Type 2 diabetes: Here is how the otherwise healthy apples affect your blood sugar levels
Apples have a lot of health benefits like improving digestion, helping in weight loss, keeping the heart healthy, and may also help in warding off breast cancer. Apples also help improve neurological health.
New Delhi: Since childhood, everyone has dreaded going to the doctor because there may be blood, bitter medicines, or an injection coming our way when we do. Probably cashing in on that fear, they created the saying that an apple a day would keep the doctor away. However, apples did prove their mettle when they actually helped to keep a lot of diseases away and continue to do so.
Rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, fibre, and other vitamins and minerals, apples have immense health benefits that range from the body to the mind. Not only do they improve digestion, help in weight loss, keep the heart healthy, and may also help in warding off breast cancer, apples also help improve neurological health and prevent dementia. However, how does this super-healthy fruit affect diabetes and blood sugar levels?
How apples affect diabetes and blood sugar levels
Apples are extremely healthy and nutritious but contain carbohydrates that may affect your blood sugar levels. However, the carbs in apples are different from the carbs in junk food that is unhealthy and can spike blood sugar levels.
Not all carbs are the same and not all food items contain the same level of carbohydrates. A medium sized app contains 25 grams of carbohydrates, but a considerable portion of it is fibre. Fibre is extremely important and beneficial in controlling and managing blood sugar.
Fibre slows down the absorption of the carbohydrates present in the apples and therefore keeps the blood sugar level from rising as quickly. Studies suggest that fibre works protectively against type 2 diabetes.
Apples also contain sugar which is mainly in the form of fructose. When fructose is consumed in whole fruit, it has little to no effect on the blood sugar levels.
Therefore, while the carbohydrates in apples can increase the blood sugar levels, the fibre acts as a balancing agent in the process. The effect of apples on diabetes is very moderate.