Dates For Diabetes

Dates come from the date palm. This palm and its fleshy edible sweet fruit have been popularized by the Persian Gulf. This fruit is known for staying through the harsh winter and severe climates of the deserts. Not only is it a very hardy fruit, it is also a fruit that is rich in nutrients and makes a great addition to your daily snacks.

Dates contain a lot of sugar which sometimes makes it an unfavorable item for diabetics. Dates also contain vitamin A, thiamine, and complex of vitamin B, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E, vitamin K, along with minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.

Dates can provide fiber and are fat and cholesterol free. These fruits, fresh or dried, are the perfect energy snack. It contains fructose, sucrose and glucose which is what makes it naturally sweet. In the countries where dates are popular, they are often used to break fasts. 

The potassium in the dates gives it heart-strengthening capability. The magnesium in it makes the bones stronger and helps metabolism. It also has mild laxative properties so consuming the fruit can also help constipation and sluggish digestive systems. Dates have also been used in tonics to improve the health of reproductive organs. This fruit is also known to strengthen uterine walls and therefore is known to help in labor for pregnant women. It can also help new mothers in improving lactation while boosting their health and immunity. 

Dates are popular not only because of their accessibility and availability but also because they can benefit the body in so many great ways. The same benefits do not apply to people suffering from diabetes. Though dates are low in carbohydrates, their high sugar content makes them one of the red-letter items as far as diabetes goes. 

Dates have no cholesterol or protein and its carbohydrate content is largely made of sugar. Therefore, diabetics are allowed dates only in small amounts and as a part of a healthy meal plan.

Dates, along with other healthy but relatively unsafe foods for diabetes like peanuts and honey, often get a bad rap. These foods are, however, good for reducing bad cholesterol or LDL. For diabetics in particular portion control of these foods becomes very important. There are current studies being conducted to identify how the glycemic index could be affected if dates are had in conjunction with other foods like yogurt or whole grain cereal. More on diabetes symptoms and causes

A glycemic index is basically an index categorizing the food based on how quickly the body digests it and converts it into glucose. Glucose for diabetics needs to be controlled. High-glycemic foods are usually refined foods, sugar and most carbohydrates. Vegetables and fruits are generally low glycemic foods. This, however, does not hold true for some fruits and vegetables. Dates fall in that category, which is why dates are not readily recommended for people with diabetes. 

On-going research looks at how dates can be evaluated better on the glycemic index. Currently dates are quite high on this list because of its high sugar content. More dieticians and health professional are open to including few dates in combination with other elements like whole grains and vegetables, just like they are included in food in the Middle East. Newer research on the glycemic index indicates that just categorizing food on the basis of the sugar assimilation may not be the right way to do it. There are no obvious side effects of eating too many dates but regularly consuming a high number of dates can increase your risk to type 2 diabetes or the insulin resistant diabetes.

 http://www.diethealthclub.com/diabetic-diet/dates.html

Can diabetes patients eat dates

 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090825025208AAAtqId

Yes. Diabetics can eat dates. In fact doctors advice them to replace white sugar with PALM SUGAR, DATES and HONEY, if they want to have something sweet. It is better to have limited amount of these sweet items. The diabetic patient can consum about 2 or 3 fruits (Dates) per day.

The date is a food of high nutritional value. It provides natural sugar in the form of glucose and fructose. This sugar is ready for immediate absorption and is, therefore, infinitely superior to cane sugar. It is usually taken raw or with milk, which makes it highly nutritious in most respects.

Energy in date : 287kcal,

Glucose: Min 41%, 

Frutose:Min 29%, 

Fiber:4.0g. 

Protein:3.3, 

Iron:2.60gm. 

Carbohydrate:68.0g.Br ix:70 +_ 1%, 

Vitamin BI:0.03mg.

Vitamin B2 :0.06mg.

Vitamin C :2.60mg.
 

4 Simple Ways In Which Dates Help Control Diabetes

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Diabetes means a big “NO” to sugar intake. Is it really true? Studies say that it is not true. Diabetics need to control their sweet intake instead of stopping sweet consumption. Controlling the sweet intake will slowly decrease the blood sugar level. Dates, an edible natural sweet fruit, are a healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners.

Dates and Diabetes – How Dates help Control Diabetes?

1. Possesses low and healthier GI:

It is quite obvious that your practitioner must have recommended you to be cautious about the glycemic index of any food you consume. This is because high GI foods are the main culprit in increasing the sugar level in the bloodstream. Experts have proved that dates have healthier GI and this is the reason that they are prescribed by many doctors for the diabetics. You might be anxious to know the GI of dates. Its GI depends on the type of dates you are consuming. Their variation rate is minimum 35.5 to maximum 49.7

2. Dates contain Glucose and Fructose:

Diabetics have a tendency to remove carbohydrates from their diet plan. Instead of removing them, one should include healthier whole grain carbohydrates. For example, if a diabetic intakes one hundred gram of dates then indirectly he is consuming seventy five grams of carbohydrates. Fructose, glucose and last but not the least sucrose are the sugars available in those carbohydrates. They work together to provide instant energy . Thus, many studies reveal that a diabetes patient can keep a packet full of dates while going out for work. This is because whenever the patient will feel lethargic then he may bring back the lost energy by eating one or two dates.

3. Fat free and nutritious sweet fruit:

Diabetic’s must also be aware of controlling their weight. They should eliminate many food items from their snacks. This sweet desert fruit is cholesterol and fat free therefore, they serve as a great snack item. Many essential disease protective minerals are also present in dates. The minerals present are iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and also copper. These minerals are required in small amounts but if the body is deprived of these nutrients then the health condition may be worsened. The insulin production is improved by the presence of zinc. Level of sugar is regulated by magnesium.

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4. Dates contain Dietary Fibre:

Digestive function becomes normal if a person consumes large amount of fibre foods. Eight grams of fibre is present in hundred grams of dates. Researches expose that a soluble fibre is present in dates naming Beta-D-glucan. This soluble fibre decreases the absorption of cholesterol by the body cells. Glucose is absorbed by the small intestine. Thus it is concluded that the level of blood sugar is not increased if a diabetic consumes dates within a prescribed limit.