“People with diabetes often hear that fruits aren’t good for them because of their sugar. But it’s important to remember that fruits have natural sugars and are also full of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These things are good for your health and can help prevent other illnesses,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, author of the 2 Day Diabetes Diet.
A surprising finding from a 2021 study with 23 research papers, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, showed that eating a lot of fruit can actually lower your chance of getting diabetes by 7%, compared to eating a little.
- Avocado
Even though people are not as focused on low-fat diets as before, if you have diabetes, you should still watch your fat intake. Having diabetes makes you twice as likely to get heart disease, according to the CDC.
But not all fats are bad. Avocados, for instance, are often avoided by diabetics because of their fat. Palinski-Wade explains, “Avocados are really good for you. They’re different from other fruits because they have no natural sugar in them and don’t raise your blood sugar levels.”
- Banana
Bananas are often seen as not good for diabetics. But that’s not the whole story. “Green bananas that aren’t ripe yet are high in resistant starch, a type of fiber that helps lower blood sugar and fight insulin resistance,” Palinski-Wade notes. A 2023 study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that certain kinds of resistant starch are really good for controlling blood sugar and insulin, but more studies are needed.
Even ripe yellow bananas are beneficial. “A ripe banana has more sugar and can raise blood sugar levels more, but it still has fiber that’s good for your digestive health and helps control hunger,” she adds.
