Peach season... Which raises blood sugar less: 'Ddakbok' or 'Mulbok'?

Diabetic patients should eat fruits with low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a value that compares the area under the blood sugar rise curve after consuming 50g of glucose, using 100 as the standard. A higher glycemic index indicates a faster increase in blood sugar. Foods with a glycemic index of 70 or above are classified as high glycemic foods, those between 56 and 69 as medium glycemic foods, and 55 or below as low glycemic foods. Fruits with low glycemic index include cherries (22), grapefruit (25), pears (35.7), apples (36), pomegranates (37), kiwis (39), and grapes (48.1).

 

When it's difficult to know the exact glycemic index of the fruits in front of you, it is better to choose fruits based on their 'firmness.' The firmer the fruit, the more likely it is to have a lower glycemic index. Fruits with firm flesh have fibrous, tough, and dense tissue, which slows down digestion and absorption in the body. For example, a firm peach raises blood sugar more slowly than a soft peach, even if they have similar sweetness levels.

If you want to eat soft fruits, kiwis and grapes are recommended. A comparison between a group that ate two slices of bread and a group that ate one and a half slices of bread with one kiwi (100g) showed that the group that ate kiwis experienced a 16% smaller increase in blood sugar than the bread-only group. The rich fiber in green kiwis helped improve blood sugar levels.

Resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in grapes, reduces the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. Analyzing 1,555 diabetic patients in Korea, the group that ate grapes 2-3 times a month had a 46% lower incidence of diabetic retinopathy and a 64% lower risk of developing vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy compared to the group that ate grapes less than once a month. Resveratrol is more abundant in the grape skins than in the pulp.

To control blood sugar levels, it is better to eat fruit 30 minutes before a meal rather than as a dessert. Eating fruit immediately after a meal can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar. Consuming fruit before a meal provides fiber that promotes satiety and slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and other nutrients in the subsequent meal. It is recommended to eat fruit only once or twice a day, either in the morning or at lunch, and the appropriate amount is about half the size of a fist for an adult.