Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 1-28-22

Health
When you're looking for a diabetes-friendly treat that can help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range, look no farther than the pro- duce drawer of your refrigera- tor or the fruit basket on your kitchen table.
Believe it or not, the notion that fruit is not safe when you need to watch your A1C is a popular diabetes myth that has been debunked again and again. Indeed, according to the American Diabetes Associ- ation (ADA), many types of fruit are loaded with good-
foryou vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber.
So, how do you pick the best fruits for diabetes? While some forms of fruit, like juice, can be bad for diabetes, whole fruits like berries, citrus, apri- cots, and yes, even apples — can be good for your A1C and overall health, fighting inflam- mation, normalizing your blood pressure, and more.
But as with any food in your diabetes diet, you have to be smart about counting car- bohydrates and tracking what you eat. Portion size is key.
Consume fruit in its whole, natural form, and avoid syrups or any processed fruits with added sugar, which have the tendency to spike your blood sugar. Stick to the pro- duce aisle and the freezer sec- tion of your grocery store.
The next time you have a hankering for something sweet, consider reaching for one of the following naturally sweet and juicy treats, cour- tesy of Mother Nature — you can whip it into a diabetes- friendly smoothie or keep it simple and throw it into your bag to munch on while you're on the go.
Berries for a Refreshing Treat and Disease- Fighting Antioxidants
Whether you love blueber- ries, strawberries, or any other type of berry, you have the go- ahead to indulge. According to the ADA, berries are a dia- betes superfood because they're packed with antioxi- dants and fiber.
Tart Cherries Help Fight Inflammation
One cup of cherries has 52 calories and 12.5 g of carbs, per the USDA, and they may be especially good at fighting inflammation. Tart cherries are also packed with antioxi- dants, which may help fight heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, notes a review published in March 2018 in Nutrients.
Sweet, Juicy Peaches for Metabolism-Boosting Potassium
Fragrant, juicy peaches are a warm-weather treat and can also be included in your dia- betes-friendly diet. One medium peach contains 59 calories and 14 g of carbohy- drates, according to the USDA. When you want an easy diabetes-friendly snack, whip up a quick smoothie by pureeing peach slices with low-fat buttermilk, crushed ice, and a touch of cinnamon
or ginger.
Apricots for a Scrumptious, Fiber Rich Bite
Apricots are a sweet sum- mer fruit staple and a wonder- ful addition to your diabetes meal plan. One apricot has just 17 calories and 4g of car- bohydrates, per the USDA.
Apples for a Quick Fibrous and Vitamin C– Rich Snack
An apple a day really might keep the doctor away. Toss one in your purse or tote bag if you're on the go; a medium- size apple is a great fruit choice, with just 95 calories and 25 g of carbs, notes the USDA.
Oranges for a Juicy, Refreshing Source of Vitamin C
Eat one orange and you'll get 78 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day (there are 70 mg of C in one medium fruit).
Powerhouse Pears
Because pears are an ex- cellent source of fiber (one medium fruit has nearly 5.5 g or 20 percent of the DV, per the USDA), they make a wise addition to your diabetes meal plan. Plus, unlike most fruit, they actually improve in tex- ture and flavor after they're picked.
Zesty Green Kiwi for Potassium, Fiber, and Vitamin C
If you've never tried a kiwi, you may not know that its fuzzy brown peel hides a zesty bright green fruit. According to the USDA, one delicious, powerhouse kiwi has 215 mg of potassium (5 percent of the DV), 64 mg of vitamin C (71 percent of the DV) and 2 g of fiber (8 percent of the DV).
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