RELATED: 7 Healthy Meal Tips for People Managing Type 2 Diabetes. Portion size is key. Kiwis are available year-round and will last in the refrigerator for up to seven days, according to Zespri Kiwifruit. So experts also use glycemic load (GL), a measurement that involves portion size as well as the GI number, to give more details about these effects. Chan School of Public Health. Itâs high in carbs: Eight ounces of apple juice has 29 grams of carbs. published in the British Medical Journal concluded that the consumption of whole fruits, apples, blueberries, and grapes is significantly associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 … Processed fruits like applesauce and canned fruit in syrup or juice often have more carbs and can raise your blood sugar higher than fresh fruits. It also has 10 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, which covers 11 percent of your daily value (DV) for that nutrient, and 285 mg of potassium (6 percent of the DV). RELATED: 7 Decadent Cake Recipes for People With Diabetes. Everyday Health is among the federally registered trademarks of Everyday Health, Inc. and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. (Four apricots have 3 g of fiber, or 10 percent of the DV. These fruits can be purchased fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. These fruity jewels are also a good source of fiber. But some are … WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Indeed, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), many types of fruit are loaded with good-for-you vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber — a powerful nutrient that can help regulate blood sugar levels and decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the Harvard T.H. And it doesnât have fiber to slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes like whole fruit does. Examples include: A few fruits are on the higher end of the GI scale (70 or higher). If you can resist the urge to just pop them into your mouth, try berries in a parfait, alternating layers of fruit with plain nonfat yogurt — it makes a great dessert or breakfast for diabetes. According to the ADA, berries are a diabetes superfood because they're packed with antioxidants and fiber. See how one patient learned to manage her weight and diet. It also makes you feel fuller, which can help you keep a healthy weight. An apple a day really might keep the doctor away. These include: American Diabetes Association: âFruits.â, Mayo Clinic: âDiabetes Diet: Should I Avoid Sweet Fruits?â, Joslin Diabetes Center: âFive Common Food Myths for People with Diabetes Debunks.â, Diabetes Care: âNutrition Principles and Recommendations in Diabetes.â Â, CDC: âDefining Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables: A Nutrient Density Approach.â, United States Department of Agriculture: âWhy is it important to eat fruit?â, Harvard T.H. Follow our advice for putting the happy back in happy hour, and shake up a few celeb inspired drinks you can make at home. Stick to the produce aisle and the freezer section of your grocery store. Small steps can make a big difference in your blood sugar levels. But they may not always be good for you. Toss one in your purse or tote bag if you're on the go; a medium-size apple is a great fruit choice, with just 95 calories and 25 g of carbs, notes the USDA. Be sure to: All fruits have vitamins, phytochemicals, and other things that make them good for you. Apricots are a sweet summer fruit staple and a wonderful addition to your diabetes meal plan. But it can still be part of your meal plan. Apples are also loaded with fiber (about 4 g per medium fruit, for 16 percent of your DV) and offer some vitamin C, with one midsize apple providing 8.73 mg or about 9 percent of the DV. Itâs full of vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant compounds called phytochemicals. You might have heard that you canât eat fruit if you have diabetes. One kiwi also has about 42 calories and 10 g of carbohydrates, so it's a smart addition to your diabetes-friendly diet. Harvard T.H. But as with any food in your diabetes diet, you have to be smart about counting carbohydrates and tracking what you eat. One cup of fresh blueberries has 84 calories and 21 grams (g) of carbohydrates, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Chan School of Public Health. RELATED: The Best Oatmeal for Type 2 Diabetes. Healthy weight maintenance can increase your insulin sensitivity and help in your diabetes management. Many fruits are high in fiber, too. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts. A candy bar with a GI of 55 may have a GL of 22.1, which is high. Consume fruit in its whole, natural form, and avoid syrups or any processed fruits with added sugar, which have the tendency to spike your blood sugar. The Ultimate Guide to Health and Happiness, Don’t Just Sit There: A Little Exercise Makes Up for a Full Day of Sitting, FDA Watch: Monoclonal Antibody Treatments for COVID-19, Preventive Flu Medication, and an Anti-Nightmare Device Get the Go-Ahead, Tippi Coronavirus: Tips for Living With COVID-19. If you've never tried a kiwi, you may not know that its fuzzy brown peel hides a zesty bright green fruit. One cup of cherries has 52 calories and 12.5 g of carbs, per the USDA, and they may be especially good at fighting inflammation. Chan School of Public Health. Research even links drinking lots of fruit juice with a higher risk ofÂ, Spread your fruit out over the day. Diabetes is a chronic but manageable condition in which the body struggles to control the levels of blood sugar.. Is fruit dangerous for people with diabetes? Thanks to phytochemicals, eating fruit may lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke and boost your overall health. But the serving size can be very different depending on the type of fruit. Eat one orange and you'll get 78 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day (there are 70 mg of C in one medium fruit). Forbidden fruit? When you're looking for a diabetes-friendly treat that can help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range, look no farther than the produce drawer of your refrigerator or the fruit basket on your kitchen table. When you want an easy diabetes-friendly snack, whip up a quick smoothie by pureeing peach slices with low-fat buttermilk, crushed ice, and a touch of cinnamon or ginger. While some forms of fruit, like juice, can be bad for diabetes, whole fruits like berries, citrus, apricots, and yes, even apples — can be good for your A1C and overall health, fighting inflammation, normalizing your blood pressure, and more. Believe it or not, the notion that fruit is not safe when you need to watch your A1C is a popular diabetes myth that has been debunked again and again. Tart cherries are also packed with antioxidants, which may help fight heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, notes a review published in March 2018 in Nutrients. So itâs important to count the carbs you eat and balance them with medicine, diet, and lifestyle choices.