Type 2 diabetes can lead to severe health complications if blood sugar levels aren’t kept in check. Despite the importance of fruit in a balanced diet, two particular fruits could cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket “too high”, warns Diabetes.co.uk.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t absorb the insulin it does produce. The primary role of insulin is to regulate blood sugar levels.
Without this function, blood sugar levels can dangerously soar. However, there are other ways to manage blood sugar levels, mainly through diet, Surrey Live reports.
Foods high in sugar or carbohydrates are the main culprits as they can cause blood sugar spikes. Avoiding these foods might seem simple, but there are some hidden health risks. For example, eating fruit can be a potential pitfall.
Diabetes.co.uk warns: “Fruit is naturally quite high in sugars and fruit will typically have more carbohydrate than non-starchy vegetables”.
The health organisation points out that some fruits are more sugary than others. “For example, bananas and oranges are examples of more sugary fruits whereas berries are examples of less sugary fruits.”
Given the high sugar content in some fruits, the health charity advises to “bear this in mind to prevent blood sugar levels rising too high”.
However, it’s crucial not to mistake caution for completely removing healthy items from your diet. Fruit and vegetables are among the healthiest food groups to include in your diet, with the Department of Health advising Brits to aim for at least five portions a day.
Regular physical activity is also key to managing blood sugar levels, with the NHS recommending over two hours of exercise per week. The health service says: “You can be active anywhere as long as what you’re doing gets you out of breath”.
It instead suggests activities like brisk walking, stair climbing, or even vigorous housework or gardening. Type 2 diabetes often flies under the radar due to its subtle symptoms that don’t always make you feel ill.
Key signs to watch out for include frequent urination (especially at night), constant thirst, extreme tiredness, unintended weight loss, genital itching or recurrent thrush, slow-healing wounds, and blurred vision.
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