Dragon fruit, additionally known as pitaya, is a vibrant tropical fruit with inexperienced scales that may are available in numerous shapes and hues. While usually pink on the skin, the insides could vary from white to crimson, pink, or purple.
The yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest and hardest to seek out of those varieties. The crunchy texture and candy style of dragon fruit make it an ideal addition to smoothies or acai bowls.
Dragon fruit is a nutritious snack for these with diabetes. The pure sugars are curbed from inflicting any hurt by the fibre in dragon fruit that slows down their absorption into the bloodstream.
But are dragon fruits actually protected for folks with diabetes? Let’s discover out.
Nutritional Profile of Dragon fruit
Most fruits profit you in a method or one other, and so does dragon fruit. The finest a part of this tropical fruit is that it gives important vitamins whereas being low in energy.
A research reveals that dragon fruit flesh (pulp) is wealthy in phenolic compounds with excessive antioxidant capability. It can also be a wealthy supply of bioactive phytochemicals that may present good well being results.
According to USDA, 100 grams of dragon fruit incorporates the next vitamins:
- Calories: 57 energy
- Protein: 0.36 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.2 g
- Fat: 0.14 g
- Fibre: 3.1 g
- Total sugars: 9.75 g
- Calcium: 9 mg
- Potassium: 116 mg
- Choline: 5.1 mg
- Beta carotene: 14 mcg
- Lutein + zeaxanthin: 44 mcg
- Folate: 7 mcg
Branded and Packaged Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, which is available in numerous branded varieties, will be present in frozen chunks, fruit chips, sorbet, fruit blends, and flavoured power drinks.
However, these have various sugar ranges and energy, so folks with diabetes ought to be aware and choose for contemporary, complete fruits. Moreover, the processing and preservation may additionally alter the glycemic index rating of the dragon fruit.
According to USDA, 100 grams of a branded dragon fruit snack with sulphur dioxide as a preservative incorporates solely the next vitamins.
- Calories: 264 energy
- Protein: 3.57 g
- Carbohydrates: 82.1 g
- Fibre: 1.8 g
- Total sugars: 82.1 g
- Calcium: 107 mg
- Sodium: 39 mg
- Vitamin C: 6.4 mg
You could examine this date with the dietary profile of the entire fruit to grasp the distinction higher.
The HealthifyMe Note
Fresh, complete dragon fruit is far more healthy than branded snack varieties. In its pure type, dragon fruit incorporates solely 57 energy and 9.75 g of sugar per 100 g. However, the identical sweetened, processed dragon fruit snacks comprise 264 energy and 82.1 g of sugar. Therefore, folks with diabetes ought to all the time purchase complete dragon fruits to stop blood sugar spikes.
Glycemic Index of Dragon fruit
The glycemic index (GI) denotes how a portion of meals containing carbohydrates impacts your blood sugar degree post-consumption. Foods with a low to reasonable GI take longer to get absorbed and digested.
Therefore, changing carbohydrates to glucose takes an extended time. As a consequence, it helps scale back or forestall any dramatic affect on blood sugar ranges.
The GI scores are rated as follows:
- Low GI: 55 or decrease
- Medium: 56 – 69
- High: 70 and above
Dragon fruit has not but been assigned a precise GI, however it usually ranges from 48-52, making it a low GI fruit. So, consuming dragon fruit carefully won’t trigger on the spot or unhealthy spikes. Instead, the blood sugar ranges will rise slowly. It is a necessary profit for many individuals coping with diabetes.
Is Dragon Fruit Good for Diabetics?
Glucose Lowering Effect
A research says the betacyanin and antioxidant exercise of dragon fruit have a glucose-lowering impact. In addition, there was a extra important blood glucose discount with a better dose of dragon fruit extract.
However, these results have been more practical in prediabetes. Therefore, there’s a want for additional evaluation to grasp how useful dragon fruit is for kind 2 diabetes.
Antioxidants
Research additionally reveals that the extracts from stems, flowers, peels, and pulps of dragon fruit have a variety of highly effective pure antioxidants and prebiotic potential. It may also help handle diabetes, weight problems, hyperlipidaemia, and most cancers.
Fibre Content
The fibre in dragon fruit makes it a wonderful mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack for diabetes.
Studies present {that a} meal plan with the correct quantity of fibre may also help decrease kind 2 diabetes danger. It is as a result of fibre slows down sugar or carb absorption to maintain blood sugar ranges regular.
Sugar Content
One serving of dragon fruit gives about 8-9 grams of sugar. It is lower than many different tropical fruits. Besides, a low GI rating of 48-52 is good for a diabetes administration weight loss program.
The above advantages make dragon fruit a low-calorie and nutrient-dense fruit for diabetes. However, solely dragon fruit juices are available in most international locations.
Sometimes these drinks could not even comprise the precise dragon fruit extract. Instead, they’ve added sugar and flavourings. Therefore, it’s not appropriate for diabetes and may spike blood sugar.
The HealthifyMe Note
The low GI between 48-52, excessive fibre, and low sugar content material make dragon fruit good for diabetes. However, dragon fruit juice has a excessive sugar quantity. Therefore, it doesn’t have the identical anti-diabetic advantages as consuming complete dragon fruit.
Dragon Fruit Benefits for Diabetic Patients
One of dragon fruit’s potential advantages for diabetes is the excessive vitamin C. It is important for a sturdy immune system. Since folks with diabetes usually face compromised immune methods, having vitamin C-rich fruit is an efficient selection. In addition, the antioxidants beta-carotene and lycopene help eye well being and combat irritation.
Dragon fruit can also be supply of prebiotic fibre. In addition, it helps the expansion of fine intestine micro organism and prevents digestive misery. A wholesome intestine microbiome may also help handle blood sugar ranges.
According to the American Diabetes Association, having a small piece of complete fruit, resembling dragon fruit, is a wonderful complement to the meal.
The day by day suggestion for dragon fruit serving is round one cup. However, every individual reveals a singular blood glucose response. Therefore, you’ll be able to speak to a HealthifyMe nutritionist to grasp how a lot dragon fruit is suitable for eating.
Conclusion
Your meals will have an effect on your blood sugar degree, and so will dragon fruit. However, dragon fruit won’t trigger a speedy sugar spike attributable to its low GI rating and excessive fibre content material. Dragon fruit’s fibre retains your blood sugar ranges regular. Besides that, it’s naturally a low-calorie fruit.
Readily obtainable and packaged dragon fruits are broadly obtainable. Their availability is greater than the precise fruit. However, contemporary fruit is healthier for blood sugar management than packaged ones.
While dragon fruit is a helpful diabetes-friendly fruit choice, it’s best to nonetheless eat it carefully. Talk to a nutritionist at HealthifyMe to know in regards to the wholesome portion measurement for you.,
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Does dragon fruit elevate blood sugar?
A. Eating one medium-sized dragon fruit or a cup of dragon fruit won’t elevate blood sugar ranges. This fruit additionally has a low GI rating. Furthermore, it’s best to eat dragon fruit as a snack. Even so, folks with diabetes can not overeat it. Talk to your physician to discover a serving measurement appropriate for your wants and situation.
Q. Can dragon fruit be eaten day by day?
A. Dragon fruit is low in energy and GI rating, making it an ideal on a regular basis snack. However, eat it as soon as per day and less than that. Either eat dragon fruit within the mid-morning or as a night snack. Having mentioned that, it’s all the time higher to decide on completely different diabetic-friendly fruits than persist with just one choice each day.
Q. Does dragon fruit comprise sugar?
A. Every fruit incorporates some quantity of pure sugar. According to the USDA, 100 grams of dragon fruit incorporates 9.75 grams of whole sugar. One complete dragon fruit incorporates 7.31 g of sugar, and one cup has the best, about 17.6 g. Nonetheless, dragon fruit has a low GI. Therefore, its sugar doesn’t considerably affect blood sugar once you eat dragon fruit carefully.
Q. Is dragon fruit excessive in uric acid?
A. No, dragon fruit just isn’t excessive in uric acid. Instead, dragon fruit may also help scale back the speed of uric acid within the blood. In addition, it’s an anti-inflammatory fruit that stops the unintended effects of an excessive amount of uric acid. Hence, folks with gout and arthritis eat dragon fruit to scale back the signs like joint irritation and irritation.
Q. What ailments can dragon fruit remedy?
A. No single meals can remedy a illness. However, some fruits may also help forestall, handle, and scale back illness danger. For instance, antioxidants and vitamin C can deal with sunburn, dry pores and skin and zits. It may also assist decrease blood sugar ranges in diabetic sufferers. Dragon fruit additionally boosts immunity and bone well being. Furthermore, it helps to stop eye issues resembling cataracts and macular degeneration.
Q. Is dragon fruit good for the liver?
A. Some animal research counsel that dragon fruit could enhance liver well being. However, there aren’t any concrete human scientific research to show the identical. Still, you’ll be able to drink unsweetened dragon fruit extract in the event you endure from fatty liver.
Q. Who ought to keep away from consuming dragon fruit?
A. Those allergic to dragon fruit ought to keep away from it. You must also be cautious of mixing dragon fruit with blood sugar-lowering diabetes drugs.
The Supporting Sources
1. Attar ŞH, Gündeşli MA, Urün I, et al. Nutritional Analysis of Red-Purple and White-Fleshed Pitaya (Hylocereus) Species. Molecules. 2022;27(3):808. Published 2022 Jan 26. doi:10.3390/molecules27030808
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839306/
2. Data by the US Department of Agriculture. Data Type: Survey (FNDDS) | Food Category: Other fruits and fruit salads | FDC ID: 2344729 | Food Code: 63116010
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2344729/vitamins
3. Data by the US Department of Agriculture. Data Type: Branded | Food Category: Wholesome Snacks| FDC ID: 1871770
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1871770/vitamins
4. Poolsup, Nalinee et al. “Effect of dragon fruit on glycemic control in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” PloS one vol. 12,9 e0184577. 8 Sep. 2017, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0184577
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5590977/
5. Luu, Hai & Le, Truc-Linh & Huynh, Nga & Quintela-Alonso, Pablo. (2021). Dragon fruit: A assessment of well being advantages and vitamins and its sustainable improvement underneath local weather adjustments in Vietnam. Czech Journal of Food Sciences. 39. 10.17221/139/2020-CJFS.
https://www.researchgate.web/publication/350133783_Dragon_fruit_A_review_of_health_benefits_and_nutrients_and_its_sustainable_development_under_climate_changes_in_Vietnam
6. Martin O Weickert, Andreas FH Pfeiffer, Impact of Dietary Fibre Consumption on Insulin Resistance and the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 148, Issue 1, January 2018, Pages 7–12
https://tutorial.oup.com/jn/article/148/1/7/4823705
7. American Diabetes Association: Fruit Serving Recommendation
https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well/fruit