamins and minerals. Besides, they are rich in fibers that keep you full without raising your blood sugar.

On the other hand, there are some veggies for diabetics to avoid or better eat in moderation. Vegetables diabetics should avoid belonging to starchy vegetables like:

Potatoes.
Sweet potatoes.
Taro.
Jerusalem artichoke.
Summer squash.
Also, we find starch in the roots of green vegetables including celery, parsley, radish.

In French fries and potato chips, the amount of starch is several times higher than mashed and boiled potatoes.

However, the percentage of extra starch does not exceed 11-14%.

The same applies to legumes, some we classify among vegetables, while others among legumes.

In both cases, the amount of starch in them can reach 44%.

According to some nutrition experts, there are some rules you can use to keep your meals healthy:

You can combine starchy foods with each other, and with non-starchy vegetables.
Cooking starchy vegetables with fats may help the body absorb starch better. Though, it may be harmful to absorb all starch in the food if you were diabetic.
Nutritionists don’t recommend eating protein dense foods with starchy vegetables, because the first in the stomach requires an acidic environment to digest easily, and the second requires an alkaline environment.

List of fruits for diabetics to eat

Eating fruits and vegetables remains a healthy choice for diabetics and non-diabetics.

Studies proved that including vegetables And Fruits may decrease the risk of developing chronic conditions such as Hypertension, obesity, some types of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, strokes, and obesity.

Check out the DASH diet to control hypertension.

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Despite this, the way we preserve fruits affects blood sugar levels strongly.

In fact, fresh or frozen fruits are better than processed fruits, such as

Dried fruits.
Fruit juices.
Smoothies.
Canned fruits.
Fruit sauces such as applesauce.

The reason behind this is that the processed fruits can be digested quickly in the body delivering loads of added sugars to the blood.

In fact, this leads to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Therefore, doctors recommend diabetics to avoid fruit juices or canned fruits that contain added sugar.

Also, it is preferable to have whole fruits instead of fruit juice, because they contain soluble fibers, which help improve digestion and do not raise blood sugar immediately as juice does.

The foods are classified according to how quickly they raise blood sugar after eating to a scale ranging from 1 to 100.

However, fruits have a high or average glycemic index depending on fruit kind.

In fact, the best way to know the safety of eating fruits and other top foods for diabetics to avoid that are high in carbohydrates is knowing the glycemic index of everything you eat.

Food glycemic index

So if the glycemic index value of food is 55 or less, then we can classify this food to have a low glycemic index and it is recommended to eat it.

But if the value ranges from 56 to 69, then the food is considered having a medium glycemic index, and it is often advised to reduce its intake.

However, if the value is equal to 70 or more, then it is food with a high glycemic index and it is highly recommended to avoid it as much as possible.

The list of fruits for diabetics to eat includes some types of fruits that have a medium or high glycemic index, and which diabetics should avoid eating in large quantities:

Dried dates.
Ripe brown bananas.
Watermelon.

Fruits with a medium glycemic index

Yellow ripe bananas.
Dried cranberries.
Fresh or dried figs.
Grapes.
Kiwis.
Raisins.
Pineapples, and although pineapples, are classified in some references as being among the fruits with a medium glycemic index. However, other references classify it among the fruits with a high glycemic index.

list of fruits for diabetics to eat, that raise blood sugar less often than fruits with a low glycemic index:

Fresh apples.
Dried or fresh apricots.
Unripe green bananas.
Berries.
Cantaloupe.
Honeydew melon.
Grapefruit.
Oranges.
Peaches.
Pears.
Prunes.
Dried peaches.
Pomegranate.
Cherries.
Mango may be classified in some references as having a low glycemic index, while in other references it is classified as a medium glycemic index fruit.

Servings of list of fruits for diabetics to eat

The recommended servings of fruits nutritional recommendations indicate that it is recommended for diabetics to eat between 2 to 4 servings of fruit per day, which is the same amount recommended for healthy people.

However, it is important to know the nutritional portion is one of several types of fruit; As it greatly affects the high level of glucose in the blood after eating the fruit, as one portion of the fruit contains between 15 and 20 grams of carbohydrates.

It’s better to consult nutritionists that can help you plan a healthy diet, and determine the appropriate amounts and servings of each food type.

Here are some examples of the amount of one serving of different fruits:

One small piece of fresh fruits, which weighs about 113 grams, like a small banana.
Half medium-sized apples. Half a cup of canned or frozen fruit, which does not contain added sugar.
A cup of diced melon or honeydew.
17 small grapes.
A cup and a quarter of whole strawberries.
Two tbsp of dried fruit such as; Raisins or dried cherries.

Fruits to eat in moderation for diabetics

You can eat fruits, but some are higher in sugar compared to others with less sugar and more fiber. Here is a quick list of fruits that diabetics should avoid eating in large amounts:

Pineapple.
Raisins.
Fig.
Tangerine.
Mango.
Cherry.
Kiwi
Canned fruits preserved with sugar.
Dried fruits.
Fruit juices: If the fruit juice concentration is 100% and is devoid of the fibers that are present in the fruits, they can spike your blood sugar level.

Daily fruit intake for diabetics

Keep in mind that eating one fruit equals about 15 grams of carbohydrates.

The type of fruit determines the number of fruits you can eat daily.

Here is a list of daily amounts of fruits suitable for diabetics:

1 small apple, orange, or peach.
Half a medium-sized banana. Four small fruits of apricots. One cup sliced cantaloupe or watermelon.
50 grams of a mango.
150 grams of berries.
250 grams of strawberries.

If you want to be on the safe side while getting the best nutritional value, then stick to fruits that are high in fiber and low in sugar.

You can also check the diabetic food exchange list that can ease forming your diabetic diet plan.

Can diabetics eat bananas?

Yes, although in the past bananas were among the fruits that doctors recommended avoiding among the list of contraindications for diabetics.

However, for the vast majority of patients, eating bananas in moderation is safe, as long as they are eaten in moderation.

Also, bananas have wonderful benefits as they are low in saturated fat, Sodium, and cholesterol.

It also contains important nutrients such as vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese.

How many bananas can a diabetic eat a day

It’s better not to increase your daily intake over one small banana, which is about 113 grams.

Although bananas are not forbidden for diabetics if eaten in moderation, diabetics must care about what he eats on the rest of the day. Especially regarding foods containing carbohydrates, including sweets, pastries, such as bread, pizza, and fresh fruits.

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