Pineapple and Diabetes - Is It Good For Diabetics
Introduction
Despite popular belief, there are many fruits with low glycemic index values and carbohydrate content that have been shown in studies to have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels. Today we’ll discuss whether pineapple falls in that fruit category and how people with diabetes can add it to their diet.
Glycemic Index and Carbohydrates
Pineapple contains a moderate amount of carbohydrates, providing 13.12g of carbs per 100g, of which 11.72g or 89% are net carbs, and 1.4g or 11% is dietary fiber.
One average serving of pineapple is considered one cup weighing 165g. This average serving of pineapple contains 21.6g of carbohydrates or 19.3g of net carbs.
To avoid blood glucose levels spiking, in case you add pineapple to a meal, you may need to skip other high-carb foods to get the right amount of carbs.
According to the International Tables of Glycemic Index Values, the glycemic index of raw pineapple from Malaysia is calculated at 82 (1). This is a high glycemic index value.
However, pineapple pieces canned in natural juice from Australia have a low glycemic index value, falling in the range of 43 to 55 (1).
You can visit our Glycemic index chart page for glycemic index values of over 600 foods.
Type 2 Diabetes
Pineapples are high in antioxidants, known as flavonoids and phenolic compounds. One study shows that the antioxidants in pineapple may protect against cell damage, which is frequently associated with chronic inflammation processes, such as in diabetes (2).
But despite these benefits, pineapple may eventually raise your blood glucose due to its GI value and carb content.
Summary
In summary, people with diabetes should watch their portion sizes when eating pineapple as it has a high carbohydrate content of 21.6g per serving size and a high glycemic index value of 82. However, canned pineapple has a lower glycemic index.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522004944
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8393595/
