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12 Low Glycemic Index Fruits For Diabetics

glycemic indexDiabetes is a condition that impairs the body’s ability to process blood glucose, also called blood sugar. Blood glucose, which is sugar concentration, is our main source of energy and comes from the food we eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into our cells to be used for energy. Absence or insufficient production of insulin, or an inability of the body to properly use insulin causes diabetes. The glycemic index (GI) tells us how quickly foods containing carbohydrates affect our blood sugar level when eaten

  • Low GI foods: 55 or below
  • Moderate GI foods: 56 to 69
  • High GI foods: 70 and above

Fruits With Low Glycemic Index 

The lower the GI score, the more slowly the rise in blood sugar, which can help the body manage post-meal changes better. Most whole fruits have low to moderate GI levels. Many fruits are also packed with antioxidants, micronutrients and fiber as well. Here are a few low GI fruits which diabetics can have without worrying about the sudden rise in blood sugar levels post consumption:

  1. Cherries: are high in potassium and packed with antioxidants, which will give your immune system a boost. Because cherries are not available fresh all round the year, they can be processed before storing them for a long time. Cherries contain anthocyanins that give the cherries its colour, also boost cells insulin production by 50%.
  2. Pears: are a good source of fiber and provide 20% of our daily recommended fiber intake. Pears can be enjoyed as fresh fruit or gently baked. More interesting is they can also be included in salads for a good twist.
  3. Oranges: are good sources of Vitamin C, folate and potassium. There is also plenty of healthy fiber in an orange which takes longest to break down and digest. This enables slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, which would further ensure that your blood glucose levels are stable for a long period of time
  4. Strawberries: Strawberries are a good source of Vitamin C, they help in improving immunity, fight against certain types of cancer and improve metabolism, promoting weight loss. Strawberries give you more Vitamin C than an orange when taken in the same quantity. They also have a low glycemic index, hence, it is slowly released in the bloodstream as glucose.
  5. Grapefruits: are citrus-based fruits with a glycemic index of 25. They are packed with a range of vitamins and minerals. They have a bitter to sour taste and can be taken as whole fruit or made into juice. Grape fruit is a very good source of Vitamin A and C. It helps improve immunity and helps maintain healthy functioning of the heart and is good for digestion. 
  6. Guava: is a very healthy food choice for diabetics, as it can easily be included in snacks without the fear of sudden raise in blood sugar levels. It is a very good source of fiber which helps relieve constipation, which is a common complaint of many diabetics. Having this fruit regularly can easily lower the chance of developing Type II Diabetes.
  7. Watermelon: is a good source of Potassium. Foods high in potassium improves functioning of vital organs like the heart and kidney. People with diabetes easily observe that their uric acid levels are higher. This can be prevented by including watermelon in their diet which improves kidney functioning and reduces uric acid levels and further damage of the kidneys. Water melons are also a good source of lycopene which prevents nerve damage which is a common complaint of people with diabetes.
  8. Papaya: is a great fruit choice for diabetics as it is available round the year and can be incorporated in the diet very easily. Papayas have a host of nutrients and antioxidants, which when consumed, reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, lowers BP and also aids good digestion. Papaya is also a good source of fiber and helps lower blood glucose levels and manage diabetes.
  9. Grapes: are a good choice of fruit for diabetes as it helps reduce blood sugar levels easily. They come in many colours and varieties, you can have them easily between meals as snacks and can be included in many dishes for its tangy taste. Grapes are a rich source of a phytochemical called Resveratrol which keeps a check on how the body secretes and uses insulin in response to blood glucose levels.
  10. Avocado: Adding a serving of avocado to your diet may help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, and increase insulin sensitivity. Avocados are low in carbohydrates, which mean they have little effect on blood sugar levels. One half of a small avocado contains about 5.9 grams of carbohydrate and 4.6 grams of fiber. They are also packed with healthy fats which give you a feeling of fullness for a longer time, thereby supporting weight loss and increasing insulin sensitivity. 
  11. Kiwi: Many researchers have proved that including Kiwi in your diet helps lower blood sugar levels. Kiwis are loaded with Vitamin A, C, E and fiber which makes it a good choice of fruits for diabetics. Kiwi also helps relieve insomnia which many people with diabetes complain due to long term diabetes and anxiety. 
  12. Black Jamun: This fruit has a bitter taste and is one of the best fruits for people suffering from diabetes. It not only controls your blood sugar level but also enhances the insulin activity and sensitivity. This fruit can be included in the form of juice or powder as well, which is equally beneficial in managing blood sugar levels.

No matter which fruit one includes, portion control is important. While it can vary depending on the size and type of the fruit, in general, one portion of fruit which is one piece of whole fruit or 1/2 cup of sliced fruit contains around 15 grams of carbohydrates, which is considered as one carbohydrate serving. 

We hope this article on Low Glycemic Index Fruits for Diabetics helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on Diabetes, check out our other articles on Healthy Reads. To help you manage Diabetes and get expert advice on nutrition, exercise, sleep and well being – all aimed at reducing your HbA1C Levels, subscribe for the GOQii Diabetes Care Program here.

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Are Synthetic Vitamins Good for Health?

vitamins-m4r

Before we explain how good or bad these vitamins may be for your body, let us first what exactly is meant by the term synthetic vitamins. These are basically man made vitamins manufactured in laboratories. Synthetic vitamins form an essential part of the multi-vitamin pills as well as certain processed foods.

Now the question is that why does our body require these artificially prepared vitamins and do these actually add value to our diet or are these rather harmful?

Why should we have Synthetic Vitamins?

Our body requires various essential vitamins in order to stay healthy and work efficiently and our daily diet isn’t loaded with enough of these. Not only our food habits but, the quality of food itself is deteriorating with time. The nutritional value of the food is almost lost because of the intense use of pesticides and insecticides and during the food processing and refining process. So even if you go for fruits and vegetables rich in different vitamins your body may still not get the required amount. Medical practitioners across the globe thus recommend vitamin supplements. Synthetic vitamins are also added to processed foods to boost their nutritional value.

Are Synthetic Vitamins good for health?

Even as researchers and medical professionals promote the consumption of synthetic vitamins there are theories that advice against these. Certain studies show that synthetic vitamins do not contain as much nutritional value as the vitamins present in natural foods. Synthetic vitamins are not as absorbable and bioavailable. It has even been said that instead of doing any good to our body these may rather prove to be harmful. These may particularly have a negative effect on our kidneys.

While others argue that these artificially prepared vitamins are better than the natural ones. However, it is largely believed that while it is best to get your vitamin dose from natural foods you may go for synthetic vitamins but with caution. It is suggested to go for multivitamins that are prepared with whole food sources such as basil, spinach, carrots and other natural herbs and plants. You should refrain from having vitamin supplements that are prefixed with dl or end with –acid, -ate and –ide.

Studies also reveal that while certain vitamins are better when consumed in their natural form others are better off if had in their synthetic form. For instance, it is better to have Vitamin B12 and B9 in their synthetic form as our body can absorb and digest these more easily as compared to Vitamin B present in food. This especially holds good for older people and pregnant ladies. On the other hand Vitamin K and E are better had in their natural forms.

However, having said that, the fact remains that both the forms of vitamins help in treating and preventing various deficiencies.We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Have You Tried The Raw Detox Diet? Try It Now!

raw detox dietI’ve always wondered what a raw detox diet is and how does one eat raw vegetables. Then, I found that a raw food detox diet is the dietary practice of eating only uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods. It can include raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts, organic milk and organic milk yogurt. In India, most may not be comfortable with a long-term raw diet. However, including raw food in your diet as often as you can, definitely helps in detoxifying the system.

What is Detoxification?

It’s a way to recharge, rejuvenate, and renew your body. Detoxification can help you jump-start your body for a more active and healthier life. In our body, there is an ongoing process to remove the toxins which have been formed by the food we eat and also through the environment we are exposed to. Our body system is naturally designed to transform the toxins and excrete them out of the body. In order for this to happen naturally, our body should get a break from the regular exposure to processed foods, heavy diets, and environmental pollution.

Raw food is low in calories but contain good amounts of nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It also has high fiber content which eliminates toxins by managing bowel movement. The unhealthy diet has been the leading cause of headaches, fatigue, lack of concentration, feeling bloated, indigestion, bad breath, etc.

Including a raw diet will surely make you feel more fresh and energetic.

Remember to drink plenty of water when you are on a raw diet. It is the best detox food that you can have. Raw diet helps maintain your weight as well, it also saves your cooking time.

What Does a Raw Detox Diet Include? 

  1. Sprouts Salad: Sprouts provide good nutritious value and are easily digestible. They increase the vitamin and mineral content of the grain and decrease the carbohydrate and calorie content. Basically, any whole legume or grains can be sprouted. Some sprouts have a change in flavor after sprouting.
  1. Avocado Salad: Avocado is a complete food with lots of nutrients. It is a very versatile fruit as it takes on both, sweet and savory taste, perfectly. It’s got a buttery texture and hence, can be used as a healthy substitute for butter with bread. This salad is very refreshing as an evening snack or as a side with roti. For those people under diet, this makes for a wonderful meal by itself.
  1. Beetroot Pomegranate Juice: Pomegranates and beetroots, both contain good amounts of antioxidants and nutrients and are also rich in Vitamin C. This colorful root vegetable contains powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. Beetroot is well known for its blood purifying properties. Due to the rich iron content, it is said to be an indispensable cure for anemia.
  1. Tricolour Fruit Salad (Orange/ Papaya + Kiwi/ Dragon Fruit/ Berries/Tomato’s + Cucumber/Litchi/ Honeydew): These fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and loaded with vitamins, minerals and water. It will help you to feel fresh and prevent any deficiencies of the same.
  1. Cranberry Curds Salad: The possible health benefits of consuming cranberries include lowered risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
  1. Tender Coconut Smoothie: Tender coconut water is a natural, nutrient-rich isotonic drink. It is high in electrolytes, chlorides, potassium, and magnesium and has a moderate amount of sugar, sodium and protein. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber, manganese, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin C.
  1. Cucumber Juice: Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress. Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber
  1. Fresh Tomato Salads: As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant called Lycopene, Vitamin C, and other antioxidants, tomatoes can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.
  1. Fresh Fig Salads: Figs are high in natural sugars, minerals, and soluble fiber. They are rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper and are a good source of antioxidant Vitamins A, E and K that contribute to health and wellness.

If you have never tried a raw food detox diet, now is the time. Give it a go and do let us know how it helps you! Before you begin any diet plan or try any of the above, do check with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian in case you have any allergies. For more tips, guidance and queries on nutrition, speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Dark Chocolate: A Delicious Path to Better Health

Who does not love chocolates? Everybody does but, chocolate and especially (75% and above) dark only a few of them. One needs to cultivate a taste for it. And, believe me, once you have developed that eating dark chocolate can be super beneficial.

How? Well, let me take you through the benefits ….

(1) Dark Chocolate Cuts Stroke, Heart Disease Risk

I recently read an article in an English Tabloid that said mentioned that dark chocolate is good for the heart.. Quoting from the article, according to one of the researchers Simin Liu, “The analysis found that Cocoa flavanol intake may reduce dyslipidemia insulin resistance and systematic inflammation, which are all major subclinical risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases”.

As per another new study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, eating flavanol-rich dark chocolate has been found to protect against the risk of heart disease and stroke by improving platelet function within two hours of consumption.

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health examined the effects of consumption of dark chocolate that was enriched with cocoa extract in the blood of 42 healthy volunteers, 26 women and 16 men. They compared platelet function of the participants who ate enriched dark chocolate with those who ate dark chocolate that contained a lower cocoa and flavanol content, and white chocolate.They found the dark chocolate enriched with flavan-3-ols significantly decreased platelet activation and aggregation in men, but only decreased platelet aggregation in women.

“Taken together, these findings support the notion that flavanol-rich foods, including cocoa products, may help to promote cardiovascular health,” Dr.Kelm said.

(2) Dark Chocolate helps in increasing endothelial function of SMOKERS…

The researchers studied smokers because their blood vessels tend to respond poorly to changes in blood flow, possibly related to impairments in how nitric oxide sends signals to the inner lining, the endothelium, of blood vessels. This impaired endothelial function is a marker for increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

A dozen smokers (six men and six women) in their early 30s, who did not have any known health problems, were enrolled in the double-blind crossover study to compare the effects of a cocoa drink rich in flavanols to a cocoa drink that tasted the same but contained very low levels of flavanols. Circulating nitric oxide levels and blood vessel responses (flow-mediated dilation) were measured before drinking the cocoa and again two hours later. Each participant drank flavanol-rich and flavanol-poor cocoa drinks during different testing sessions.There were significant increases in circulating nitric oxide and flow-mediated dilation after ingestion of drinks. These changes correlated with increases in flavanol metabolites. In addition, the improvements were reversed when the participants were given a drug (L-NMMA) that interferes with nitric oxide signalling, thus supporting the idea that the flavanol-rich cocoa drink produced its effects by influencing the nitric oxide system.

The researchers pointed out that the cocoa drink they used was specially processed to retain much higher levels of flavanols than are typically found in commercially-available cocoa drinks; so it is unlikely that drinking more hot chocolate would produce a similar effect. Nevertheless, the conclusion drawn from these results have to be interpreted with caution, because it is not known whether or not the chronic consumption of flavanol-rich foods leads to sustained increases in endothelial function and the prevention of future cardiovascular events. In particular, in smokers, it is unlikely that cocoa can completely attenuate the deleterious effects of continued smoking, the study says.

(3) Dark Chocolate helps in preventing the development of Atherosclerosis

A flavanol-rich drink is capable of increasing nitric oxide levels in the blood and reversing the detrimental effect of smoking on vascular adaptation. It remains to be seen whether the acute beneficial effect of a flavanol-rich drink translates into a long-term benefit, in terms of attenuating or preventing the development of atherosclerosis.

(4) Dark Chocolate helps in improved thinking, decreased appetite, obesity, as well as type-2 diabetes.

Cocoa, the basic ingredient of chocolate, is one of the most flavanol-rich foods around. That’s good for chocolate lovers because previous research has shown that flavanols in other foods such as grapes and tea can help fight weight gain and type-2 diabetes. But, not all flavanols, which are a type of antioxidant, are created equal. Cocoa has several different kinds of these compounds. Researchers found that adding one particular set of compounds, known as oligomeric procyanidins (PCs), to the food made the biggest difference in keeping the weight down if on high-fat diets. They also improved glucose tolerance, which could potentially help prevent type-2 diabetes. Oligomeric PCs appear to possess the greatest antiobesity and antidiabetic bioactivities of the flavanols in cocoa, particularly at the low doses.

5.Dark Chocolate helps in Lowering blood pressure

In particular dark chocolate which contains higher levels of flavanols than milk chocolate, may protect against the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure, blood flow, and improving blood lipid levels. The link between cocoa and blood pressure stems from the discovery that the indigenous people of San Blas Island in Central American, who drink flavanol-rich cocoa drinks every day, have normal blood pressure regardless of age. However, flavanol concentrations in cocoa and chocolate products vary according to cocoa processing procedures and types of chocolate, so it is difficult to establish the optimal dosage for an effect.

Satisfy your sweet cravings guilt-free with dark chocolate, a delectable treat packed with health-boosting properties. From enhancing cardiovascular health to supporting weight management and improving endothelial function, dark chocolate offers a myriad of benefits. Embrace the power of dark chocolate and indulge in its delicious goodness for a healthier, happier you!

So go ahead and be a Chocoholic!!!! For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]