One of the most common doubts faced by diabetics is how to get their daily dose of vitamins, minerals and calcium various fruits have to offer? Should the food for diabetics be in the form of whole fruit or juice?

Diabetologists strongly recommends that a diet for a diabetic patient should consist of consuming whole fruits rather than in the form of juices. Fruit juices are loaded with a large amount of sugar which raises blood sugar levels after eating very rapidly.

A glass of sugarless orange juice contains around 100 calories, as compared to 60 calories in a whole orange. Fructose, the fruit sugar is more in 125ml of fruit juices much more than the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C and calcium, but when made into juices, the content of fibre decreases considerably. 

How Does Fruit Juice Affect Blood Sugar?

The sugar-loaded fruit juices can cause a remarkable spike in blood glucose levels and can increase the risk of hyperglycemia.

Glycemic index (GI) is the ranking of carbohydrates in the food according to how they affect the blood glucose levels. Generally, a low GI of less than 55 is the most preferred choice of food for diabetics.

The main sugar present in fruit juice is called fructose. Fructose is processed in the liver and research suggests that a diet high in fructose burdens the liver, leading to problems such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes.

Therefore, overconsumption of fruit juices or taking fruit juice in addition to a high sugar diet may increase the risk of health issues.

For instance, orange juice scores between 66-76 and falls under a high GI drink. High GI foods and drinks should be avoided by the diabetics to keep their sugar levels under control.

Fruit juices can be beneficial in treating a person who is hypoglycemic to rapidly raise their blood sugar levels. 

Whole Fruit Is A Better Option Than Fruit Juice

It is always better to take whole fruit than fruit juice, as the soluble fibre in fruit aids in improving digestion and slows the rate of the rise in blood sugar, hence preventing risks of high blood sugar symptoms.

The key point is that the whole fruit is the preferred choice for diabetics, and to be taken in moderate amounts.

Diabetics can eat a guava, papaya, citrus fruits like orange, sweet lime and black plums. 

Ways For Making Diabetes-healthy Juicing

Prefer Lower-Carb Juices

Choosing low carb fruits and veggies in your juices may support minimise blood sugar surges. Try blending cucumber, lemon or lime with fruit juices to lower overall carb content. Further, consider giving up the fruits and drink veggie juices made with non-starchy vegetables like celery, spinach, kale and tomato.

Control Portion Size

Well, focusing on portioning all carbs laden foods is a vital part of any diet plan aimed at regulating diabetes and juice is not an exception.

The recommended portion of a serving of 100% fruit juice is 0.5 cups or 120 ml. Also, paying attention to the total carbs consumed from juice in relation to the total amount of carbs consumed from other food throughout the day can help to maintain blood sugar levels.

Maintain Nutritional Balance

Well, juices usually don’t offer a balanced source of nutrition on their own, as they mostly lack important nutrients such as fibre, protein, and fat.

Having foods that comprise other nutritional elements along with juice will provide a balanced nutrient composition to the overall diet and may help lower blood sugar surges.

Also, consider having a smoothie instead of a juice, so you don’t miss out on the dietary fibre. Though while making a smoothie with fruits and vegetables, the fibre is broken down, it’s still available in the final product. Thus, making it a more nutritionally balanced option compared to drinking juice.

Additionally, protein powder, healthy fat sources, and nuts can be easily added to smoothies to enhance their nutritional value and make a wholesome snack or meal.