The glycemic index, which is used to reflect the impact on blood sugar levels of individual foods, places orange juice between 66 and 76 on a scale of 100. This makes fruit juice a high GI drink and high GI foods and drinks are best avoided by people with diabetes under most circumstances.
Orange juice is one of the recommended sources of carbohydrate for treating low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in diabetics because it quickly increases your blood sugar levels.
Plus, orange juice has a high GI and is usually paired with other carb-rich foods, which may increase your risk of high blood sugar levels. Thus, people with diabetes should limit their intake.
In recent years, studies around 100% orange juice and blood glucose levels have demonstrated a decreased fasting glucose (in men) following consumption,19 or no effect on blood glucose or insulin.
The result: a quick spike in blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, this means taking sugary drinks — such as regular soda, sweet tea, and even juice — off the table and replacing them with low-sugar and sugar-free options, including water.
Drinking pure orange juice is acceptable, but people with diabetes should limit their intake of these beverages because fruit juice provides only the sugar from the fruit, not the fiber. Consult a registered dietitian (RD) or certified diabetes educator for a meal plan tailored to your specific needs.
No, zero sugar soda uses artificial sweeteners, which increases people's weight. Increased weight, in turn, is linked to the worsening of diabetes. Hence, zero soda is not suitable for diabetes.
Sugar-sweetened beverages
Sugary beverages are the worst drink choice for someone with diabetes. First, they're very high in carbs, with a 12-ounce (354-mL) can of cola providing 38.5 grams ( 3 ). The same amount of sweetened iced tea and lemonade each contain almost 45 grams of carbs exclusively from sugar ( 4 , 5 ).
Diabetics should avoid fruits with a high GI or eat them in moderation so that their blood sugar levels do not spike abruptly. Pineapple, watermelon, mango, lychee, and banana have a high GI, so these are the worst fruits if you are diabetic.
For most people with diabetes, fruits — including bananas — are a healthy choice. However, some people who are following low carb diets need to watch their total carbohydrate intake to stay within their daily carb allotment. This means foods higher in carbs, including bananas, have to be limited on low carb diets.
People with diabetes may need to limit the amount of flavored sweetened milk they drink. People with diabetes may choose to use milk products that are full fat or whole, reduced fat or fat free depending on their preference or their calorie and nutrition goals.
The ADA recommends no more than 4 ounces of fruit juice per day of 100% fruit juice. Alternatively, fruit juice can be a great option for treating low blood sugar quickly. To treat low blood sugar, drink 4 ounces of fruit juice, wait 15 minutes, and check your blood sugar again.
Simple carbohydrates, like those found in juice, regular (not diet) soda, and candy are quickly absorbed and can raise blood sugar within 15 minutes.
A: Drinking apple cider vinegar at bedtime can help diabetic people control their blood glucose levels. A diabetic patient should take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in warm water before sleep. It can also aid in the regulation of fasting blood sugar levels in the morning.
Studies show that drinking plenty of water helps glucose flush out of the blood. The average person should aim for eight glasses per day. Drinking plenty of water while you are indulging your sweet tooth — and throughout the day after — will help your body get back to normal.
Experts advise drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day for oxygen to flow freely in your body and help the kidneys and colon eliminate waste. What's best, it helps in flushing out excess sugar from your body.
There's a myth about chocolate and diabetes. But you can eat chocolate, just in moderation and not too often. Try not to eat a lot in one go as it affects your blood sugar levels. If you snack on chocolate regularly it may start to increase your cholesterol levels and make it more difficult to manage your weight.
In case you didn't get the memo: Yes, those of us with diabetes CAN eat ice cream. Even though some outside the diabetes community don't think so, and they try to convince us we can't or shouldn't, the fact remains that an ice cream sundae or vanilla waffle cone every once in a while isn't going to kill us.
Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated and decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, however, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with higher or lower blood sugar levels.
The American Diabetes Association has listed citrus fruits among Diabetes super foods. According to the Association, citrus fruits like tangerines, oranges and grapefruits are full of fiber, vitamin C, folate and potassium, which help benefit a healthy diabetic eating plan.
Grapes are adored, nourishing fruits and are safe for diabetics. People can eat them and add them to their diabetic diets as they do not harm or spike glucose levels. Consuming grapes help to reduce the susceptibility to developing type 2 diabetes.
Apples are an excellent fruit to include in your diet if you have diabetes. Most dietary guidelines for people living with diabetes recommend a diet that includes fruits and vegetables (21). Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.