9) CONTROLLING BLOOD SUGAR WITH DIET
e) What are "Acceptable" Fruits
Fruit Amount .............Glycemic Index.......... Fiber Percentage.......... Carb' Grams
Cherry cup.......................... 22 ............................13%................................. 22
Grapefruit** half .................25 ......................................................................10
Strawberries 4 oz .............32 .............................25%* .................................7
Blackberries 4 oz .............32 .............................32%* .................................6
Raspberries 4 oz ..............32............................. 50%* ................................6
Apples one ........................38 .............................18% ................................12
Pears one ..........................38 .............................21% ................................12
Tomatoes one ...................38 .............................27%* ................................9
Blueberries cup .................40 .............................21%* ...............................22
Peaches one .....................42 .............................16% .................................12
Recommended Cut-off --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oranges one ......................44 ..............................20% ...............................15
Raisins 4 oz .......................44 ......................................................................70
Grapes cup ........................46 ................................5% ................................22
Kiwi one ..............................53 ......................................................................11
Banana (ripe) one ..............54 .............................12% ................................26
Mango 4 oz .........................56...................................................................... 19
Apricot two ..........................57 ......................................................................16
Pineapple 4 oz ....................66 ......................................................................12
Melons 4 oz .........................72 ......................................................................15*Somewhat misleading as the bulk of the fiber is in the form of insoluble seeds, which don't help prevent absorption of fructose.
** An ingredient in Grapefruit interferes with some blood pressure medications. Don't eat grapefruit if you take blood pressure medication.
Looking at the list above, let us say that a person who has type 2 diabetes eats two oranges, two cups of grapes, and two bananas per day. That is 126 grams of "bad" carbohydrate, largely fructose, per day. That is not a trivial amount and would definitely have a negative effect on an individual with type 2 diabetes! But an apple and a pear are only 24 grams of relatively "good" carbohydrate (the pectin in apples and pears is a soluble fiber and binds to the fructose, slowing its absorption), not a huge problem.
Most dieticians in the diabetes field are now recommending that a person with diabetes only have two or fewer fruit per day. A decent rule is to limit ingestion to two fruit per day from the first half of the list above, keeping the amounts low enough to stay below 15 grams carbohydrates at each serving. There is a host of research which says a "fruit and vegetable" rich diet is extremely good for humans, but this is misleading. One analysis of the Harvard Nurses Study data separated out the effects of vegetables and fruit on the overall health of nurses. This study found that there was a definite positive effect from eating vegetables but no effect, positive or negative, from eating fruit. This has been confirmed by other research. Some physicians say that individuals with type 2 diabetes should eat no fruit at all, including tomatoes. The moderation diet allows one low glycemic index fruit per day.
"High fructose corn syrup" is different than fructose; it is an inexpensive, extremely sweet manmade sugar. Anyone with type 2 diabetes needs to avoid all drink or food containing any amount of high fructose corn syrup. Study after study says high fructose corn syrup is deleterious to the health of any human but is especially harmful to individuals with type 2 diabetes. The body converts high fructose corn syrup directly into very low density lipoproteins (VLDL cholesterol) and triglycerides which coat the blood vessels and cause large blood vessel "heart" disease. In one study a high-fructose corn syrup rich diet resulted in increases in 72% increase in very bad "VLDL" cholesterol and a 36% increase in triglycerides. Leptin, a hormone linked to insulin insensitivity, also rose by 48%. Another study showed a huge 200% increase in triglycerides in individuals given drinks containing high fructose corn syrup. Anyone with type 2 diabetes needs to religiously avoid any drink or food containing high fructose corn syrup (including most yogurts!).
Individuals with type 2 diabetes also need to avoid fruit juices; the concentrated fructose in fruit drinks has much the same effect as high fructose corn syrup. When fructose is in any drink, it is very rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and the liver cannot handle the rapid increase. The amount of protein glycation that then takes place is enormous and very detrimental to overall health and brain function. Actually all individuals, not only those with diabetes, need to avoid all non-diet sodas and all "natural" fruit drinks, including apple juice.
Next Chapter: 9) CONTROLLING BLOOD SUGAR WITH DIET
a) Blood Sugar Control
b) Individualized Reactions
c) What a Diary Tells a Person with Diabetes
d) Protein Poisoning by Fruit Sugar
e) What are "Acceptable Fruits
f) Other Sugars
g) Best Mix of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats
h) Low Carbohydrate Diets
i) Fitting the Diet to the Individual
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