Is it possible to eat plums with diabetes?

A disappointing diagnosis forces us to seriously reconsider the usual diet. No matter what type of diabetes an endocrinologist has discovered, the requirements for favorite treats are becoming tough. Ignoring the restrictions instantly affects the readings of the glucometerand promises a prospect with a lot of unpleasant prospects – vision problems, deterioration of blood vessels, a general decrease in the quality of life. Risk of hyperglycemic coma. Doctors say diet and moderate exercise can stabilize a diabetic patient. A person must carefully select foods according to the glycemic index table in order to maintain blood sugar levels at the normal level. If before the diagnosis you liked to pamper yourself with ripe fruits of plums or prunes, now you will probably be puzzled by the question: is it possible to eat plums with diabetes?

Safety index for diabetic plums

“Everything is poison, and nothing is devoid of poisonousness; just one dose makes the poison invisible ”- the words of the legendary doctor of medicine Phillip Theophrastus, known as Paracelsus, describe our situation in the best possible way. It should be added to his words that in the case of the glycemic index (hereinafter – GI), it is also necessary to take into account the method of processing the product, since heat treatment can greatly change the picture of the indications. Plums are consumed by people fresh and as prunes – a dried version. Also, juices, mashed potatoes, sauces, jams, marshmallows and a number of other products are prepared from the fruits. It is important for a diabetic to control glucose levels. So, is it possible to eat plums with diabetes mellitus – if so, what will be the amount?

• GI fresh plum – 22 units;
• When processed to dried fruit, the indicator will already be equal to 25 units, which is still not critical.

A person with diabetes mellitus is allowed for daily consumption foods with an index of up to 49 units inclusive. In a limited amount, up to 2 times a week, you can take food with a GI of 50-69 units.

A complete contraindication is imposed on food products with a value of 70 units and above.

Thus, we conclude: plums are included in the list of permitted foods. Which means you can safely eat up to 250 grams a day.

Calorie content of plum

People with diabetes are prone to gaining weight. To stabilize their status, it is important for them to maintain a normal body mass ratio. Since not all diabetics are physically active, many people prefer to count the calories of the food they eat. Is the plum suitable from this point of view?

100 g fresh plums = 42 kcal

Without processing, the fruits are low in calories. But prunes can easily lead to weight gain.

100 g prunes = 231 kcal!

With a relatively small difference in the glycemic index, dried plums are less preferable to diabetics due to their increased calorie content.

Benefits of consuming plums for diabetes

People with diabetes tend to have frequent urge to go to the toilet. The consequence of this is dehydration and the loss of large amounts of micro and macro elements. Plums will help to replenish the reserves of vitamins E, PP, group B, iron, coumarin, pectin.

• Yellow plums normalize blood pressure, prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques;
• Red – accelerate metabolism, normalize gastrointestinal motility.

Retinol (vitamin A) in plums has a beneficial effect on vision, which is important, because with diabetes, the ability to see can be greatly reduced. Pectin removes toxins and harmful radionuclides. Overweight people, which result in type 2 diabetes, are characterized by problems of constipation, hemorrhoids, and cardiovascular diseases. Plums normalize stool, blood pressure, and remove excess fluid from the body. The vitamins and minerals in the fruit will provide energy.

Improvement of regenerative processes

It is noticed that with diabetes, the regenerative processes in the body worsen. Wounds take longer to heal. The plums contain a full range of trace elements that stimulate the renewal of collagen fibers and the formation of scar tissue. It is not for nothing that wound-healing lotions are made from plum leaves. For a diabetic, this is an important factor, since many people suffer from foci of necrosis and long-term non-healing injuries. If you have no contraindications to fruits, then you should not ask yourself whether it is possible to eat plums with diabetes.

The presence of injuries, scratches that become inflamed and festering is a sign that it is time to strengthen the immune and circulatory system in order to increase the body’s resistance.

Prevention of varicose veins and blood clots

Impaired carbohydrate metabolism leads to increased blood clotting. Here, a person risks getting a violation of blood flow in the lower extremities, varicose veins, the formation of blood clots with the prospect of blockage of blood vessels. Coumarin substances contained in the pulp of a plum are able to slightly thin the blood, normalize the current, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. In this case, the fetus acts much softer and safer than aspirin periodically prescribed by doctors. Potassium normalizes blood pressure, strengthens the heart, removes water from the body, which also reduces the load on blood vessels.

For pregnant

Is it possible to eat plums for diabetes if a woman is pregnant? Another painful question, given that bearing a child with such a disease imposes certain difficulties. Diabetes is inherited with a high probability, and if the mother is already diabetic, then the baby will have sugar restrictions, artificial feeding, and diets from birth. Plum fruits in limited quantities – 3-4 pieces per day are enough – can reduce the development of diabetes during pregnancy, if there is a predisposition to it. In addition, this is an excellent prevention of a lot of problems that pregnant women have to face:

• Thrombosis – coumarins improve blood circulation;
• Constipation – fiber and fruit acids normalize stool;
• Pressure, swelling – perfectly relieved by stimulating the kidneys;
• Plums help cleanse the liver, remove toxins from the body;
• The heart and blood vessels are strengthened;
• Due to riboflavin, vision is supported;
• Bad cholesterol is removed, blood vessels are cleared.

Many women during pregnancy and after childbirth are faced with the problem of hemorrhoids. Plums and prunes become an excellent preventive measure, relieving some of the load from the intestines and helping to normalize blood flow in the lower body.

For men with diabetes

Now it’s worth figuring out whether it is possible for men to eat plums with diabetes mellitus? The disease has a negative effect on the circulatory and nervous systems. In particular, the roots of the spinal cord, which are responsible for the innervation of the urogenital area, can be affected. Doctors even have such a term – diabetic impotence. This means that a diabetic man in most cases begins to experience problems with erection and ejaculation, the disease negatively affects libido. Including plums in the diet, a man can replenish the supply of minerals important for sex hormones – zinc, copper, selenium. A rich set of vitamins will also have a positive effect on well-being. Strengthening blood vessels, thinning blood will improve blood flow in the genitals, an increase in hemoglobin levels promotes oxygen flow. A sedentary lifestyle or hard work can negatively affect the stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs, which can lead to the appearance of hemorrhoids. Plums promote easy bowel movement, normalize blood, restore the nervous system, in particular, due to a set of B vitamins. Such an additive to the diet can significantly improve well-being and help normalize sexual function.

Summing up

The above facts unambiguously answer whether it is possible to eat plums with diabetes mellitus – yes. Another thing is that a person cannot approach the process rashly, abusing this type of fruit. Despite the low glycemic index, plums differ in sugar content depending on the species – darker varieties are sweeter than yellow varieties. Prunes are more high in calories, for people with excess weight it is worth abstaining from it or significantly reducing consumption. Various sources call the daily consumption rate of 150-250 grams. If you have severe diabetes, then on the subject of how much to consume per day, it is better to consult with your doctor. Adding plum fruits to the diet can help alleviate the disease and its side effects:

• Blood thinning occurs, the current in the extremities is normalized, which prevents the development of large vein thrombosis;
• Plum removes toxins, cleanses the intestines, which is important not only for rejuvenating the body. During pregnancy, such help reduces the level of toxicosis, increases efficiency, relieves constipation, cleanses the blood;
• Diabetes lowers libido. Plums contain trace elements necessary for normal levels of sex hormones in men and women. If disruptions began in your sex life, you should seriously think about adding fresh plums to your diet.

It must be remembered that each organism reacts to food individually. If, after eating the fruit, the glucometer does not show sharp jumps in sugar levels, and the gastrointestinal tract does not show signs of colitis or diarrhea, then you can use plums. If negative readings appear, you may have to reduce the dose, eat from time to time, if you do not want to refuse completely. Most often, the question is precisely in the dose and the ability to refrain from excesses, then the plum will benefit health.