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Last updated on July 28th, 2023
Blueberry is a vibrant, juicy fruit and each serving packs a severe knock of nutrients. Often ignored and beaten by more mysterious forms of berries, blueberry is one of the most beneficial, antioxidant-rich fruits globally. This miraculous fruit has been acknowledged to help out in everything ranging from improvement in the blood sugar levels, very good for brain health, along with keeps the heart robust and functional, and much more. Adding to the lengthy list of its advantages, blueberries are low in calories and extra yummy. Read this blog to know about blueberries and diabetes.
Need more acknowledgements as to why to include this flavoursome berry into the diets; then read on to get acquainted with the top-notch health benefits of blueberries, the association between blueberries and diabetes, and do blueberries raise your blood sugar?
Why are People Going Mad About Blueberries?
Universally referred to as a superfood, blueberry’s nutritional profile is quite electrifying. Blueberries are rich in vitamins like vitamin A, C, K, dietary fibers, folate, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese. Also, blueberries are low in calories and high in antioxidants. This profile urges the dieticians to suggest that if any person wishes to make only one makeover in their diets, it should be “blueberries”. The antioxidant properties of blueberries are so striking, that it’s even more effective than known vitamins C or E.
Well, all the above points point out that Blueberries as the healthiest fruit for diabetics must give a try.
Blueberries: The best berries for diabetics…know how?
Blueberries and Blood Sugar
The ADA calls blueberries a diabetes super formula. Blueberries are a complete package of nutrients like vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber aiming towards improving the overall health and wellness of a person. For people with diabetes, this fruit is just great in assisting with glucose processing, weight management, as well as insulin sensitivity.
Can diabetics eat blueberries? Although blueberries are loaded with sugar i.e. 15 grams of sugar is present in a cup of blueberries, they do not elicit an increase in blood sugars drastically. This is because blueberries bioactive enhance insulin sensitivity, thereby controlling the blood sugar level of people with diabetes type 2. Thus, blueberries are completely safe for diabetics.
Blueberry sugar content: Let’s learn about the nutrition facts of blueberries. 1 cup of fresh blueberries is composed of about 84 calories, 22 grams carbs, 4 grams fibres, and zero fat.
What is the Glycemic Index of Blueberries?
The blueberry glycemic index is 53, which ranks low on the GI scale. Thus, blueberry is just great for people with diabetes and is a great addition to their meal plans. For a diabetic person, the key to keep a check on blood sugar is to make use of portion control. Thanks to the low-carb density of blueberries, you can safely enjoy a 3/4th cup serving. This is the ideal serving size of blueberries for diabetics.
How do Blueberries Control Blood Sugar Levels?
Every diabetic person must be wondering, are berries good for diabetics, despite their sugar content? Here’s an explanation to this:
Glucose Processing
Blueberries effectively process glucose. A research study found that when powdered blueberry was given to the subject, a considerable lowering in abdominal fat, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels were seen. Also, the fruit significantly improved fasting sugar and insulin sensitivity.
When blueberries are taken in combination with a low-fat diet, a lower fat mass along with lower overall body weight is seen. Also, the liver mass greatly decreases. An enlarged liver is associated with insulin resistance and obesity, common features accompanying diabetes.
Insulin Sensitivity
As per various studies, it was seen that blueberry had great effects on obese adults with prediabetes and their insulin sensitivity got improved. The study proposed that fruit can make the body more receptive to insulin, which is a great help for people with prediabetes.
Blueberries comprise polyphenols; and specifically anthocyanins, which are speculated to lower down inflammation. Anthocyanins are known to improve inflammation in diabetic people, supposedly improving blood sugar values.
Weight Loss
Since blueberries are nutrient-dense and are low in calories, they help considerably in weight loss. For individuals who are overweight, consuming a healthy balanced diet involving fruits like blueberries may help manage diabetes and improve overall health. The fruit delivers a huge amount of fibers in the diet. Fiber moves gradually via the digestive tract, supporting satiety to help in weight loss. Ensure to amalgamate blueberries with a healthy, pleasing diet and loads of physical activity to promote weight loss and even more.
Low in Calories
With low-carb content and more antioxidants and flavonoids, blueberries make a great low-calorie snack to a diabetic diet. In addition, this fruit also contain fructose, a type of sugar that does not require insulin for its metabolism.
Lower Down Cardiovascular Problems
Blueberries keep the blood pressure under control, and its antioxidants reduce cholesterol levels and keep them in limits.
Also Read: 10 Best Glucometers in India for 2022
Top Health Benefits of Blueberries
Apart from the blueberry benefits for diabetes; this magical fruit is known to exert beneficial effects on other body parts as well. Read on to know more.
- Fight Cancer: This fruit carries the potential cancer-fighting activity. It protects against tumors like breast, stomach, prostate, and intestinal cancer. Although these results are just great, take care to consume a multiplicity of berries in combination with plenty of other fruits and veggies to optimize the cancer-fighting potential of the diet plans.
- Immunity-aid and an Anti-inflammatory: Although inflammation is a usual immune response that protects the body from illnesses and injuries, chronic inflammation is at the root of a majority of health issues. Inflammation adds to a wide range of medical conditions such as heart diseases, seasonal allergies like cold, cough, or flu, chronic problems like cancer, autoimmune disorders, or even depression. Thanks to its high antioxidant content, blueberries exert a substantial anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Blueberries are a must addition to a disease-fighting diet.
- Boost Brain Health: This fruit is full of antioxidants, which have the ability to protect the brain from free radical damage and support healthy brain aging. Also, it helps in improving memory and focus.
- Promote Heart Health: These days, coronary heart disease is one of the primary reasons for mortality. High blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels are just a few of the major contributory factors to heart disorders. All these are known to put stress on the heart and force it to work harder. At this point, consuming blueberries is of great help in reducing a few risk factors accountable for cardiovascular ailments. Blueberry supplementation produces a significant reduction in blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, the 2 major risk factors of heart problems.
- Digestive-Aid: Blueberries meet any person’s fiber needs while also supporting healthy digestion. When a person consumes a fiber-rich diet, it travels the GIT undigested, adding bulk to the stool to keep a person regular. Blueberry aids to enhance stool frequency in people with constipation.
- Blueberries are good for the eyes: Incorporating this fruit into the diet is known to improve vision. The major component of the eyes, the retina is accountable for vision. The retina does so by converting light energy to electrical signals. The visual cortex part of the brain gets stimulated by these signals and this is the mechanism by which an image is produced by the eye. Antioxidants present in blueberries help in improving the oxygen and blood flow to help respiration. In addition, these antioxidants defend against the degeneration of the retina and various other parts of the eyes.
Also Read: Indian Diet For Diabetes
Two Blueberry Smoothies a Day for Diabetics
A study compared obese adults with high insulin levels but not having type 2 diabetes with non-obese adults. Obese participants were asked to drink a smoothie comprising 22.5 grams of blueberry freeze-dried powder two times every day for 6 weeks, while the non-obese ones were given a placebo smoothie (without blueberries).
The participants were asked not to modify their exercise levels, as well as the calorie counts, were the same in both groups. Adjustments were made in the diet so that the consumption of smoothies did not boost the daily calorie count of the participants. This is for the reason that the researchers did not want anybody to gain weight owing to smoothie intake. Thus, it was found that blueberry smoothie was working great in reducing the high insulin levels and help in weight loss as well.
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Fruit for Diabetics Should be in the Whole Form
With moderately few calories as well as significant nutrients, whole fruits including blueberries are one of the great choices for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits all are healthy options, but make sure to keep away from fruits loaded with added sugars or syrups.
Fruit juices are also not good for diabetics as they contain unusual amounts of concentrated fruit sugars, devoid of the advantageous fiber. For instance, one apple juice is prepared from approximately four or more apples (typically the peel is taken off), yet it would never be possible to have four apples in one sitting.
Wherever possible, it is a must to stick with fruits in their whole and natural form.
Summary
Blueberry is a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and can help a person with diabetes in several ways. A handful of this small, round, sweet-sour-savoured fruit is of great use. Blueberries are known to increase the sensitivity to insulin as well as the body’s capacity to process glucose into energy efficiently. Now, don’t worry about how many blueberries can a diabetic eat; just enjoy the delicacies of this superfood.
Blueberries improve the overall functioning of the body including the heart, brain, and much more. Unsurprisingly, they are appetizing, striking to the eye that you always crave in your daily menu.
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FAQs:
When is not the right time to consume blueberries?
Bad blueberries turn somewhat spongy, soft texture with little discoloration and stains. Also, molds begin to emerge starting from the point where the stem is attached. If blueberries turn moldy, it’s better to throw them away.
What are the signs of blueberry allergy?
Signs may be inflammation, irritation, abdominal pain, hives, or redness, nausea, vomiting, loose motions, and runny or stuffy nose.
Are blueberries counted under high allergy foods?
Blueberries are not among the 8 common food allergens, which comprise about 90% of all known food allergies. Blueberry allergy is quite uncommon.
Will blueberries make you poop?
Variable varieties of berries are rich in fiber, adding a property of a mild natural laxative. So, yes it might make you poop when taken in excess.
What will happen if I consume too many blueberries? Will blueberries raise blood sugars?
Acidity, loose stools, reflux, and bloating may occur when too many blueberries are taken. High blood glucose can also happen with excess fruit consumption and may turn risky for diabetics.
What can happen if I have blueberries every day?
It’s safe to have blueberries every day. Various studies have found that a bowl of blueberries helps in boosting immunity and considerably lowers the risk of chronic problems like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart ailments. Furthermore, a small portion of berries if taken on a daily basis significantly strengthens the metabolism and prevents the person from any type of metabolic syndrome and deficiency.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes-blueberries
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187542/
Last Updated on by Dr. Damanjit Duggal
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