Bananas are among the most conveniently available fruits in the market. In India, bananas carry significant importance. You can enjoy bananas raw as well as ripe. They provide a range of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, and natural sugars, all without containing any fat. Notably, bananas serve as a significant source of vitamin B6, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, dietary fibre, magnesium, potassium, and carbohydrates. Since this fruit benefits your body so much, you might wonder if this is still applicable for diabetic patients. Let's answer the question, ‘Is banana good for diabetes?’ in the next section.
Can people with diabetes eat bananas?
It’s time to answer your question, ‘Is banana good for diabetic patients?’ Although bananas are carb-rich fruits, they offer dietary fibre that can help lower blood sugar spikes. A medium-sized banana packs in 3 grams of dietary fibre alongside starch and sugar. Dietary fibre benefits everyone, including those with diabetes, due to its positive impact on health. For those with diabetes, dietary fibre takes on added importance as it slows down carb digestion and absorption. This, in turn, helps rein in sudden surges in blood sugar levels, leading to better overall control.
- Unripe green bananas typically contain an important element called resistant starch. The amount of this carb type varies with ripeness. Green bananas contain less sugar and more resistant starch. Resistant starch, as the name suggests, isn't easily digested in the upper digestive system. It functions much like dietary fibre, preventing sudden blood sugar spikes. Additionally, it could nourish beneficial gut bacteria, associated with improved metabolic health and better blood sugar management.
- Carbohydrates wield a stronger impact on blood sugar levels compared to other nutrients, making them a key player in blood sugar management. To easily understand how carb-rich foods affect blood sugar, consider their glycaemic index (GI). Grouped as low, medium, and high, the GI categorises foods based on their potential to raise blood sugar.
- Foods with a low GI are especially beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes. They're absorbed more gradually, resulting in a gentle blood sugar increase rather than rapid spikes. Bananas, on the whole, fall into the low to medium GI range, scoring between 42 and 62, depending on their ripeness.
- However, the impact of resistant starch on type 1 diabetes remains less certain. Banana's influence on blood sugar depends on its ripeness. Ripe yellow bananas have less resistant starch compared to green unripe ones, and they contain higher sugar levels that are more quickly absorbed than starch. Thus, fully ripe bananas have a higher GI, causing quicker blood sugar spikes compared to unripe bananas.