Diabetes - Seven fruits to avoid which can raise risk of blood sugar spikes
01.09.2022 - 00:33
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Fruit should be included as part of a healthy diet. Not only are they packed full of vitamins and minerals, but most are low in calories, making them the perfect healthy snack.
But it turns out there are certain fruits which are considered "dangerous" for people with diabetes, as they have a high glycaemic index.
According to the NHS, more than 4.9 million people in the UK suffer from the disease. Diabetes is a lifelong condition, that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high, meaning their body can not properly break down glucose.
Diabetes is classified into two types - one and two. Type one occurs when the cells that produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels are broken down by the body.
Type 2 diabetes is much more common and the raised blood sugar levels are usually caused by being overweight or not exercising enough. This is much more common in the UK, as 90 percent of adults with diabetes will have type 2.
It is recommended for people with diabetes to include a range of fruit in their diet, but health experts have advised patients to be wary of fruits that have a higher glycaemic index (GI).
The GI is a rating system to show how quickly foods containing carbohydrates affect your blood sugar level when eaten on their own.
Diabetes.co.uk explains: “High GI foods break down very quickly causing blood glucose levels to rise sharply. People with diabetes refer to sharp rises in blood sugar levels as ‘spikes’ in blood sugar.
“Furthermore, for those who produce their own insulin, high GI foods can force the body to try to produce a surge of insulin to counteract the fast-acting carbohydrates and a common consequence of this is a feeling of hunger within two to three hours, which can leave the dieter