Can a person with diabetes eat dried fruits

Dried fruits are a tricky business when it comes to diabetes. People with diabetes, most often than not, consume fresh fruits with a lot of trepidation because of their natural sugar content. This apprehension increases manifolds when dried fruits enter the picture.

Dried fruits vs fresh fruits

Fruits in all forms – fresh or dried – are 100% carbohydrates, in the form of fructose. The only thing that varies from fruit to fruit is the amount of natural sugar content. However, since fruits are also redolent with fiber, their consumption does not have a drastic effect on the blood sugar levels, provided a moderate consumption or regulated portion size. 

Now, since dried fruits are dehydrated forms of fruits, their natural sugar is in a concentrated form. This makes it all the more imperative to consume dried fruits in a moderated, regulated portion size. For instance, just 2 tbsps of dried fruits like raisins, prunes, figs or dates contain 15gms of carbohydrates. This does restrict your dried fruit consumption only to spoonfuls per day. However, dried fruits make for a much better candy when you get hit by cravings for something sweet.

What is the Glycemic Index count of dried fruits?

Glycemic Index or GI is a measure of how fast your body can convert the carbohydrate present in the consumed food into glucose. The GI of any food is calculated against that of pure glucose (GI 100) as a reference. Based on this description, foods are categorized as having high GI (70 or above), medium GI (56-69) and low GI (55 or below).

List of dry fruits with their glycemic index for people with diabetes to eat

Most of the dried fruits fall in the range of low to medium GI

Health benefits of dried fruits

• They are some of the topmost sources of potassium across diets in the world. 
• They are also rich sources of minerals like calcium and iron, and Vitamin A and B.
• Depending upon the type of fruit, one serving of dried fruits provides over 9% of the daily fiber content.
• Dried fruits are easy to handle, portable and delicious in taste. Hence, they make for a great alternative to processed munchies and snacking items.

Healthy dried fruits recipe for Eid

1. Dry Fruits Milkshake

Ingredients:

6-7 dates (pitted), 2-3 dry figs (Anjeer), 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup almonds, 1 tbsp honey (or according to taste), 2-1/2 cups cold milk, 1 cup warm water (for soaking).

Method:

Soak dry fruits and nuts in warm water for 25-30 minutes or overnight. Next, drain them thoroughly and blend them along with honey and 1/2 cup milk. The consistency should be of a thick paste. To this paste, add the rest of the milk and blend again. Top it with chopped nuts and serve along some ice cubes.

2. Dates Halwa

Ingredients:

2 cups (260 grams) dates (pitted), 1 cup warm water (for soaking), ½ cup ghee, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, 2 tbsp cornflour, ½ cup water (for slurry), 10 cashew nuts (chopped).

Method:

Soak 2 cup dates in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes. Blend to smooth paste. Transfer this paste to a large wok. Add ¼ cup ghee and mix well with continuous stirring on medium flame, until it is absorbed well. Add another 2 tbsp of ghee and continue to cook until the mixture thickens and turns glossy. In a small bowl, mix cornflour and ½ cup water to form a lump-free slurry. Pour this in the wok and mix well. Cook on medium flame till it turns glossy. In a small pan, roast 10 cashews in 2 tbsp ghee until they turn golden brown. Add these to the halwa. Also add ¼ tsp cardamom powder and mix well. Serve piping hot. 

Lifestyle, that too diet plays a key role in the management of type 2 diabetes. Nuts are nourishing and offer a variety of health benefits. So in this article, we will discuss the top dry fruits for diabetic patients in detail.

Around a million population is suffering from diabetes. A healthy diet aids in managing blood glucose levels and decreases the risk of complications. Keep on reading this article to know why dates are beneficial for diabetics. Also, know about the best dry fruits for diabetic patients.

Dry fruits are well-accepted for their nutritious values, great taste, and long shelf life. Due to their origins in a fruit family, still, a common diabetic misunderstanding exists, Are dry fruits good for diabetics patients?

Further, people must avoid these. There is enough data to prove that, if a person consumes the right dry fruits in proper amounts, it may help in regulating diabetes.

What are Dry Fruits?

The name says by itself, that dry fruits are nuts or fruits from which most of the natural water is excluded, either utilizing:

• Natural heat (naturally)
• Specific tumblers. These tumblers are dehydrators used to dry them rapidly.

Moreover, because of dehydration, dry fruits have a very high amount of sugar and naturally long shelf life.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a medical problem in which the blood sugars go too high. This may happen:

• When the pancreatic insulin secretion is not enough to aid the absorption of these sugars from food into the body cells. This is known as Type 1 Diabetes.
• When the pancreas fails to work, hence, the body is not capable of processing blood glucose. This is known as Type 2 Diabetes.
• Another type of diabetes has an impact on females during their pregnancies. This is known as Gestational Diabetes.

Are Dry Fruits Good For Diabetic Patients?

Dry fruits are intensely high in vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fibers. In addition, a majority of dry fruits contain a low to medium GI value. This increases the suitability of dry fruits for diabetes. Some benefits can be:

• Dry fruits are rich in fiber. They assist in lowering the necessity to consume food regularly. And, consequently lowers the risk of overconsumption and binge consumption of unwholesome food.
• Research even indicates that a small part of nuts post-lunch assists the body to retain the energy quicker and keeps a person energetic.
• Dry fruits pack various antioxidants and vitamins. Therefore, it delivers nutrients to the body that aid in working better.
• Exercise forms an integral part of diabetes management. Dry fruits offer energy to people in the morning, accordingly they feel motivated to take that added effort.

Nutritional Information of Dry Fruits for Diabetic Patients

Furthermore, nuts contain protein, a vital nutrient, and other nutrients significant for physical health. These are:

• Vitamins like vitamin E
• Minerals like magnesium and potassium
• Antioxidants
• Fiber
• Carotenoids
• Phytosterols
• Folate
• Thiamine

Hence, are nuts good for diabetics? Yet, not all dry fruits benefit diabetic people. People must avoid salted nuts as salt content might enhance the risk of complications.

Why Portion Control is Important While Having Nuts

Even if these results might appear like enough to add nuts in a “superfood” class, there’s one other thing to be familiar with. It is that nuts contain high calories. Whereas nuts are not classically related to weight gain, experts advise assessing one-ounce portion sizes rather than digging into an open bag. If a person overconsumes nuts, still there is a risk of weight gain.

Remember that how nuts are made might affect how healthy they are. Avoid nuts coated with salt as sodium is bad for sugar and blood pressure. More bad news if a person likes sweet-and-savory blends: Honey-roasted cashews and chocolate-coated peanuts contain more carbs and are a poor choice for diabetics. In its place, it’s good to have raw nuts or dry-roasted nuts. These are full of flavor and healthy ingredients.

Dry Fruits For Diabetic Patients

Below are some of the best dry fruits  for diabetic individuals:

Almonds

Is Almond good for Diabetes?

Almonds constitute a range of benefits for diabetics. A study observed that adding almonds to a diabetic diet for 12 weeks has a positive effect on blood sugar. Besides, it decreases the risk of cardiovascular ailments.

Another study explored the effect of daily almond intake over 24 weeks in type 2 diabetics. The researchers observed that adding almonds to the diet assisted in good diabetes control and reduces the risk of heart problems.

Almonds decrease the levels of LDL cholesterol in a person’s body. Almonds are known to enhance the levels of HDL cholesterol. This aids in removing LDL cholesterol from the arteries. Due to this, almonds lower the risk of heart problems and helps in lowering blood sugar level.

Read More: Are Almonds Good For Diabetes?

Raisins

Raisins are an outstanding source of antioxidants and fiber. These are considered to be an exceptional superfoods for people with diabetes. So we can consider raisins as a  great dry fruit for diabetic patients.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain rich amounts of calories. Yet, a study suggested that walnuts do not have a chief impact on body composition or body weight. Are walnuts good for diabetics? The researchers allocated diabetics either a meal containing walnuts or a low-calorie meal for 6 months. They observed that the walnut-supplemented meal was capable of improving the HDL: LDL ratio and improving the blood sugar level significantly of diabetic people.

Read More: Is Walnut Good For Diabetes?

Cashews

Cashews work great in improving the HDL: LDL cholesterol ratio and reduces the risk of cardiac problems. In a study, researchers gave type 2 diabetic people either a cashew-supplemented meal or a normal diabetic meal. It was found that people on the cashew-supplemented diet had reduced blood pressure levels and higher HDL cholesterol after 12 weeks. Also, cashews help to improve the sugar level of Diabetic patients.

Read More: Are Cashew Nuts Good For Diabetes?

Dates

Can Diabetic Patients eat Dates?  Dates are moderately energy-rich and comprise healthy quantities of fats and fiber. In a study, researchers gave a normal meal or a dates-supplemented meal to type 2 diabetic people over four weeks. They observed that the HDL: LDL cholesterol ratio was considerably improved in the group of the date than in the normal meal group. People on the dates diet experienced reduced triglyceride levels, which show improved cardiovascular health as well as helped to reduce their blood sugar levels to normal levels.

Read More: Are Dates Good For People with Diabetes?

Peanuts

Are peanuts good for diabetic Patients? Peanuts contain rich amounts of protein and fiber. Peanuts are just great for weight loss and may lower the risk of heart problems. A study explored the effects of peanuts on the meal plans of overweight women who were at risk of type 2 diabetes. It was found that including peanuts in the diet assisted in proper diabetes control and controls appetite in them. This might aid in weight management, which has a considerable effect on the risk of diabetes, so we can consider it as one of the dry fruits for diabetic patients.

Read More: Are Peanuts Good For Diabetes?

Health Benefits of Dry Fruits for Diabetic Patients

After water elimination, a majority of nutrients remain unchanged. They offer several health benefits and such benefits make dry fruit a good option for diabetics too.

Dry fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers, important for a person’s body. Antioxidants like polyphenols are present in dry fruits. These work as a natural colorant and make for better digestion, blood flow, and oxidative stress. Also, it reduces the risk of other health problems.

Heart

Are dates good for diabetes? On the heart, almonds, cashews, walnuts, or dates have soul-saving activities. Walnut contains omega-6, which avoids the issue of arrhythmia. Pistachio helps in cardiac problems due to its vitamin B6 contents. Dates help to prevent atherosclerosis of heart arteries. Cashew helps to improve heart health because of its monounsaturated fat. Almond comprises omega-3 fats and is cardioprotective.

Digestive processes

In constipation, the high fiber of dry fruits like raisins, almonds, pistachio, dates, and walnuts help manage the problem. Also, these dry fruits contain a powerful laxative effect.

Anemia

Almonds help to increase the production of RBCs. Thus, helps in treating anemia and thus Hb and anemia cure is possible.

Cholesterol

Also, walnuts, munnaka, and almonds help in decreasing the bad cholesterol in the blood. Also, they prevent dyslipidemia.

Cancer

It is suggested that moderate consumption of dry fruits helps in decreasing the chance of cancer. Almonds directly may be helpful in preventing breast cancer. Also, all the dry fruits containing antioxidants may help in preventing the risk of developing cancer. Because of the high-quality nutrients, consuming dry fruits would help in boosting a person’s immunity.

Anxiety and depression

The antioxidant content of dry fruits helps in dealing with depression and anxiety.

Others

Besides all these, dry fruits might help in delaying the aging process, avoiding hair loss, and guarding various body organs.

Top 3 Dishes Using Dry Fruits for Diabetic Patients

• Home-Made Energy Bars: These are high sources of proteins assisting a person in stabilizing their hunger pangs. People can take them in the morning or evening before work-outs to strengthen their bodies. Readymade energy bars available in the market contain extra sugars. The energy bars prepared at home are prepared to utilize natural components. Also, they can be made by including some natural honey. It is a rich source of sucrose; it can be mixed with dry fruits for a sweetening taste.
• Trail Mixes: Made from a variety of nuts and seeds, these mixes are great as mid-meals or evening snacks. Not only do they help kill the immediate hunger, but they are also great sources of proteins, that help in maintaining the muscle and bone functions and fibers.
• Dry Fruits as Desserts and Salad Dressing: Dry fruits are naturally sweet in flavor and generally do not need any added sugar content. This in turn aids diabetic people. Due to this, dry fruits are a great choice for diabetics as dressing over salads or as desserts.

A good option for overindulging, with controlled intake, dry fruits for diabetic patients are just perfect for:

• Diabetes Control
• Weight Loss

Dry fruits contain good quantities of proteins and minerals. Restricting their amounts to one portion a day may likely help keep a person healthy and hay.

FAQs:

Is it safe to have walnuts and almonds in combination?

Beginning your day with soaked walnuts and almonds is super energising. This healthy routine helps in boosting hormone health. Also, it offers energy for your exercise sessions.

Can a diabetic person consume cashews daily?

Cashews provide loads of energy and keep a person full for a long time. Hence, a person must have three to four cashew nuts daily for proper weight control.

What is the recommended number of almonds for Diabetic Patients in a day?

Almonds are tree nuts containing rich amounts of fiber, protein, niacin, calcium, vitamin E, and riboflavin. 8-10 soaked almonds or about half an ounce of almonds is a perfect daily portion for diabetic people.

Q1. What is the best time to consume dry fruits?

Preferably, the best time to have dry fruits is early morning. People should soak dry fruits in water for a night. They are just healthier options over junk food. And, people should not have dry fruits at night. People can see the real benefits of eating dry fruits in the morning.

References:

Last Updated on August 26, 2022 by Dr. Damanjit Duggal