Is kiwi good or bad for diabetes?

Does kiwi have a lot of sugar? Can people with diabetes eat kiwis?

Do kiwis have a lot of sugar?

Kiwis are fruits that have a low or normal sugar content (9-14%), depending on the variety. What stands out most nutritionally of the kiwis is its high content of vitamin C (more than lemon), potassium, folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin K.

It is therefore an essentially moisturizing, antioxidant and healthy fruit. Despite its benefits, there are many myths about the consumption of kiwi:

– Is it true that it has a lot of sugar?

– Is it bad to abuse?

– Can I eat in case of diabetes?

– How much kiwi is suitable to eat?

kiwis

Photo of kiwis

Is it true that the kiwi has a lot of sugar?

A large kiwi (100 – 150 g., Approximately, without skin) contains between 9 and 21 g of natural sugars, an amount that can vary depending on the variety and the ripening time of the fruit. To make a comparison, blueberries (which are one of the fruits with less carbohydrates) have 4g of sugar per 100g, and a large piece of apples or oranges (about 150-200g) have between 15 and 18gr of sugar.

Therefore, kiwis have a “standard” sugar content, similar to that of most fruits. It is not one of the fruits with less sugar, but neither one of the ones that have more.

Is it bad to eat many kiwis?

It is not harmful to eat a lot of kiwi. It is a healthy food that nourishes and moisturizes, and also provides numerous benefits. Its components help improve circulation, lower cholesterol, and prevent constipation.

Can you eat kiwi in case of diabetes?

Kiwi is a moisturizing and antioxidant food, very beneficial for people with diabetes. There are many myths about fruits and diabetes. Certainly, people with diabetes should control the amount of carbohydrates they eat, but that does not mean they can not eat kiwi.

Of course: kiwi is only healthy for diabetes if consumed in adequate rations, without sweetening, without beating or crushing (no juices or juices) and, obviously, when accompanied by a healthy diet for diabetes.

How much kiwi is suitable to eat? What is a kiwi serving for diabetes?

A proper serving of kiwi would be one or two pieces. A generous serving of kiwi has about 30 grams of sugar, the same as an apple.

How to prevent that eating too much kiwi could raise your sugar in blood?

There is no problem in a person with diabetes eating two or three kiwis from time to time.

In these cases, if you want to eat more fruit, it is recommended to combine it with foods that lower your blood glucose, such as a natural yogurt (unsweetened), pure cocoa (more than 85% cocoa) or with some nuts. Fats increase the time of gastric emptying and decrease the glycemic index of the kiwi (the time with which your sugar is absorbed in the intestine).

This advice also serves for all other fruits, when you have to consume more than normal. And always controlling not to exceed the calories of people with obesity.

Kiwi sugar: Does it rise blood glucose a lot?

People with diabetes should take into account the rest of the diet when counting carbohydrates from food. For example, if you have consumed bread, flour or other food with easy carbohydrates or quick to absorb, it is more cautious to wait a while before eating kiwi.

  • The consumption of foods with added sugars or with much flour in case of diabetes is not recommended.

  • It is better to eat kiwi for dessert than other sugary products, such as an industrial fruit yogurt.

  • It is not recommended to combine kiwi with foods that contain fast-absorbing carbohydrates, such as cookies, flours, bread, smoothies, sugary yogurts, jams, honey, or any product with sugars or flours.

Benefits of kiwi for diabetes

Many people believe that people with diabetes should not eat kiwi, but it is a false myth. While it is true that in the diet for diabetes should moderate the consumption of sugars, the kiwi is a fruit that diabetics tolerate well, provided it is consumed whole, without added sugar, and in moderate amounts.

The most worrisome for diabetes, as for children and healthy people, is the worrying increase in the consumption of junk food, which includes all kinds of ultraprocessed products: cookies, pastries, snacks, jams, chocolates, etc. Many of them, products with high glycemic index and high glycemic load.

Summarizing the benefits of kiwi for diabetes, we have to say:

  • Kiwi hydrates

  • kiwi satisfies the appetite and prevents other harmful foods from being swallowed, such as snacks and fructose products, flours or bad fats

  • Kiwi provides few calories

  • kiwi is rich in fiber and antioxidants

punto rojo More information on kiwi.

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

22 April, 2019

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