Are rambutan fruits good for diabetics & can diabetics eat it

Diabetic people are limited when it comes to food choices. Due to their condition, they are very picky when it comes to choosing food to eat. This is at times very frustrating for them. Because of this limitation, they end up facing some challenges. 

For example, the food they want to eat might not be available at their current location. Diabetic people take great care when it comes to matters of food. They ponder which food or fruit they can eat. 

The rambutan fruit is no exception to this. People diagnosed with diabetes ask whether the rambutan fruit is good for them or not. 

Rambutan is a delicious fruit with a lot of health benefits. It boosts the immune system, is good for cleansing the kidney, prevents anemia, and is also good for preventing constipation amongst other health benefits.

To determine if the rambutan fruit is good for people with diabetes, certain important factors must first be considered. 

Some of the important factors that we have to consider before concluding as to whether diabetics should eat rambutan fruits or not are as follows:

1. Types of sugar found in the rambutan fruit
2. The glycemic index of the rambutan fruit
3. Other health benefits of rambutan that may be good for people with diabetes

What types of sugars are found in the rambutan fruit

Rambutan contains simple sugars and complex sugar. Some of the simple sugars found in the rambutan fruit include glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Fibre, which is a type of complex sugar, can also be found in rambutans. 

The rambutan fruit is known for having a high level of fiber. 

This fruit does not cause a sharp increase in blood sugar levels since it contains fiber, a complex sugar known for requiring a long time to break down.

Can the types of sugar in rambutan cause a spike in blood sugar?

As stated above earlier, complex sugar such as fiber requires a long time to be broken down and digested in the body. This leads to a slow or gradual release of sugar into the bloodstream. 

This is good because it makes sure that your blood sugar levels are kept stable for a long time. An example of a complex sugar found in the rambutan fruit is fiber. Eating rambutan will not cause a sudden increase in your blood sugar levels.

What is the glycemic index of rambutan

A glycemic index is a tool used to measure how foods increase blood sugar levels. 

Values are assigned to foods based on how slowly or quickly those foods can cause increases in blood sugar levels. A scale of 0-100 is used to classify foods as either low, medium, or high glycemic foods. The lower the glycemic index of a food, the lower the chances of the food affecting your blood sugar levels.

The classification of the glycemic index is as follows:

Low: 0 to 55

Medium: 56 to 69

High: 70 to 100

The rambutan fruit has a medium glycemic index. According to the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition, the glycemic index of rambutan is equal to 59.

Does rambutan increase blood sugar?

Rambutans contain high amounts of carbohydrates which include both simple and complex sugar. They have the potential to increase blood sugar. The increase in blood sugar levels is however not significant.

Does rambutan fruits offer other health benefits to diabetics

The rambutan fruit does have medicinal properties which can also be of great help to people diagnosed with diabetes. The rambutan fruit comes with a lot of health benefits. Some of these include:

It boosts the immune system due to its high content of vitamin C, the rambutan fruit, which contains phosphorus helps to clean the kidney, thus, removing accumulated waste from the kidney, amongst other numerous health benefits.

How many rambutan fruits can diabetics eat in a day?

According to the Malaysian Dietitian Association, the recommended intake of fruits (including rambutan) for adults is 2-3 servings daily [source]. It is important to be sure that your fruits intake is counted as part of your carbohydrate sources.