Can Diabetics Eat Strawberries

Diabetic people have to be very careful on what they eat. Some food and fruits contain very high levels of carbohydrates and sugars that can cause a drastic rise in the blood sugar levels. Most of us are not aware that there are 50 grams of carbohydrates in a mango, 30 grams in a banana and 52 grams in just 16-ounces of orange juice. The best way to ensure that you don’t have a drastic rise in blood sugar levels is ensuring you monitor it after taking a meal or a fruit.  Strawberries on the positive side are a better option since they contain less carbohydrate. Berries are a super-food for diabetics.

Slow-Release carbs

A high carbs diet is recommended to the diabetic, but you need to be particularly careful on the type of carbs you eat. There are those carbs with a high glycemic index or have fallen under the quick-release carbs. If you are not careful on consuming a high amount of carbs under this category, it is most likely to cause a sharp increase in your blood sugar levels. Strawberries are the perfect substitute for dried fruits, fruit juice and tropical fruits since strawberries contain slow release carbohydrates allowing your body to maintain controlled amounts of blood sugar levels. You can also try out blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries which all contain slow-release carbs

Carbs, Fruits, and Diabetes

The body needs carbohydrates and there is no other better place to get these vital nutrients than in strawberries. If diabetic, you have to particularly be careful on the kind of food you eat. Strawberry contains carbs with half a cup of strawberries having approximately 6g of carbs. The body through the help of insulin converts carbs to glucose; it is this glucose that provides energy to the cells. Unfortunately, diabetic people struggle to produce enough insulin in the body, this means that if you take too many carbs it might be too much for the insulin in your body to handle. It is advisable to take strawberries due to its carbohydrates rich component and low carbs since your body will still need the glucose to provide energy.

Antioxidant

According to a publication in the journal “Diabetes” published in 2003, it indicated that increasing the intake of antioxidants by consuming vegetables and fruits particularly strawberries can reduce the risk of getting diabetes. Antioxidants contain natural components that help reduce the risk of contracting a chronic disease that might be associated with aging. Also, if diabetic increasing your intake of strawberries can help prevent further complications such as cardiovascular diseases.

Ideas

Strawberries are sweet and it is very easy to replace some of the fruits in your diabetic diet so as to get the very much needed antioxidants and carbs. At the same time, you have to ensure that you eat other things to supplement your diet.

There are very many ways in which you can add strawberry on your day to day diet. For instance: you can munch on strawberry slices together with cottage cheese so as to increase your protein intake, in the morning you can add strawberries to your yogurt or oatmeal, for those who like chicken salad for lunch you can add in some strawberries just to supplement the diet and ensure that you take in some carbs contained in strawberries. If you love chocolate you can dip in your strawberries in your chocolate cream and have a sweet delicacy that won’t lead to a sharp increase in your blood sugar levels.

Caution and Tips

As much as we have stated that strawberries contain low carbs, ensure that you avoid eating strawberries on a dessert. The strawberry in sundaes and pies contains a lot of added sugar and flavors which will result in a sharp increase in your blood sugar level, something you don’t want especially when diabetic.

On the contrary, you can opt to take canned fresh, frozen or even dried strawberries, this way you won’t feel restricted. It is also recommended that you add in some strawberries to your breakfast or have it as a snack just to ensure you increase your amount of intake.

Strawberry extracts stimulates protective proteins for diabetes

According to Professor Paul Thornalley, strawberry extracts play a vital role in the body by activating NrF2 which is a protein component that helps keep cholesterol levels in the body low.

Strawberries also help the body to counteract blood sugar spikes which might arise after consuming a meal high in carbohydrates. There is no scientific evidence nor prove supporting the number of strawberries you should eat in a day. However, Thornalley and his team are working on this, what is certain is that strawberries have numerous health benefits and your body needs these nutrients.