Contents
- 1 Are juices good for diabetes?
- 1.1 Can I have juices if I have diabetes?
- 1.2 Why is fruit good for diabetes?
- 1.3 Why is it recommended not to have juice in case of diabetes?
- 1.4 Are fruit juices the same as a sugary drink?
- 1.5 How is the best way to consume fruit in case of diabetes?
- 1.6 How is it better to drink juices in case of diabetes?
- 1.7 Are green juices suitable for diabetes?
- 1.8 Green tea, a drink with truly exceptional properties
- 1.9 How NOT to drink juices in case of diabetes
- 1.10 Does the fruit have a high glycemic index?
Are juices good for diabetes?
Can I have juices if I have diabetes?
Fruit juices are not a recommended drink for diabetes because they contain a lot of sugar and have lost the natural fiber of the fruit, as well as the bioflavonoids contained in the fruit pulp.
It is advisable for people with diabetes to consume the whole fruit. Occasionally, for example once a week, you can consume natural orange juice, preferable to industrial ones, which are not recommended.
Why is fruit good for diabetes?
Whole fruits provide soluble fiber (or regulatory fiber), vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, folic acid…
However, one of the components that stand out the most in this food group are bioflavonoids, antioxidants contained in the pulp fruit, especially in the white part of citrus fruits, such as hesperidin, rutin, beta-carotene, anthocyanins and lycopene. These components have the property of improving circulation and heart health. For example, citroflavonoids (bioflavonoids from citrus fruits such as mandarins or oranges) are powerful regenerators of blood vessels and antioxidants of the heart.
These components are found in many pharmacy preparations to improve circulation, varicose veins and high cholesterol. How absurd not to take advantage of them! Given its importance for health, fruits are very interesting foods in the diet for diabetes.
However, when you squeeze the fruit to make fruit juices, you are losing most of the bioflavonoids. For this reason, it can be said that a juice does not have the same benefits as eating whole fruit.
Why is it recommended not to have juice in case of diabetes?
The problem with drinking juices is that, in a few sips, you are ingesting all the sugar content in 2 or 3 pieces of fruit with hardly any fiber, so there are no components that regulate the absorption of this sugar. Eating the fruit that a juice provides would take us three times as long and would provide three times the fiber (and antioxidants).
Are fruit juices the same as a sugary drink?
Certainly, natural fruit juices, made at home, have better properties than any sugary drink. What is exposed in this article is not that homemade juices are harmful, but that people with diabetes should not drink juices regularly, due to their pathology.
In addition, people who do not have diabetes should also point out that juices do not have the same benefits as whole fruits, since they lose part of their properties.
How is the best way to consume fruit in case of diabetes?
The best way to eat fruit in case of diabetes is to eat it whole, or to make homemade fruit salads. You can eat the fruit alone or mixed with nuts or plain (unsweetened) yogurt.
When fruit is mixed with other ingredients, such as nuts, it further improves sugar control by lowering the glycemic index of foods.
How is it better to drink juices in case of diabetes?
Occasionally, for example one day a week, people with diabetes can drink fresh, homemade juices. So that the sugar does not rise too much, It is convenient that the other foods that accompany the juice do not contain a lot of sugar:
- You can drink the juice alone, or with it: some almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts (nuts have no sugar and are beneficial for diabetes), a natural unsweetened yogurt, egg, or even a whole grain bread with seeds.
- Optionally, to make it more purifying and add properties, you can add a teaspoon of hemp protein or spirulina powder to the juice.
- In summer, a homemade ice cream with juice (without adding sugar) is one of the best options to cool off.
Are green juices suitable for diabetes?
A type of juice highly recommended is the one that contains mainly the juice of vegetables, as they are poor in assimilable carbohydrates and have many beneficial components for diabetes, such as chlorophyll (all green leaves), folic acid ( spinach are the richest foods), essential oils (for example in the case of celery), beta-carotenes, etc.
As mentioned before, a quick way to make a green juice is to add hemp or spirulina protein powder to the orange juice, although, of course, each preparation has different properties.
You can also make a blended carrot, and add half an orange to provide more properties and a little more juice. Carrots are one of the foods richest in vitamin. To that they exist, very important for diabetes. If the oranges are organic, it is recommended to also liquefy a little of their skin, because it contains a large amount of rutin, an antioxidant that improves circulation. If we add ginger, it will help improve sugar control.
Green tea, a drink with truly exceptional properties
The world of tea is another field to explore for people with diabetes. Tea is very antioxidant and can prevent some diseases like high cholesterol. Green tea is recommended, as it is the most antioxidant, such as gunpowder tea or matcha tea.
How NOT to drink juices in case of diabetes
As mentioned, in the diabetes diet the ideal is to consume whole fruit, not in the form of juices, although there is no problem in consuming them occasionally. It should not be done in the following way:
The worst juices for diabetes are industrial ones, called nectars. These may or may not contain added sugars, but, in any case, they are made with fruit concentrates, which do have a lot of sugar. It is best to make the juice at home.
Do not eat foods that increase sugar a lot, which are those that contain added flour or sugar: breakfast cereals, jams, cookies, flavored yogurts, bread, etc.
Soft drinks: A can of sparkling drink contains twice as much sugar as a fruit juice, but it lacks vitamins. Diet drinks are also not recommended, because of the controversy over the use of aspartame in these products. (US neurologists reported that aspartame could be the cause of some mental illnesses).
Does the fruit have a high glycemic index?
For a long time, the myth that fruit has a high glycemic index has been perpetuated, that is, its sugars pass quickly into the blood, which can cause hyperglycemia. However, looking at the official glycemic index charts, we see that this is a false myth.
More information on diabetes and juices
