Eating fruits is a double-edged sword. People who enjoy a diet high in fruits containing vitamins, minerals and fiber are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
But excessive consumption can ruin their health, particularly those living with diabetes who need to maintain consistent blood sugar levels to avoid serious complications.
The situation of diabetes in Thailand is worrying. According to statistics from the Department of Disease Control, 3.3 million people were living with diabetes in the country in 2022.
About 300,000 individuals were diagnosed with diabetes in 2023 compared to about 150,000 in 2022. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that 5 million out of 22 million people aged 35 and above did not undergo screening for diabetes in 2023.
With the alarming rise of people with diabetes, academics and health experts offer advice on how to choose the fruits best suited to them and how much they should consume to help manage the condition.
They also mentioned grapes, which have a bad reputation due to their high levels of sugar and carbohydrates, and shared tips for giving fruits and vegetables a thorough wash before consumption to remove potential contaminants.
A report on fruit safety conducted by non-government organizations released a few weeks ago showed that 95.8% of the Shine Muscat grapes sampled were tainted with dangerous chemicals, including an insecticide banned in Thailand.
It sparked fear and kept consumers away from buying and eating them. The fear has resulted in sales of the fruits plunging, putting vendors in trouble.
Big, green seedless, Shine Muscat grapes are becoming famous among local consumers. The imported fruits are typically grown in Japan, South Korea and China.
Fruits affect diabetes
All fruits are not the same, says Pimnapanut Sridonpai, a research assistant at Mahidol University’s Institute of Nutrition. Some contain more sugar or higher carbs than others and certain fruits can cause blood sugar levels to spike more quickly.
To stabilize their blood sugar, she recommended people with diabetes go for fruits that are lower on the glycemic index (GI) scale, which is used to measure how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels.
Low-GI fruits include guavas, Thai jujubes (putsa fruit), pomelo, bananas (namwha and khai varieties), apples, raw mangoes, oranges and white dragon fruit.
“These fruits tend to keep your blood sugar levels more stable after eating,” she said.
Even though low-GI fruits have less impact on blood sugar, it’s still important for diabetics to moderate their consumption.
“Eating even low-GI fruits in large amounts in one go can raise your blood sugar levels quickly, making it difficult to manage diabetes,” the academic said.
She advised people living with diabetes to consume 2-3 servings of fruits daily as part of a healthy balanced diet.
“Some people may be able eat more fruit without overly affecting their blood sugar levels. Everyone has different energy needs.” she said, adding that physical activity also affects diabetes.
One serving, according to her, contains half a guava, two big jujubes, one banana, an apple, two pieces of pomelo, half a raw mango, one to 2 oranges and half a white dragon fruit.
She warned that an excessive consumption of jujubes can cause bloating in some people due to their high fiber content.
Pimnapanut noted that the grapes, which are now in season, raise your blood sugar higher than some others fruits like guavas or apples but on the plus side, are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
“Grapes are high in sugar and low in fiber, so they have potential to cause a steep blood sugar after eating. But, it doesn’t mean you cannot eat them at all if you have diabetes. Just snack on them a little more carefully. A few won’t do any harm,” she said.
Grapes have a low to medium glycemic index depending on the variety, with green and red grapes having lower GI scores than the black ones.
“Go for the green and the red ones if possible. Anyway, it’s natural sugar inside the grapes. They should be better choices for diabetics than the refined sugars found in many packaged snacks,” she said.
Pimnapanut stressed that grapes can be added to a healthy meal plan for diabetics. The fruits are packed with vitamin B including B6, thiamine and riboflavin which benefit metabolism, brain function, the immune system and cell development.
They also contain potassium, vitamin K and copper, which help improve blood pressure, blood clotting and the formation of blood cells. Grapes contain 80% water, she noted.
“That means they can make up part of your daily fluid intake and fill you up more quickly,” she said.
She urged diabetics to avoid pineapple, which can be high on the GI scale. The fruit can have more impact on the blood sugar levels.
Portion control is vital
Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak, director-general of the Department of Health concurred with Pimnapanut’s remarks, saying grapes can form a part of a healthy eating plan for people living with diabetes when eaten in moderation.
She suggested limiting grapes to 15-20 per serving. The amount can be enough to contribute to the recommended daily fruit intake, while adding some leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli can help slow the digestion of sugar into the bloodstream.
“You can add some grapes to a green salad with beans, which contain high fiber. That can help prevent blood sugar spikes,” she said.
Grapes contain the antioxidant resveratrol which may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, Dr Amporn noted.
The doctor urged diabetics to eat a variety of fruits that contain important nutrients and talk to a nutritionist or a dietitian who can help develop a healthy eating plan to help control blood sugar levels.
More importantly, they should regularly monitor the levels to keep them under control.
“Also do some activities to boost your mental well-being such as walking with a friend or doing yoga and any low-impact exercise. These can help reduce insulin resistance and improve overall well-being,” she said.
Dr Amporn also shared ways to remove dirt and potential chemical residues on fruits and vegetables.
She recommended soaking fruits including grapes and vegetables in water for 15 minutes and then rinsing the leaves and fruits thoroughly under running water for about 2 minutes to get rid of some surface pesticides.
Optionally, people can use vinegar (5% concentration) when washing them. This can be done by mixing 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 4 liters of water, soaking fruits and vegetables for about 5-10 minutes and then rinsing them.
Washing them with baking soda can also help break down some pesticides. Mix a half tablespoon of baking soda in 10 liters of water, soak fruits and vegetables for 5-10 minutes and then rinse them before consumption.
Weeks ago, the Thai Pesticides Alert Network (Thai-PAN) and the Thailand Consumers Council sparked a food scare over Shine Muscat grapes after lab tests showed some samples were tinted with harmful chemical residues.
Lab testing found that 23 out of the 24 samples were contaminated with dangerous chemicals exceeding the legal limit. One sample was found to have chlorpyrifos, which is banned for use in Thailand and 22 others were contaminated with 14 harmful chemical residues.
The Thai Food and Drug Administration stressed only one sample of Shine Muscat grapes was found to be contaminated with the banned pesticide chlorpyrifos. It recommended that consumers wash the popular grapes thoroughly before consumption.
An academic reassured consumers that the grapes were safe to consume when they are washed properly, saying the level of residues in the grapes was not dangerous. But consumers remain worried.
The controversial report has sparked a scare over the safety of the imported grapes, which can cause health issues. The fear has hugely affected the fruit market, according to news reports.
