Most diabetics are aware that it is important to closely monitor their sugar levels throughout the day. If you are actively seeking treatment for your diabetes then you have probably learned that a good range for your blood sugar while fasting (going 8 or more hours without food) is less than 100.
Before a meal your sugar should be between 70-130, after a meal less than 180, and at bedtime around 100-140. But these are all numbers and if you are new to the world of diabetes then you might just be looking for simpler answers—can diabetics eat bananas?
While the above numerical data can be learned from your primary care physician, many diabetics have had to suffer through trial and error as diabetes can strike at any age. An inevitable fact of living with diabetes is that you have, or will have to, cut many sugar-rich foods from your diet to safely monitor your blood glucose levels.
Sugary sodas will disappear and you will opt for sugar-free gum and candy options when you decide to indulge. But what about the simpler, natural sugars—will they have to be cut from your diet as well?
The short answer is "no." As with all foods rich in carbohydrates, overeating bananas can cause a spike in your carbohydrate levels, and therefore your sugar levels. However, knowing the portion size and the nutrients associated with the food is the only way to monitor your carbohydrate intake. Therefore, many people who carefully monitor their diabetes can eat bananas without risk.
What Are the Risks Associated with Diabetics Eating Bananas?
If you are diabetic then you are likely all too familiar with the flooding sensation that occurs when your sugar spikes. You might feel weighed down, short of breath, and you likely can't concentrate because of an insatiable thirst. With that familiar dryness emerging in the back of your throat, you get up from your desk every five or ten minutes for a glass of water.
There goes the time that you reserved for sending memos. There goes the time that you reserved for an afternoon chat with your mother. Soon the trips to the bathroom begin, driving you even farther away from your desk and the deadlines that are approaching. You feel as though you are waist deep in quick sand and you know that it is all because of your poor eating choices at lunch—you shouldn't have had that extra serving and forgot pack enough insulin for your pump to compensate. This is your body's way of altering you to something that could be quite grave.
Blood glucose spikes can occur at the drop of a hat, especially if you are prone to over-eating or have a taste for the sweeter things. Add that to a forgetful mind, and a blood sugar hike could land you straight in the hospital, if not worse. Unfortunately, everyone who lives with diabetes is at an increased risk for stroke and heart disease, as well as other difficulties that could damage their nerves, eyes, or kidneys.
Nonetheless, there is a brighter side—if you educate yourself and follow your doctor's recommendations, monitoring and controlling your blood sugar with devices such as an insulin pump will decrease your chances of falling victim to any of the previously mentioned concerns.
How Can Diabetics Eat Bananas Safely?
The easiest way to ensure that you, as a diabetic, can safely eat bananas and other carbohydrate rich foods is by understanding portion control and how your body responds to the food.
If you want to start including bananas in your diet, then you need to become familiar with identifying different portion sizes of the fruit. Because bananas are a form of natural sustenance, they don't come pre-packaged with easy to read labels. Therefore, it is your duty to ensure that you understand how the varying sizes of bananas affect their levels of carbohydrates.
Because banana sizes can vary vastly, it is important for diabetics to understand that the amount of sugar in each fruit will be somewhat different. For example, a small banana, one measuring between 15 and 17 centimeters contains approximately 23 grams of carbohydrates. A medium banana measures between 17.5 and 19.5 centimeters and can contain 27 grams of carbohydrates, while a large banana, or one that measures 20 to 22 centimeters, might have 31 grams. Finally, an extra-large banana, one that is 23 centimeters or longer, could have as many as 35 grams of carbohydrates.
Of course, this doesn't mean that you must always carry around a tape measure to ensure that the length of your lunch time banana is exactly 15 centimeters. One way to quickly tell the approximate length of the fruit is to hold it up to your hand. On average, the breadth of an adult woman's hand is approximately 7.4 centimeters and a man's is approximately 8.4 centimeters. If the fruit extends a bit past the lines on your wrist then you likely have what could be considered a small banana.
If you are interested in more precisely monitoring the sugars that you consume while eating bananas, then you might consider measuring and remembering various points on your arm for reference. Further, a sewer's cloth tape measure can be easily concealed in a handbag or a pocket before a trip to the grocery store if you want to take the guess work out of your sugar intake.
As with all specific nutritional concerns, please consult with your doctor to find out what the right level of carbohydrate consumption is for you.
What Are the Benefits of Diabetics Eating Bananas?
Bananas might, in fact, be an excellent fruit for diabetics to consume if the monitor their intake. The FDA has recognized that there are many benefits associated with eating bananas. Bananas can aid in digestion because they are high in fiber, contain electrolytes, and are a natural antacid. Bananas are iron rich which can help to alleviate anemia.
They are low in salt, making them a safe snack for those who suffer from an increased chance of stroke or heart attack. Bananas are even a natural alternative to kidney cancer prevention and they can make you smarter with their high levels of potassium.
Because diabetics often suffer from kidney related complications and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack, a monitored consumption of bananas could be an excellent addition for a balanced, healthy, diabetic diet.
Before a meal your sugar should be between 70-130, after a meal less than 180, and at bedtime around 100-140. But these are all numbers and if you are new to the world of diabetes then you might just be looking for simpler answers—can diabetics eat bananas?
While the above numerical data can be learned from your primary care physician, many diabetics have had to suffer through trial and error as diabetes can strike at any age. An inevitable fact of living with diabetes is that you have, or will have to, cut many sugar-rich foods from your diet to safely monitor your blood glucose levels.
Sugary sodas will disappear and you will opt for sugar-free gum and candy options when you decide to indulge. But what about the simpler, natural sugars—will they have to be cut from your diet as well?
The short answer is "no." As with all foods rich in carbohydrates, overeating bananas can cause a spike in your carbohydrate levels, and therefore your sugar levels. However, knowing the portion size and the nutrients associated with the food is the only way to monitor your carbohydrate intake. Therefore, many people who carefully monitor their diabetes can eat bananas without risk.
What Are the Risks Associated with Diabetics Eating Bananas?
If you are diabetic then you are likely all too familiar with the flooding sensation that occurs when your sugar spikes. You might feel weighed down, short of breath, and you likely can't concentrate because of an insatiable thirst. With that familiar dryness emerging in the back of your throat, you get up from your desk every five or ten minutes for a glass of water.
There goes the time that you reserved for sending memos. There goes the time that you reserved for an afternoon chat with your mother. Soon the trips to the bathroom begin, driving you even farther away from your desk and the deadlines that are approaching. You feel as though you are waist deep in quick sand and you know that it is all because of your poor eating choices at lunch—you shouldn't have had that extra serving and forgot pack enough insulin for your pump to compensate. This is your body's way of altering you to something that could be quite grave.
Blood glucose spikes can occur at the drop of a hat, especially if you are prone to over-eating or have a taste for the sweeter things. Add that to a forgetful mind, and a blood sugar hike could land you straight in the hospital, if not worse. Unfortunately, everyone who lives with diabetes is at an increased risk for stroke and heart disease, as well as other difficulties that could damage their nerves, eyes, or kidneys.
Nonetheless, there is a brighter side—if you educate yourself and follow your doctor's recommendations, monitoring and controlling your blood sugar with devices such as an insulin pump will decrease your chances of falling victim to any of the previously mentioned concerns.
Caution
Everyone's blood glucose levels respond differently. Some individuals may need to adjust their portion sizes depending upon how their bodies respond to consuming bananas or other carbohydrate rich foods. Monitoring one's blood sugar too strictly can lead to an increased risk of low blood sugar levels, while not monitoring them enough can lead to an increase in high blood sugar levels. For serious concerns please contact your primary care physician.
How Can Diabetics Eat Bananas Safely?
The easiest way to ensure that you, as a diabetic, can safely eat bananas and other carbohydrate rich foods is by understanding portion control and how your body responds to the food.
If you want to start including bananas in your diet, then you need to become familiar with identifying different portion sizes of the fruit. Because bananas are a form of natural sustenance, they don't come pre-packaged with easy to read labels. Therefore, it is your duty to ensure that you understand how the varying sizes of bananas affect their levels of carbohydrates.
Because banana sizes can vary vastly, it is important for diabetics to understand that the amount of sugar in each fruit will be somewhat different. For example, a small banana, one measuring between 15 and 17 centimeters contains approximately 23 grams of carbohydrates. A medium banana measures between 17.5 and 19.5 centimeters and can contain 27 grams of carbohydrates, while a large banana, or one that measures 20 to 22 centimeters, might have 31 grams. Finally, an extra-large banana, one that is 23 centimeters or longer, could have as many as 35 grams of carbohydrates.
Of course, this doesn't mean that you must always carry around a tape measure to ensure that the length of your lunch time banana is exactly 15 centimeters. One way to quickly tell the approximate length of the fruit is to hold it up to your hand. On average, the breadth of an adult woman's hand is approximately 7.4 centimeters and a man's is approximately 8.4 centimeters. If the fruit extends a bit past the lines on your wrist then you likely have what could be considered a small banana.
If you are interested in more precisely monitoring the sugars that you consume while eating bananas, then you might consider measuring and remembering various points on your arm for reference. Further, a sewer's cloth tape measure can be easily concealed in a handbag or a pocket before a trip to the grocery store if you want to take the guess work out of your sugar intake.
As with all specific nutritional concerns, please consult with your doctor to find out what the right level of carbohydrate consumption is for you.
What Are the Benefits of Diabetics Eating Bananas?
Bananas might, in fact, be an excellent fruit for diabetics to consume if the monitor their intake. The FDA has recognized that there are many benefits associated with eating bananas. Bananas can aid in digestion because they are high in fiber, contain electrolytes, and are a natural antacid. Bananas are iron rich which can help to alleviate anemia.
They are low in salt, making them a safe snack for those who suffer from an increased chance of stroke or heart attack. Bananas are even a natural alternative to kidney cancer prevention and they can make you smarter with their high levels of potassium.
Because diabetics often suffer from kidney related complications and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack, a monitored consumption of bananas could be an excellent addition for a balanced, healthy, diabetic diet.
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