Relevant facts about bananas and diabetes

Diabetics can include bananas to their diet, but they should watch out portion size and the ripeness of the fruit.

Nowadays, millions of people have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is a disorder, which causes high blood sugar, and it can lead to dangerous complications, including heart disease or a stroke.

People suffer from three main types of diabetes: well-known types 1 and 2, and gestational, which happens during pregnancy.

Sometimes doctors identify people, who have prediabetes, and recommend them healthy changes in their nutrition and lifestyle as a whole. That usually happens when their blood sugar is between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter.

Unfortunately, in all cases, diabetes requires a special diet. People often feel skeptical when they have to follow a diet, but it’s quite crucial for their health and well-being.

What about your favorite bananas? It’s no secret everyone enjoys sitting in front of the TV and eating a banana. As it turns out, diabetics can include bananas to their diet. There is no problem, they should just follow some tips and watch out their portion size to prevent a complication of their condition.

Bananas and your blood sugar

Keeping the levels of your blood sugar stable is the most important thing when you suffer from diabetes. And it is confirmed there is a connection between the consummation of bananas and blood sugar levels.

If you control your blood sugar, you will prevent or slow down the main diabetes medical complications. That is why it is necessary to avoid or minimize food that can increase the risk of getting high blood sugar.

It is true bananas are good for one’s health, but they contain a significant amount of sugar and carbs, which can be a problem for diabetics and their blood sugar levels. 93% of banana calories come from carbs.

The body of the non-diabetic people produces insulin, and when the blood sugar levels are rising, the sugar is being moved into the cells: it is being successfully used and stored there. But in the body of diabetic people, this process does not work that well.

Did you know that except sugar, bananas contain fiber? Yes, this is absolutely true. Just like other people, diabetics need to eat fiber, because it slows the absorption of carbs. Bananas contain both carbs and fiber. One of them increases blood sugar, but the other reduces the blood sugar spikes.

So, there is a balance, and you should not deprive yourself of this delicious fruit, despite being a diabetic. In fact, it can benefit your blood sugar and weaken the unpleasant symptoms of diabetes.

Bananas: health benefits

Bananas are one of the most common fruit all over the world. They are preferred and consumed by people of all ages, especially children and teenagers.

Not only bananas are nutritious and tasty, but they are also naturally free of cholesterol, sodium, and fats. They can provide to your organism a variety of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C, B6, Magnesium, Protein, and Iron.

Bananas are also a great source of potassium, which is an essential electrolyte for human health.

Let’s mention some of the enormous health benefits of eating bananas. Bananas might help you prevent asthma, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, and even cancer.

Banana is a great and healthy addition to your abundant and tasty breakfast. It is believed the carbs in your banana simply depend on how ripe it is. Green bananas contain less sugar for sure.

But who likes green bananas? Well, you might have to start enjoying them because more yellow bananas contain more sugar, and they can encourage the blood sugar to rise faster. So, you should be really careful when you go to the store and choose your bananas.

You can always choose medium ripe bananas and still taste the sugar in them. You will be better off when you learn to enjoy a banana, instead of looking for candy and chocolate.

Yep, bananas will increase the level of fiber in your digestive system, keeping you fuller longer – and thus away from candy.

Portions

Portion size is truly important for your diabetic diet. You have to remember, ripeness is not the only factor, which affects the sugar in the bananas you eat.

If you eat a bigger banana, you will get more carbs. This means you should be really careful because bigger bananas can totally raise the carbs’ amount and the levels of your blood sugar as well.

Specialists say diabetics should avoid extra-large bananas because they contain up to 35 grams of carbs.

There are ways to estimate your glycemic load. It is a number that calculates how much your blood sugar will rise when you consume a particular food. If you consume more carbs, the blood sugar will increase dramatically. And if your glycemic load is more than 20, you have a reason to worry, and you should not be consuming this exact food.

Supposing you want to stay healthier, don’t take risks and follow doctors’ advice for portion size and diets. Remember, you can eat enough sugar, but you have to do it on small portions. It will be better for your stomach, and even more useful for your diabetes.

Safety concerns

Most people have concerns about whether it is really safe to include bananas to their nutrition as diabetics. In fact, most diabetic diets encourage the consummation of fruit and vegetables.

The carbs in bananas come along with minerals, which is good for people’s health. But it is an entirely different situation with the sugar coming from candy and cakes.

For most diabetics, bananas are an excellent choice, except for those who have to follow special low-carb diets. In all other cases, bananas are recommended. You just have to remember to consider the ripeness and the size of your banana before you start eating it.

Of course, everyone likes bananas better when they are ripe, but diabetic people have to be more cautious if they do not want their condition to get worse. Being a diabetic does not require deprivation, it just makes you pay more attention to your food and daily portions.

In fact, that is something healthy people should do too if they don’t want to suffer from awful diseases shortly.

Diabetes and potassium

It is commonly believed that bananas can actually help you maintain the right level of potassium in your body. And if you don’t, you can experience muscle cramps and even seizures.

Recent research shows that there might be a connection between low potassium levels and type 2 diabetes. For those not familiar with potassium, it is a mineral, also called electrolyte, that keeps your bodily fluids at the proper level so that your body can contract muscles without pain.

The right level of potassium in your body can guarantee correct heart breathing and keep the good functioning of your brain.

It is clear type 1 diabetes is not preventable, but you can certainly diminish the risk of getting type 2 diabetes by eating a banana every day. You can divide bigger ones into smaller portions.

Recommendations

Even if you suffer from diabetes, it is possible for you to enjoy different sweet fruit such as bananas. If you are a fan of bananas, you have to follow the tips and the recommendations of your doctors.

• First of all, you should watch out the portion size. Start by eating a small banana, you don’t need to eat much sugar at once.
• Choose a banana that is not so ripe so that its sugar content will be lower.
• It will be better if you divide your fruit intake. In this way, you will keep the blood sugar stable.
• You can combine bananas with yogurt. This will slow down the absorption of sugar.

Always observe your personal condition and improve your eating continually.

Interesting facts about bananas

Have you ever heard bananas might be radioactive? It is a widespread myth. There might be something real about it because they contain potassium and decays. But you will have to consume a lot of bananas to reach the natural potassium amount in your body.

Relax, nobody ever died from radiation sickness just by eating bananas. Well, you will certainly die if you happen to eat 10,000,000 bananas at once. If you can accomplish that, feel free to worry.

Bananas are considered the most radioactive fruit because they contain potassium-40. Thanks to this isotope, bananas release a tiny amount of radiation, but don’t freak out. It’s not as dangerous as it sounds.

So, what is the conclusion from all these facts about bananas and diabetes? Turns out, bananas can be both harmful and helpful for people suffering from diabetes.

It is all about the portion. If you watch out and eat the proper amount, bananas and their ingredients can be quite beneficial for your health. You know, everything can be harmful if you overdose.

If you simply include a medium ripe banana to your breakfast, you will feel better, and your condition will be undoubtedly improved.

So, don’t give up this yummy fruit and strictly follow your doctors’ recommendations. Take your pills, eat well, and enjoy life.

Main sources:
https://www.healthline.com/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/