Can diabetic patients consume fruits daily?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am concerned about my father’s health. He is 57 years old and diabetic. He has been on medication for the past three years. I wanted to know whether he should consume fruits, especially watermelons.

As it is now the seasonal fruit, he wanted to enjoy it, and he has been consuming it every day.

Does that cause any issues?
What foods should he avoid eating?
Can he generally eat fruits every day?
Should he avoid eating rice and other carbohydrates while consuming fruits?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern about your father, but trust me, with lifestyle changes and diet, it can be manageable.

He can surely have one seasonal fruit as a mid-snack in the morning, but not along with meals; it can be any fruit, yes, even watermelon or mango, but one serving. So not with rice and carbohydrates in one go, but you can add some nuts along.

Secondly, you need to keep track of his HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) for diabetes control as well. Anything less is not important, but the meal's glycemic load is important, as excess sugar will lead to fat conversion and increased diabetes.

Here are a few tips to manage his intake without getting worried about sugar spikes or drops.

Do's

Consume complex carbohydrates like whole wheat, quinoa, brown rice, oats, and broken wheat (dalia) because they are high in fiber, and fiber helps delay the process of sugar release from foods.
Other fiber-rich foods like sprouts, lentils, salads, green leafy vegetables, and whole fruits should be included in the diet.
Small and frequent meals to be taken
Briskly walk for a minimum of 30 minutes. Five days a week are compulsory.
Regular self-monitoring of blood sugars is extremely important.

Don’ts

Sodas and sweet drinks like aerated drinks and tetra-pack fruit juices are to be avoided in the diet because they are high in carbs, which increase blood sugar. Also, their high fructose content has been linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of obesity, fatty liver disease, and other diseases.
Refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice are low in fiber and high in glycemic index. This combination can result in high blood sugar levels.
Fruit-flavored yogurts are usually low in fat but high in sugar.
Breakfast cereals like cornflakes, sugar-coated muesli, and sugar-coated wheat flakes.
Honey, maple syrup, jaggery, and sugar.
Packaged snacks are typically highly processed foods made from refined flour that can quickly raise blood sugar levels.
Fruits like bananas, chikoo, mangoes, dates, and raisins are high in glycemic index and load, so they must be avoided.
Starchy vegetables need to be avoided, like potatoes, yam, colocasia, beetroot, squash, corn, and sweet potatoes.
Eat less salt (use less salt in cooking, replace salt with other herbs and spices, cut out commercial soups and gravies that have a very high salt content, and use a salt substitute).
Do not walk barefoot.

I hope this helps.

Thank you and take care.

Regards.