Got Diabetes? These Superfruits Will Do You Good!

Find out why filling up on these fruits can help you manage your diabetes and your overall health. 

By
Amanda Prost
Reviewed by
Health Monitor Advisory Board
Print Mail
Print HTML
Share on Facebook
More Sharing +
-A A +A
Previous Pause Next

Worried about eating fruit if you have type 2 diabetes? Don’t be—this is one sweet treat you can sink your teeth into! That’s because many fruits don’t cause spikes in blood sugar. Here are some of your best diabetes-friendly bets—plus, the health-boosting bonuses that make them great picks for everyone.

Great-for-you fruit #1: Apples
That apple a day can keep the doctor away! A medium apple contains about 3 grams of fiber—that’s 12% of the recommended 25 grams daily. And pectin, a type of soluble fiber found in the fruit, stalls the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. 

Health-boosting bonus: Better breathing! A University of Colorado study shows those who ate at least five apples a week had better lung function. The fruit’s flavonoids (antioxidants) may help shield the lungs from airborne pollutants.

Great-for-you fruit #2: Grapefruit
Grapefruit is packed with vitamin C—a vitamin people with diabetes tend to be low on. It also protects cells from damage caused by high blood sugar levels.

Health-boosting bonus: Fend off cancer! Grapefruit is a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that fights off free radicals, helping to reduce the risk of cancer. For the biggest benefit, snack on the ruby red variety, which has the highest levels of lycopene.

Great-for-you fruit #3: Blueberries
 The beautiful deep blue gems help boost the production of insulin, says a study in the Journal of Nutrition—and that helps the body better regulate blood sugar levels.

Health-boosting bonus: A sharper mind! Antioxidants in the berries may help prevent age-related short-term memory loss and slow the effects of aging on the brain, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Great-for-you fruit #4: Cherries
High in antioxidants, cherries reduce inflammation linked to diabetes. While all types provide the benefit, University of Michigan researchers say tart varieties offer the greatest antioxidant bang for your bites.

Health-boosting bonus: Joint protection! Cherries’ inflammation-taming powers extend to gout, too—a form of arthritis that affects the big toe, knee and ankle. Preliminary studies show that cherries and cherry extracts may help neutralize uric acid, the culprit behind gout flare-ups. 

Published
April 2013

Suggested Reading

Recent News

See More