Kiwi is commonly known as a nutritious fruit, and diabetic people should consume it and add it to their diet plan. However, it's essential to understand how is Kiwi good for diabetes. Let us see the benefits of this superfood that makes it so diabetic-friendly.
Are Fruits In General Safe For People With Diabetes?
We all know that fruits are delicious snacks to satisfy midday hunger pangs in a guilt-free way. But can everyone eat as much fruit as they want? Are fruits safe for people with diabetes?
Fortunately, as per the American Diabetes Association, diabetics can also eat fruits. However, they need to keep their allergies in consideration. Additionally, people with diabetes are advised to eat fruits with low GI or glycemic index to control their blood sugar levels and manage their diabetes.
Nutritional Benefits Of Kiwi For Diabetics:
Kiwi for diabetes is a superfood attributable to its minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. It is further rich in vitamin K, C, and E.
Kiwi has approximately 100 grams of Kiwi contains only six grams of sugar. It's surprising how this low-calorie, fibre-rich fruit can provide several vital nutrients.
Furthermore, Kiwi has high manganese, magnesium, potassium, copper, folate, zinc, and iron.
Health Benefits Of Kiwi Fruit For Diabetes:
Is Kiwi fruit good for diabetes? Yes. Let us see how exactly it is beneficial for people with diabetes:
1. Extremely Rich in Vitamin C
Kiwi is one of the good sources of vitamin C among all other vegetables and fruits. It is believed that foods rich in vitamin C help to increase immunity. High Blood pressure is an accompanying problem that mostly comes with diabetes. Studies show that Vitamin C helps in lowering blood pressure and ensures a healthy heart.
2. High Amount of Dietary Fibre
People with diabetes are generally troubled with gut-related issues like indigestion or constipation. Kiwi is a fibre-rich fruit, beneficial for digestive health. It contains both insoluble as well as soluble fibre. Both contribute to improved bowel habits and stimulate the growth of gut-friendly bacteria in the system.
3. Aids Weight Loss
People with diabetes are generally advised to manage weight to check their sugar levels. Kiwi is beneficial for weight management as it's extremely fibrous and has a low-calorie count. The nutritional content of Kiwi makes it an essential catalyst in the price of metabolising fats, hence fostering fat loss.
4. Promotes a Healthy Heart
Kiwi's high amount of soluble fibre and the abundance of antioxidants promote balanced heart health. These two factors contribute to lowering harmful cholesterol levels and regulating good cholesterol levels. The high levels of Vitamin C aid in managing cholesterol levels and controlling blood pressure.
5. Natural Source of Minerals and Folate
Folate is an essential nutrient for our cellular development and growth. It is also vital for the formation and repair of red blood cells or the RBCs, which is responsible for transporting iron, oxygen, and other vital minerals.
6. Improves Skin Health
Diabetes, if unmanaged, leads to a lot of skin-related issues. If one has diabetes, they can have very sensitive and damaged or infection-prone skin. Kiwi is associated with improved collagen levels in the body. Collagen is vital to skin nutrition.
It aids in maintaining the structure of our skin and strengthening our bones. High levels of vitamin C found in the Kiwi lead to a strong synthesis of collagen and other nutrients beneficial for the skin.
7. Lowers the Rate of Sugar Absorption
Kiwi has a low GI, and eating Kiwi can significantly slow down the absorption of sugars in your bloodstream. This is attributable to the high fibre in Kiwi. The fibre found in Kiwi holds very high levels of water.
When eaten, this fibre absorbs water and thickens to form a gel. As other foods digest, it breaks down into sugar, which moves slower through the fibre gel. Consequently, the sugar enters the bloodstream very slowly. This way, eating Kiwi helps in better management of sugar levels.
How To Consume Kiwi Fruit?
Kiwi is very versatile. It is super simple to add it to your diabetes management diet plan. Here are some ways to add this fruit to your diabetes diet.
- They can be added to fruit-based smoothies to give them a tangy twist.
- Toss it into your summer salad and make it refreshing.
- Dice or chop it to add to your quinoa salads. They work as a wonderful alternative to tomatoes.
- They can also be added to breakfast oatmeal.
- Cut or chop Kiwis and serve them other tropical fruits as fruit salad.
- You can also add them to sides and salsas.
The Bottom Line
It doesn't remain contested that Kiwis are no less than a superfood for people with diabetes. It is safe, aids weight management, and assists in blood sugar regulation. Its low sugar content, high nutritional value, and high fibre levels make Kiwi good for diabetes. However, one should always remain cautious of over-consumption.
References
- David P. Richardson, Juliet Ansell, February 2018; The nutritional and health attributes of kiwifruit: a review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267416/#:~:text=Kiwifruit%20are%20exceptionally%20high%20in,act%20to%20provide%20functional%20and
- Big Doses of Vitamin C May Lower Blood Pressure - https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/big_doses_of_vitamin_c_may_lower_blood_pressure
