Living with diabetes can be tough. Controlling blood sugar, avoiding simple sugars and carbohydrates, plus the constant worry of health complications – it’s enough to make your head spin. While researching foods that diabetics should and shouldn’t consume, this question often comes to mind: Is guava good for diabetes? The answer is yes! In fact, when it is combined with a healthy lifestyle, it promotes balanced energy levels all-day while helping manage your glucose levels naturally. In this article, we’ll explore why adding guava into your diet may provide helpful benefits that will help keep your diabetes under control.
Can a diabetes patient eat guava?
Listed below are the reasons why guava is an excellent addition to a diabetic’s diet:
- Low glycaemic index
Guava has a low glycaemic index (GI) of 12-24. This means the sugars in it will be released into your blood very slowly, and will not create a sugar spike. Plus, the sugar content for 100g of guava is only 8.92g. This makes it a good energy source, and ensures a minimal rise in blood glucose levels that are easy to digest and absorb.
- Packed with fibre
100g of guava contains 5.4g of dietary fibre, which is good for controlling blood sugar levels. Guava is considered good for diabetic patients as it has fibre which is slowly digested and is not readily absorbed in the bloodstream.
- Low calories
Guava has a low caloric content of 68 kcal, which helps in weight management. This reduces the risk factor of obesity in diabetic people who might be resistant to insulin.
- Vitamins & minerals
Guava has a ton of vitamins and minerals; with up to 4 times more vitamin C content than oranges. It also has low sodium and high potassium content i.e. 417mg potassium per 100g guava, making it excellent for a diabetes diet.
- Cell repair
Guava also has antioxidant properties as it contain phytonutrients like carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamin C. These help prevent oxidative damage caused by harmful substances called free radicals generated by the body; thus preventing stress induced by toxins.