Question of the Week- "Diabetes & Fruits - Which Fruits are High in Sugar?"

The following question was emailed to me by a reader for discussion on this week's blog post, "I was diagnosed as having pre-diabetes earlier this year.  Since then I have completely changed my eating habits and become a vegetarian.  I’ve lost weight but want to lose more.  Can you tell me which fruits have a high sugar content?  I am wondering about apples, raisins, bananas, and strawberries.  I already know I need to avoid orange juice. Thanks for your help!"

Fruits are a great addition to your diet as they are full of important nutrients and fiber. Any fresh/frozen fruit is a fine choice - it is all about portion size!

Here are the key points:

• Stick to fresh fruits as they are full of fiber.  1 serving contains 15g of carbohydrate.  Examples of 1 serving would be a small (4 oz) apple, peach, pear, orange, ~17 grapes, 1 banana (about the size of a dollar bill), 1 1/4 cup of strawberries.  
• Dried fruits are very concentrated in natural sugar and portion size is MUCH LESS -- one serving of carbohydrate is equal to only a ~2 Tablespoons of raisins....
• Skip fruit juices - only 4 oz is equal to 1 serving of carbohydrate and lacks the fibers that whole fruits provide. 
• Eat right with Color!  Choose a variety of fruits - usually the more vibrant the color, the more nutrients it packs!
• Frozen Fruits are a healthy choice if your favorites are out of season.  
• Avoid canned fruits that are packed in any type of syrup.

 Just a tip:  Peaches taste great on the grill - it brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit.  Add cinnamon for an instant treat!