Is Fruit Unhealthy For Type 2 Diabetics?
Chances are you have heard about the horrible health effects of fructose, and you may have been told that type 2 diabetics have to avoid all forms of food that contain fructose, including fruit. The fact is that portion size and methods of preparation are critical in determining whether fruit is friendly to the diabetic diet or not. An apple a day may indeed keep the doctor away, but an apple pie can send a type 2 diabetic to the emergency room! Fructose was once a recommended food for all diabetics. Because fructose does not directly raise blood sugar levels, a small amount, up to about 5 grams, is easily processed by the liver. This is about the amount of fructose in a single piece of fruit. If you eat an orange or apple, your body still has to process natural sugars, but this amount of fructose is not enough to trigger the insidious effects associated with high-fructose corn syrup. Eating a dozen apples, on the other hand, can do serious damage to your blood sugar control. The sheer