Is Blueberry Good for Diabetics?
Zoomi Singh
January 9, 2023
Diabetes
Blueberry (Vaccinium Cyanococcus) is a vibrant, juicy fruit jam-packed with nutrients. Blueberries are among the most healthy, antioxidant-rich fruits in the world. Even though they come in such a small size, blueberries are a superfood.
Documented studies show blueberries heal several conditions. Obesity, retinal damage, liver, and inflammatory diseases of the stomach and kidneys are a few.
In addition, tumours, microbial infections, cognitive decline, bone loss, improvements in blood sugar levels, benefits for brain health, maintenance of a healthy heart, and many more get significantly managed by consuming blueberries. Blueberries’ long list of benefits gets enhanced by the fact that they are low in calories and delicious.
Blueberries and the prevention of diabetes are strongly correlated. Increased fruit consumption, especially of blueberries, is directly linked to a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. In addition, fresh blueberry consumption is linked to improved glucose metabolism.
Read on to learn more about blueberries and diabetes.
Nutritional Properties of Raw Blueberry
100 grams of blueberries hold the following nutritional values.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 57 kcal |
| Protein | 0.74 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.49 g |
| Fat | 0.33 g |
| Fibre | 2.4 g |
| Calcium | 6 mg |
| Iron | 0.28 |
| Magnesium | 6 mg |
| Phosphorus | 12 mg |
| Potassium | 77 mg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 80 µg |
| Vitamin C | 9.7 mg |
| Vitamin K | 19.3 µg |
| Vitamin A | 3 µg |
Note: The recommended amount for consumption is 150 grams/1 per cup a day.
Blueberries – An Overview
A widespread and widely grown genus of perennial flowering plants, blueberries produce small blue or purple berries. They belong to the Vaccinium genus and are included in the Cyanococcus division.
Blueberry is one of the most beneficial fruits, containing micronutrients and antioxidants. Therefore, they belong to the Vaccinium genus and get included in the Cyanococcus division.
Blueberries include a variety of phytochemicals, such as an abundance of anthocyanin (purple) pigments. Vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fibre are all present.
One serving of vitamin C provides around 16% of the required daily. Blueberries have several health benefits. Its vitamin C content is necessary for tissue growth and development. Also, it accelerates wound healing and avoids infections.
Vitamin C primarily works as an antioxidant by oxidising polypeptides in the human body. The key trigger for insulin release through this oxidation pathway increases pancreatic effectiveness. Therefore, consuming blueberries lowers the chance of developing diabetes.
Blueberries and Diabetes – A Positive Correlation
Studies have demonstrated that eating blueberries can reduce insulin resistance. It also improves glucose tolerance, which may help prevent and control type 2 diabetes.
The fruits’ richness in vitamins and minerals promotes weight loss, efficient processing of glucose, and improved insulin sensitivity. One of the best ways to add variety to your diabetes-friendly diet is by including berries. They get loaded with fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Investigations show that eating blueberries can increase insulin sensitivity, which may benefit pre-diabetic patients. In addition, according to several studies, consuming blueberries significantly correlates with a reduced risk of diabetes.
Scientists have also demonstrated that it is ideal to eat whole blueberries. That means you must eat them in their raw state. That is how you will get their complete health benefits.
This fruit is excellent for people with diabetes since it helps with insulin sensitivity, weight management, and glucose processing. In addition, polyphenols, which contain beneficial molecules called anthocyanins, are abundant in blueberries.
According to researchers, including blueberries in one’s diet may reduce blood sugar fluctuation.
According to research, the anthocyanin-rich blueberries’ actions have beneficial effects on glucoregulatory function.
Blueberry Benefits for Diabetes
Native to North America, the blueberry is a wonder fruit. They are renowned for being incredibly healthy for people with diabetes and those at high risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.
Glucose is processed more effectively with the help of blueberries. According to an in-vivo study, feeding blueberry-enriched powder to the animals reduced their levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and belly fat.
Additionally, it improved insulin sensitivity and fasting glucose. Other animal studies have revealed that blueberry tea improves insulin sensitivity.
The blueberries also reduced body weight and fat mass when paired with a low-fat diet. Additionally, the liver shrinks in size. Insulin resistance and obesity, prevalent symptoms of diabetes, are associated with an enlarged liver.
The GI or glycemic index reveals how quickly carbs affect your blood glucose levels. For example, blueberries have a low glycemic index (GI) of 53.
Diabetes was less common in people who ate foods high in anthocyanins, especially blueberries. Also a lower index of peripheral insulin resistance, according to epidemiological research.
The HealthifyMe Note
Blueberries include a variety of phytochemicals. Additional nutrients include dietary fibre, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, etc. Several studies show that eating blueberries is directly linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and better control of the disease.
Are Dried Blueberries Good for Diabetics?
Blueberries are referred to as a diabetes superfood by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). A good fibre source is dried blueberries. Fibre supports a healthy digestive system and aids in diabetes type 2 blood sugar management.
Dried blueberries are low in carbohydrates and have a low glycemic index. As a result, they are less likely to produce blood sugar spikes because they digest very slowly compared to many other carbohydrates.
It makes them an excellent food for people with diabetes. Consuming three servings of dried blueberries may reduce the average blood glucose levels of patients with diabetes (T2DM).
Surveys indicate thermal treatment alone had less impact on anthocyanin loss than thermal treatment, followed by an osmotic treatment.
The antioxidant activity of blueberry anthocyanin extracts got measured, and the results revealed no significant difference between fresh, dried, and frozen blueberries.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a long-term medical condition. Type 1, type 2, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes are a few examples. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help with effective diabetes control regardless of the type of diabetes you may have. Blueberries get highly recommended to add to your diet if you are a diabetic patient.
If you want a cutting-edge technological solution for your diabetes that tracks your blood sugar levels minute by minute, controls calories, and offers real-time personalised coaching, HealthifyPro is the solution.
Users may monitor their blood sugar levels as needed throughout the day due to a continuous glucose meter with HealthifyPro 2.0. The CGM keeps track of all blood sugar spikes caused by different foods and offers more precise data than traditional approaches.
Maintaining healthy and normal blood sugar levels is key to preventing long-term, major health issues, including heart disease, eyesight loss, and renal illness.
The Supporting Sources
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2. Stull AJ. Blueberries’ Impact on Insulin Resistance and Glucose Intolerance. Antioxidants (Basel). 2016 Nov 29;5(4):44. doi: 10.3390/antiox5040044. PMID: 27916833; PMCID: PMC5187542.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187542/
3. Schwartz SS. Optimising glycemic control and minimising the risk of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Drugs Context. 2013 May 22;2013:212255. Doi: 10.7573/dic.212255. PMID: 24432042; PMCID: PMC3884850.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3884850/
4. Nunes S, Vieira P, Gomes P, Viana SD, Reis F. Blueberry as an Attractive Functional Fruit to Prevent (Pre)Diabetes Progression. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jul 22;10(8):1162. doi: 10.3390/antiox10081162. PMID: 34439410; PMCID: PMC8389043.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8389043/
5. Calvano A, Izuora K, Oh EC, Ebersole JL, Lyons TJ, Basu A . Dietary berries, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes: an overview of human feeding trials. Food Funct. 2019 Oct 16;10(10):6227-6243. doi: 10.1039/c9fo01426h. PMID: 31591634; PMCID: PMC7202899.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7202899/
6. Hushyar Azari, Ashti Morovati, Bahram Pourghassem Gargari et al. blueberry improves components of metabolic syndrome in animal studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 02 May 2022, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1612980/v1]
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-1612980/v1
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