The change and unhealthy lifestyle of people have led to an increase in the prevalence of diabetes in all age groups today and has become a matter of concern for public health. Diabetes can be defined as an illness that influences how your body utilises the blood sugar known as glucose. People diagnosed with diabetes are prescribed to stay away from sweeteners as they will increase the sugar level in the body, thus making the condition worse.
Fruits are a healthy option to include in a day-to-day diet. Diabetes patients are often suggested to consume high fibre foods to control blood sugar levels. However, some fruits are high in sugar levels and are thus advised to avoid for people with diabetes. And this leads us to the question, “is papaya good for diabetes?”
Glycemic Index
If a food is suitable for a diabetes patient or not is based on its glycemic index. The Glycemic index is an assigned value to foods on their capacity to increase blood sugar levels. Often, foods are classified into high, medium, and low glycemic foods based on their Glycemic Index. The lower the GI of the food, the better it is for diabetes. And the Glycemic Index of Papaya answers our question- Is Papaya Good for Diabetes? The GI of papaya is 60, which falls in the medium category. The medium score GI of Papaya makes it a good choice for diabetes patients.
Why consume papaya?
Papaya is a potential fruit with many health benefits and aid in diabetic’s diet. Papaya has high nutritional value and is rich in fibre and low in sugar but sweet in taste, making it a healthy and tasteful option for inclusion in the diet of people with diabetes. It has rich flavonoids and antioxidants, which regulate blood sugar levels. Also, papaya leaves help in regulating blood sugar levels.
Papaya helps in constipation as it is of high fibre and water content. Papaya helps in the prevention of burn infection and supports wound healing. Also, many dermatologists suggest the application of raw papaya on the skin as it constitutes skin-healing properties. Papaya can help diabetic patients prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. It also contains several unique protein-digesting enzymes, including papain and chymopapain and relieves lower inflammation.
Ways in which people with diabetes can consume papaya
- Chopped slices of ripe papaya for breakfast with the optional addition of yoghurt or nuts.
- Papaya smoothie with no sugar added along with ice makes a great drink.
- Papaya along with chicken and avocado with added olive oil is a healthy salad to munch on for diabetes patients.
- Also, a salsa of papaya, chopped onion, tomato, and cilantro can be added to the diet of people with diabetes.
Substitute of papaya in the diet of diabetics
Facts suggest that one cup of fresh raw papaya contains about 11 grams of sugar. This makes it one of the best options for diabetic patients to have sweets in their diet to limit and manage weight. However, some other fruits can replace papaya in the diet of diabetes patients. Some of these are apples, apricots, blueberries, cranberries, grapefruit, plums, tangerines, blackberries, pears, strawberries, and raspberries. They are lower glycemic index foods and hence are better than papaya.
Pre Diabetic Diet
“Prediabetes”-is an unusual term for most of us. Prediabetes is a health condition where the blood sugar level is higher than usual but not high enough to be diabetes. However, the stage from prediabetes to diabetes is not far enough if not taken care of. Some measures like maintaining a pre-diabetic diet, exercising regularly, and taking medication if your doctor prescribes it to manage prediabetes. The diet for prediabetes includes low carbohydrate foods and nutrient-rich and high fibre foods. Also, just like diabetes, papaya is an excellent addition to the pre-diabetic diet due to its increased benefits to blood sugar levels.
Along with following the right diet, a diabetes patient must be aware of what to avoid in food and never include it in their diet. Foods that diabetes patients should avoid include products containing trans fats like processed snacks and margarine. Also, they should limit their sodium intake.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a disease that cannot be entirely cured by medication or treatment. A person with diabetes must always control blood sugar to live a healthy life. But medication and exercise are not enough to control blood sugar levels. In addition, a person with diabetes must also plan a diet with low-sugar foods. Along with eating the right foods And papaya, a vibrantly coloured fruit with healthful nutrients and pulpy, can be added as one of the fruity indulgences to meet the sweet cravings of a diabetes patient while keeping the blood sugar levels under control.
