Is it possible to eat dates with diabetes

Delicious dried fruit is especially loved by people on a diet or suffering from diabetes. After all, it is a delicious and useful alternative to the empty carbohydrate, which is a white sweet powder. The sweetest of these is the date, the amazing fruit of the date palm. Some nutritionists recommend it as a substitute for sugar for diabetics and those who lose weight. But the use of dates can be dangerous for people suffering from such a disease as diabetes.

Benefits and harms of dates for diabetics

Dates can actually be beneficial. They contain:

• Vitamins B2 (riboflavin);
• B3 (niacin);
• B5 (pantothenic acid);
• Various amino acids (23 kinds);
• Copper;
• Iron;
• Magnesium;
• Zinc;
• Potassium and other minerals;
• Vitamins A and C.

It is believed that 10 dates contain a daily allowance of magnesium, copper, and sulfur. There is also dietary fiber and pectin, which have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. However, it's easy to dispute the benefits of dates, as they can be dangerous for diabetics. And here's why.

First, they contain large amounts of easily digestible carbohydrates. In 100 grams of the product carbohydrates are about 72 grams. Secondly, the fruit is caloric: depending on the variety 300-350 kcal per 100 g. These two points play into your hands if you need to stop hypoglycemia (a drop in blood sugar) or quickly restore energy. But for people with diabetes, these are very dangerous features.

Thirdly, most dried fruit presented in stores and on the market is a low-quality product, treated with paraffin or sugar syrup for glossiness and sulfur dioxide for long storage and attractive appearance. All of this does not do the body any good and, unfortunately, makes delicious dates a dangerous product.

Obviously, you can only get the maximum benefit from fresh fruit from proven suppliers who do not treat their products with harmful substances. A person suffering from such an ailment as diabetes needs to be as conscious as possible about the choice of food.

The glycemic index of a product

The glycemic index (GI) is very important for people with diabetes. This index determines the rate at which blood sugar levels rise when carbohydrates are consumed. There are 3 levels of GI:

• Low - up to 45.
• Medium - 45 to 70.
• High - 70 and higher.

People with diabetes need to follow a diet containing mostly low and medium GI foods. At that, the glycemic index of dates is 140! In the GI table, this is the highest index. Carbohydrates from dried fruit will be quickly digested and dramatically increase blood sugar levels.

What are the dangers of high GI for diabetics?
The rapid rise in blood glucose levels will not have time to produce insulin, which contributes to the retention of high sugar levels and then a sharp drop. Such fluctuations are very harmful to the blood vessels.

Glycemic load

Another important indicator to know when eating dates. It differs from the GI in that it also takes into account the amount of carbohydrates in a particular product. At the same time, a portion containing 50 grams of carbohydrates is always used to calculate the GI. The Glycemic Load (GI) also comes in 3 levels:

• Low - up to 10.
• Medium - 11 to 19.
• High - from 20 and above.

The glycemic load of dates is 80.1. This is extremely high.

GI and GH do not need to count on their own - you can find tables with these indicators on the web. You can save them, and as a cheat sheet to use at any time. There are also plenty of apps for mobile devices that make calculations easier. Anyone suffering from diabetes should understand that without carefully analyzing the diet, counting grams of carbohydrates and taking into account the glycemic index and glycemic load, it is impossible to improve the picture of the disease.

All factors considered, we cannot say that dates can be eaten as an independent meal or as a snack for diabetes. But it is not necessary to give up this product! The main thing is to introduce dates into the diet so as to neutralize their negative effects.

How to eat dates correctly in diabetes?

Here are a few rules that will allow you to get only benefits from dates:

1. Consume the dried fruit only after the main meal, which contains fiber and protein. If you eat a bowl of salad before dates, the blood sugar level will rise smoothly and insulin will have time to perform its function in time.
2. Do not combine dates with fatty foods, as this can provoke hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) for a long period of time.
3. Before eating dried fruit, be sure to soak it in warm water for at least an hour and then rinse well under running water.
4. When choosing dates, you should be guided by the absence of bright sheen, stickiness and darkening of the rind.
5. It is undesirable to eat this fruit more than 1-2 times a week.
6. It is necessary to choose the right time when you can eat dates. The body copes best with the glycemic load in the first half of the day, so dried fruit can be eaten for breakfast or lunch.

These recommendations reduce the risks of negative effects of dates on the body. People with diabetes, who have severe complications or poor compensation, it is better to exclude this product from the diet until the state of health is stabilized. Those whose disease is not burdened with complications, you can eat dates, but according to certain rules! In this matter, as elsewhere, balance and measure are important. After all, poison is not a substance, but its quantity.