News & Info

Did you know that for the SAME NUMBER OF CALORIES you could eat either:

An entire melon OR 2 oz of jelly beans?

 An entire pineapple OR 2 oz of gummy bears?

That’s right – fruits and vegetables are both nutrient dense foods.  All of them.  That includes celery and lettuce (yes, they count too!)

That means not only can you eat MORE fruit and veggies for the same amount of calories as you would get from most other portions of foods, you get a whole lot more in terms of vitamins and nutrients than in other food choices.

Scientists aren’t entirely sure of all the benefits a person can reap by consuming fruits and veggies. The recommended amount is 5 servings a day – that can be satisfied quite easily because half an orange or 6 strawberries or 1 roma tomato all count as one serving each. Dried fruit counts too but be careful – some dried fruit has added sugar. Some dried fruit also has more calories since the water has essentially been removed. For example, a half cup of raisins has more than twice the calories as a half cup of grapes. So while dried fruit still counts as a nutrient dense food (and a sensible choice) you need less of it if you are consuming it dried.

What if you are diabetic? Should you still eat fruit? Doesn’t it have sugar? Here’s some good information from a trusted source (http://healthhubs.net/diabetes/which-fruits-are-safe-for-a-diabetic-to-enjoy/):

“Fiber rich foods are general safe for diabetics to eat because they tend to have a lower glycemic index (GI) and therefore do not spike blood sugar levels to the same extent as high GI foods. This is because fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. Fiber rich fruits tend to be fruits with edible skins and seeds as it is these parts of the fruit that are highest in fiber. Fruits high in fiber include: apples, pears, apricots, blueberries, kiwifruit and avocados. The avocado is not only high in fiber, but is also a rich source of monounsaturated fat. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a diet high in monounsaturated fat as it can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease which is more common in diabetics than the general population. There is also some evidence that a diet rich in monounsaturated fat can improve glycemic control.

Fruits high in fructose, and those with high fructose to glucose ratios are also beneficial to diabetics because fructose does not require insulin to metabolize and therefore can be enjoyed by insulin resistant diabetics. High fructose fruits include apples, pears, guavas, and mangoes, – all of which have fructose to glucose ratios greater than 2. Along with high fiber and fructose levels, apples have added benefits for people with diabetes. Raw applescontain high amounts of pectin which has been shown to improve glycemic control in diabetics, reducing insulin requirements by up to 50% in some cases. Grapefruit is another fruit which may be beneficial for diabetics. Grapefruit can promote weight loss which in turn helps reduce insulin resistance. According to the Scripps institute, grapefruit may also help control insulin levels when consumed during meal times.

Fruits with high amounts of glucose should be eaten only in small amounts as they can spike blood glucose levels however most can still be enjoyed as part of a healthy diabetic meal plan. High sugar fruits include bananas, dates, grapes, watermelon, and oranges.”

Thanks for reading! 

Warmly,

Dr. Mudge-Riley