Eating Fruits??

[R2112]

I'm still trying to work out a diet that I like and works for me, maybe low carb. I was wondering if any of you eat fruit? I really liked having a grapefruit in the morning but my cholesterol med wont let me do that anymore.

I like to have a small orange or tangerine after exercising. So how about oranges, tangerines, plums and my all time favorite "Avocados"?

I suspect Bananas and pineapples would be out of the question due to the high sugar content.

Does any of the list above totally throw off you BS or do you just avoid them?

Thanks,
Dave

[Schlep]

If you are keeping low carb try eating berries to start with. Raspberries black berries and blue berries. I enjoy them with whipping cream on them either whipped or straight.

This is lower carb than most fruits.

[Evermont]

Yes to fruit, generally speaking that is. Let your glucometer help you decide.

Avocados are a very important source of mono-unsaturated fat, together with olive oil you're almost all set for dietary fat. Go for avocados.

As for other fruits... The simple rule is this: You want a wide variety of fresh, organic, temperate fruits, local if possible. Not so much with the tropical fruits. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the good kind of carbohydrates. Loaded with phytonutrients, soluble and insoluble fiber. Start with apples, cherries, pears, blueberries, cranberries, and go from there.

[Penny]

I cannot eat any of the citrus fruits, but I know others have no problem with them. Avocadoes and berries do not seem to bother my BS at all, and sometimes I think they even keep my numbers down. I can eat 1/2 of a banana if my numbers are low enough to start with. As Evermont said, just test and see what works, we all seem to have different results with fruit.

[R2112]

Well.... after doing a little research I found that:

SANTA ANA, CA--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--July 15, 2002--The latest guidelines issued by the American Diabetes Association emphasize a diet rich in monounsaturated fat for improved diabetes control. According to the guidelines, people with diabetes are no longer limited to a low-carbohydrate/low-fat diet and may instead choose a higher-monounsaturated fat diet that includes avocados.

"Avocados are the highest fruit source of monounsaturated fat, the fat known to lower artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and raise heart-healthy HDL cholesterol," said Dr. Aliza. "Diabetes meal plans should include avocado in salads, soups and even as a spread in a delicious wheat tortilla

So yea for avocados!

Now for the fruits

Fruits lowest in sugar:

Rhubarb
Strawberries (more about berries on low carb diets)
Cranberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Grapefruit
Melons
Apricots
Plums
Peaches
Pears
Guava
Cherries
Apples
Papaya

These are fairly high in sugar:
Grapes
Tangerine
Oranges
Pineapple
Kiwi

The following fruits are very high in sugar and generally going to be very infrequent visitors to the low carb diet:
Bananas
Dried Fruit
Mango

So I'll test to see what will affect my BS levels but it is interesting to see what fruits are lower in sugar. I would have thought that Plums, Pears and Cherries were on the lower sugar list. Go figure?

[labob]

Over the last half-year or so I've gradually increased the amount of fruit I eat to somewhere around 3 servings a day. In the morning, I always have half of a small banana and a mixture of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and/or blackberries) on my equally small serving of cereal. A half banana keeps well in the fridge for a day, so I have the other half with my next morning's breakfast.

Right now I generally have an apple after lunch, and another apple or pear very late in the afternoon/early evening, an hour or two before I go to the gym. Come summer I'll probably branch out, but for the time being I'm enjoying the many different kinds of apples and pears there are. On occasion, I'll have a tangerine or an orange, but usually only if it's cardio night at the gym and I'm not going to be much longer at the office.

[davef]

R2112,

Keith (Evermont) gave you good advice, rely on your meter to work out which fruits are best for you.

In my case when I started out I was trying to get onto a good healthy diet with lots of fruit and veg. It was only through testing that I found that some fruits that others tolerate very well such as apples and not right for me. You will probably come across YMMV (your mileage may vary) alot when looking at things like this as this stupid disease affects us differently.

It is a balancing act, more so if like me, you are trying to lose weight, as I'm not only watching my carbs but also fat, altough the low-carb approach is definitely helping with weight loss too.

[princesslinda]

I do well with cantaloupe, green apples, berries and pears. Grapes give me problems, as does pineapple. I can tolerate a small banana on occasion.

The best way to find what fruits you tolerate is to eat some and check your blood sugar 2 hrs after your first bite.

I often pair up fruit and cheese, and this seems to work well blood-sugar wise...and tastes great!

[xMenace]

Fruit works very well for me. I eat a lot of fruit. Yesterday I had two bananas, two large navel oranges, and four large dates. Today I have a banana and an apple with my lunch. I try not to eat a large amount at once though, definately no more than two at a meal or one at a snack. I try to mix with protein if I can or better yet veggies. The only time fruit causes me grief is at breakfast time. And avoid most fruit juice.

[Kim_in_TN]

I'm glad to read this topic on fruit. I just went and bought quite a bit of fruit yesterday and some veggies too. I'm trying really hard to get all of the healthy foods into my diet that I can. I really always have loved fruit, just not the chopping and trying to store to keep from spoiling quickly. Thankfully Publix has smaller portions in re-closeable bags so, although more expensive, they work for me!

I am eating strawberries, and apples, and a few raisins this week. So far my readings have been great! The only difference I have seen was that my morning BG was a bit higher today than yesterday .... pre-fruit. I'm thinking that the couple of slices of apples I had just before bed had something to do with that. I normally eat nothing at all after supper. Do you all think that is what made the difference?

[xMenace]

Do you all think that is what made the difference?

When things go wrong, there's a good chance Vogons are involved
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41059000/jpg/_41059129_hitch_vogon_getty.jpg

[Cramster]

When things go wrong, there's a good chance Vogons are involved
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41059000/jpg/_41059129_hitch_vogon_getty.jpg

Oh boy, love it. Nice HGG reference

[Alice]

Keep in mind that many "carb servings" of fruit are 1/2 the entire fruit. That immediately cuts the carbs in 1/2 but you are still getting the good nutrients and fiber of fruit.

In my case, I just bolus insulin for whatever fruit. I find bananas to be very slow in raising my levels and would never use to "treat" a low glucose level.

[R2112]

When things go wrong, there's a good chance Vogons are involved
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41059000/jpg/_41059129_hitch_vogon_getty.jpg

Only if there's a Vogon poet around!

Keep in mind that many "carb servings" of fruit are 1/2 the entire fruit. That immediately cuts the carbs in 1/2 but you are still getting the good nutrients and fiber of fruit.

Alice, I read that too that usually a serving of a fruit is about 1/2. That's why I pretty much stay with the smaller Tangerines and Oranges. As soon as my meter shows up I'm going to start to test with these first to see how I react. I also like the pairing idea from princesslinda of fruit and cheese, everything goes good with cheese IMO.

[Evermont]

Blueberry stilton anyone?

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/a/af/180px-Cheese_19_bg_050606.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Cheese_19_bg_050606.jpg/800px-Cheese_19_bg_050606.jpg)
(click to enlarge)

[xMenace]

I also like the pairing idea from princesslinda of fruit and cheese, everything goes good with cheese IMO.


And wine. I don't do the three often, but I always seem to have some fruit and cheese when I'm enjoying a glass. It may even help keep the BGs down a bit.

[matingara]

I'm still trying to work out a diet that I like and works for me, maybe low carb. I was wondering if any of you eat fruit? I really liked having a grapefruit in the morning but my cholesterol med wont let me do that anymore.
Thanks,
Dave

My cholesterol medicine originally had a sticker affixed asking me to "avoid grapefruit whilst on this medication". this sticker was affixed by the pharmacist.

i never got to the bottom of why it was there.

i avoided grapefruit.

then the stickers stopped. did the pharmacist run out of stickers? did the rules change? who knows?

i find my BGL can stand 1/2 a grapefruit without any problem. and as the cholesterol med no longer comes with the sticker - i don't feel like i am doing anything wrong.

maybe you could ask your Doc or Pharmacist about this grapefruit problem? you might be able to get more info than i have been able to get.

anyway, don't write off grapefruit compleetely until you speak to your Doc!

-- Joel.

[Schlep]

I cannot tell you why the stickers stopped but I can tell you that grapefruit stops the workings of a lot of medicines.

Grapefruit counter reacts with many different drugs.

[matingara]

Oh boy, love it. Nice HGG reference

Man!!! i used to get weird looks from people when i quoted lines/references from THHGTTG back in 1979. Back when it was just a radio show.

I used to say things like, "It hung in the air exactly the way bricks don't" and used to call people "Grunthos the Flatulent" etc etc etc.

i am so happy that this stuff is now part of the idiom.

Douglas would be so proud.

:)

-- Joel.