Diabetics can eat cantaloupe in moderation because it doesn’t cause a very high increase in blood sugar and it also provides diabetics with a good amount of vitamin C which helps boost their immune system.
This is very important for people living with diabetes because they usually have a reduced level of immunity. Cantaloupe fruits are therefore good for diabetics and should be eaten in moderation by them.
Are cantaloupes good for diabetics
Along with being a delicious fruit, cantaloupe has a lot of health benefits too. The cantaloupe fruit is not as bad for diabetics as people may think.
It is indeed one of the fruits often recommended for diabetics, especially if your blood sugar levels are in check or under control.
To know which fruit can be recommended to a diabetic, some key factors should be considered and the cantaloupe fruit happens to find itself in this category. Below are some of the factors to determine why a diabetic can take cantaloupe or how much of it a diabetic can take.
- The glycemic index of cantaloupes
- Types of sugar contained in cantaloupes
- Other health benefits that can help people diagnosed with diabetes
You can check this post out to read more about the overall health benefits of cantaloupes and why you should be eating them.
The glycemic index of cantaloupes
A tool used to measure the increase in blood sugar levels. This tool assigns numbers (a scale of 0 to 100) to foods based on how slowly or quickly those foods can cause increases in blood sugar levels. The foods are then classified into low, medium, and high glycemic foods.
The lower the glycemic index of a food, the lower the chances of the food affecting your blood sugar levels, the higher the glycemic index of a food, the greater the chances of the food affecting your blood sugar levels.
Below is the classification of the glycemic index
| Low glycemic index | 0 to 55 |
| Medium glycemic index | 56 to 69 |
| High glycemic index | 70 to 100 |
Cantaloupes have a glycemic index of 65. This means that this fruit falls in the category of foods with a moderate glycemic index. This is a good sign for diabetic people who want to eat cantaloupes without having to worry about their blood sugar levels rising.
The glycemic load of cantaloupes
A glycemic load is a tool used to measure the amount of carbohydrate in a portion of food together with how quickly it increases blood glucose levels. It is very helpful to people with diabetes.
This tool helps them to assess which quantities of foods are most suitable for maintaining good blood glucose levels.
The classification of glycemic load is as follows:
| Low glycemic load | 0 to 10 |
| Medium glycemic load | 11 to 19 |
| High glycemic load | 20 and above |
Cantaloupes have a glycemic load of 4. This means that one serving of cantaloupes will only release a small amount of the overall carbohydrate content which is available. Therefore, cantaloupes do not increase blood sugar levels to a high level.
A low glycemic load of cantaloupe fruits, therefore, makes cantaloupes a good fruit for diabetics to eat if incorporated rightly into their dietary plans.
Types of sugar found in cantaloupes
Another important factor to consider to determine if diabetics can eat cantaloupes is to know the type of sugar that the fruit contains. This is done to know what type of sugar the fruit contains and also to know if the body will require either a long or short period to break down the sugar in the fruit.
Sugars that need a long time to break down in the body ensure that there is a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream. This helps to guarantee that your blood sugar levels are steady for a long time.
Cantaloupe contains about 55% sucrose, 19% glucose, and 24% fructose, with smaller amounts of other carbohydrates.
Does the type of sugars in cantaloupe contribute to an increase in blood sugar?
The types of sugars present in cantaloupes do not contribute to an excessive increase in blood sugar. This is because they contain complex sugars such as fiber which take a long time to break down in the body, thus ensuring there is a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream.
This process ensures that your blood sugar levels are always in check.
Do cantaloupes increase blood sugar?
Cantaloupes increase blood sugar and this is due to the presence of simple and complex sugars in cantaloupes. They can increase blood sugar but just in small amounts. They will not seriously increase sugar levels when taken in moderate amounts.
A sharp increase in blood sugar levels will not also happen when you eat cantaloupes because the sugars which they contain take a long time to be broken down in the body. As such, cantaloupe fruits can be considered to be good fruits for diabetics.
Other medicinal or nutritional characteristics of cantaloupes that are beneficial for diabetics
Cantaloupes have many health benefits that can improve the overall health of diabetics. Some of these health benefits are as follows
1. Eating cantaloupes improves eyesight. The fruit contains a lot of vitamin A which is good for eyesight improvement. People with bad or poor eyesight can gain a lot from eating cantaloupes.
2. It keeps you hydrated. People who exercise a lot or do work that requires a lot of energy can eat cantaloupes to keep them hydrated. This fruit is mostly made up of water (90%) and so eating this fruit will keep you safe from dehydration.
3. The cantaloupe fruit is also good for the skin. Eating cantaloupe fruit nourishes the skin and hair too. The fruit has vitamin A which protects your skin from UV light rays and sun damage, it also contains Vitamin C which fights against wrinkles and skin sagging.
Also, cantaloupes contain potassium which helps in regulating blood pressure. This is also good for diabetics because one of the complications of diabetics is cardiovascular diseases like hypertension. This means cantaloupes taken by diabetics can help them keep their blood pressure in check.
The presences of vitamins (B3, B6, and C), fiber, minerals, and antioxidants also make them good for consumption by diabetics. However, they should only be taken in moderation.
How many cantaloupes can a diabetic eat in a day?
Now that you know that cantaloupe fruits are good for diabetics, the next question that you need to find an answer to is how many cantaloupe fruits should a diabetic take a day.
To determine the number of cantaloupes you can take in a day, you have to consider the total carbohydrate you require in a day. Diets for diabetics are mostly pre-arranged based on their calories requirements and insulin intake.
The most important thing is for diabetics to take a constant amount of carbohydrates in a day.
No matter the number of cantaloupes you eat in a day, you have to include the necessary amount of carbohydrates you are getting from your dietary plan.
You can also talk to your doctor or dietician to give you a plan on what to eat.
WRITTEN AND EDITED RESPECTIVELY BY:
Michael Sarfo
Michael Sarfo is a graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon. He is a content creator for enochkabange.com and a writer for Wapomu
Dr. Ehoneah Obed is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and has experience working in a Tertiary hospital as well as various community pharmacies. He is also a software engineer interested in healthcare technologies.
His love for helping others motivates him to create content on an array of topics mostly relating to the health of people and also software engineering content.
He is knowledgeable in digital marketing, content marketing, and a host of other skills that make him versatile enough to uplift any team he joins.
1 Comment