What's Inside
Dragon fruit is an exotic tropical fruit that provides multiple health benefits. Dragon fruit is good for type 1 diabetes. It is one of the few fruits with a fleshy exocarp that doesn’t contain any sugar.
Is Dragon Fruit Good For Health?
With such health benefits, it’s no wonder why dragon fruit has been known to have adapted to specific regions. For those who suffer from diabetes, dragon fruit is known to be able to help you manage and control your blood sugar levels.
Does Dragon Fruit Lower Blood Sugar?
Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit that resembles a spiked, green-skinned melon. The fleshy pulp of the dragon fruit provides numerous vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium, but it’s also known for its blood sugar-lowering properties.
The glycemic index (GI) of dragon fruit is 15 on a scale of 0 to 100, which means it has a very low-glycemic load. A low-glycemic diet helps lower blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
Dragon fruit contains polyphenols called anthocyanins that have antioxidant properties. These polyphenols may also lower blood sugar levels.
How Much Dragon Fruit Can Diabetics Eat?
The connection between dragon fruit and type 1 diabetes has been studied by scientists who want to know whether specific foods affect the body’s immune system.
According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes should consult their health care team before eating any new food or food product.
A general rule of thumb for people with diabetes is to avoid eating any foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates.
Dragon fruit is a good source of carbohydrates and sugar, so if you have diabetes you should limit your intake to one small piece per week.
The glycemic index (GI) of dragon fruit is 25; this means it raises blood sugar levels more slowly than other fruits such as oranges (GI = 53), bananas (GI = 51), and apples (GI = 36).
For Example:
🌱 If you have type 1 diabetes, you may need to eat more than one serving a day because your body doesn’t produce insulin naturally anymore; instead, it needs to be injected into your body every day via an insulin pump or syringe (or several times throughout the day).
🌱 If you have type 2 diabetes and take oral medications like metformin (Glucophage) or sulfonylureas (Micronase), then you will probably only be able to eat one serving of dragon fruit per day without experiencing side effects such as nausea or diarrhea.
Does Dragon Fruit Have Any Side Effects?
🌱 Dragon fruit has been used as a food in Southeast Asia for many years. It is also known as pitaya, pitahaya and buah naga. It is eaten fresh, frozen, or canned. The fruit has white flesh with black seeds and it contains some protein, vitamin C and B6.
🌱 Dragon fruit does not have any major side effects when consumed in moderate amounts. However, it is not recommended for people who are allergic to latex or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding because of the possibility of allergies from consuming the fruit.
🌱 If you are considering using dragon fruit to manage your diabetes type 2, there are no studies that have been done to show whether or not it helps manage this condition.
Dragon Fruit Benefits
Here are 5 dragon fruit benefits:
1. It helps to lower blood pressure. A study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that dragon fruit juice could help to lower blood pressure due to its high potassium content.
2. It improves insulin sensitivity. The study also found that dragon fruit juice helped improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. This means it can help your body use glucose better so it doesn’t build up in your bloodstream causing spikes in your blood sugar levels after eating (or after a meal). Instead of having an immediate spike in your blood sugar levels, it’s more gradual which helps keep them stable throughout the day (and night).
3. It has anti-inflammatory properties which help lower cholesterol levels by reducing inflammation which can lead to heart problems for diabetics! Inflammation is one of the main contributors to heart disease – so anything we can do to reduce inflammation will help protect our hearts!
4. Rich in antioxidants. Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta carotene, and lutein which can help fight free radicals that damage cells and cause chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer.
5. Good source of potassium. Potassium is important for controlling blood pressure and regulating heart rate, which are two factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in diabetics.
Conclusion
The health benefits of dragon fruit are a welcome addition to your diabetes management plan whether you have type 1 or 2.
Dragon fruit is not only low in carbohydrates, but it also offers other health benefits that might help you manage your blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of long-term diabetic complications.
