Type 2 diabetes poses serious health risks if blood sugar levels aren't properly controlled. While fruit is an essential component of a healthy diet, Diabetes.co.uk warns that two particular fruits can send blood sugar levels soaring "too high."
This condition occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or the body fails to use the insulin it makes effectively. Insulin's main function is to regulate blood sugar. If you're not careful, blood glucose can climb to dangerous levels.
However, making changes to your diet offers another way to keep blood sugar under control. Foods high in sugar or carbohydrates are the main offenders when it comes to sudden spikes in blood sugar.
While steering clear of these might seem straightforward, not all threats are immediately obvious. Even eating fruit carries certain risks. "Fruit is naturally quite high in sugars and fruit will typically have more carbohydrate than non-starchy vegetables," warned Diabetes.co.uk.
The platform specified two sugary fruits in particular. "For example, bananas and oranges are examples of more sugary fruits whereas berries are examples of less sugary fruits." Because certain fruits contain more concentrated sugar, the health body advises to "bear this in mind to prevent blood sugar levels rising too high."
Nevertheless, it also emphasises that people should take care not to cut out beneficial foods from their diet completely. Fruit, alongside vegetables, is among the most nourishing food groups to incorporate into your daily diet; the Department of Health recommends that people in Britain should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
How to manage blood sugar levels
Maintaining physical activity is essential for blood sugar control, with the NHS advising a minimum of two hours of exercise weekly. "You can be active anywhere as long as what you're doing gets you out of breath," says the health service. Potential activities include brisk walking, climbing stairs, or even carrying out energetic housework or gardening tasks.
Symptoms of high blood sugar
Type 2 diabetes can frequently go unnoticed because of its mild symptoms which don't always result in immediate discomfort. Key warning signs to watch out for are increased urination, particularly at night, persistent thirst, extreme fatigue, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or repeated bouts of thrush, cuts that heal slowly, and blurred vision. Common signs of high blood sugar may also include excessive thirst, frequent urination, weakness or tiredness, blurred vision, and weight loss, according to the NHS.
