Fruits are healthy so you can eat as much as you want, right? Not quite. Even though fruit is clearly a better choice than a donut, your body still turns a donut and an apple into the same thing – glucose. The difference is how fast the glucose enters your bloodstream – it also determines if you will feel full longer, eat less and burn fat instead of storing it. That’s why after eating refined, processed foods you often feel sluggish because your energy levels have dropped after the quick spike. The glycemic index gives us a better understanding of what fruits will spike our blood sugar more than others.
This index was originally created to help diabetics and pre-diabetics manage their blood sugar levels better, but it’s a good resource for all of us. I’m sure you’re familiar with it, but the glycemic index is a system that ranks food on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their effect on blood-sugar levels when eaten by themselves. According to the index, high glycemic is anything 70 and above, moderate glycemic is 56-69 and low glycemic is 55 or below.
Keep in mind, GI doesn’t give us the full picture. Even though a fruit might have a high GI score, it can still be low in calories and high in nutrition and it also depends on the quantity you are eating. Therefore, it does have the potential to still be a healthy snack when eaten in moderation of course.
Let’s take a look at which fruits you probably shouldn’t be eating mindlessly, especially if you need to be on a low-carb diet or if you have diabetes.
High Glycemic Fruits:
Banana
Grapes
Pineapple
Watermelon
Guava
Moderate Glycemic Fruits:
Cantaloupe
Kiwi
Mango
Figs
Papaya
Apple
Peach
Plum
There is a lot of conflicting information out there about which fruits are high or low in GI. It can be confusing, but it’s always best to consult your doctor or nutritionist about it if you have questions. They might give you personal recommendations. This is also a really great resource that explains everything in a bit more detail. This is just a short list I’ve kept over the years of fruits that are on my “moderation” list. Hopefully this helps you indulge in fruit a little smarter this summer!