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Seven fruits for diabetics to avoid that can increase blood sugar spike risk

As with many other parts of a balanced diet, fruit is an important component in keeping a healthy body and mind.

Fruit is full of vitamins and minerals that can be beneficial to your health, plus they are low in calories, making them the perfect quick snack.

However, there are certain fruits that can be considered a "danger" to diabetic people due to their high glycaemic index, reports the Mirror. Diabetes causes a person's blood sugar to rise too quickly, so their body can't break down glucose effectively.

According to the NHS, there are more than 4.9 million people with diabetes across the UK. Being diabetic is a lifelong condition, and can usually be monitored by the patient themselves.

Diabetes is classified into two types - one and two. Type one happens when the cells that produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels, are broken down by the body instead.

Type two diabetes is much more common, and is typically caused by being overweight and not exercising enough. In the UK, 90 per cent of adults with diabetes will have been diagnosed with type two.

Doctors recommend a range of fruit to be included in a diabetic person's diet, but other experts have told people to be wary of fruits with a high glycaemic index (GI).

The GI is a rating system that shows how quickly foods that contain carbohydrates will affect a person's blood sugar level if eaten on their own.

Diabetes.co.uk explains: "High GI foods break down very quickly causing blood glucose levels to rise sharply. People with diabetes refer to sharp rises in blood sugar levels as ‘spikes’ in blood sugar.

"Furthermore, for those who produce their own insulin, high GI foods can force the body to try to produce a surge of insulin to counteract the fast-acting carbohydrates and a common consequence of this is a feeling of hunger within two to three hours, which can leave the dieter craving more food."

They also warned: "For people with diabetes, this can be particularly dangerous as the ability of the body to control blood glucose levels is reduced or non-existent."

Fruits with a high GI that people should avoid

Shelf of fruit.© Getty

According to Diabetes.co.uk, high GI fruits include:

Fruits with a lower GI include the likes of:

According to the NHS, lower GI foods are recommended for those with diabetes - but it is also extremely important to eat a balanced diet. 

The NHS said: "Some low GI foods, such as wholegrain foods, fruit, vegetables, beans and lentils, are foods we should eat as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

"However, using the glycaemic index to decide whether foods or combinations of foods are healthy can be misleading.

"Foods with a high GI are not necessarily unhealthy and not all foods with a low GI are healthy. For example, watermelon and sometimes parsnips are high GI foods, while chocolate cake has a lower GI value."

Diabetes.co.uk added: "As low GI foods tend to break down more slowly, they are less likely to cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels compared to high GI foods and therefore they are a better option for keeping stable blood glucose levels.

"Favouring low GI foods over high GI foods leaves you feeling more satisfied over a longer period of time, and less likely to feel hungry before the next meal."

High GI foods also include sugary foods, white bread, white rice, potatoes and sugary drinks.

Story by Freya Hodgson & Abbie Meehan & Lucy Farrell:: Daily Record