Which Dried Fruits Are Good for People With Diabetes?

Which Dry Fruits Are Good for Diabetes?

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

1. They are some of the topmost sources of potassium across diets in the world. 
2. They are also rich sources of minerals like calcium and iron, and Vitamin A and B.
3. Depending upon the type of fruit, one serving of dried fruits provides over 9% of the daily fiber content.
4. 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.