With the warm embrace of summer, watermelon has become the star of summer that relieves heat and quenches thirst with its refreshing sweetness and abundant water content. However, for diabetic patients, this radiant “star of summer” poses a dilemma as to whether it can bring a bit of coolness to them.
Some believe that behind the sweetness of watermelon hides a high-sugar trap that can lead to uncontrollable blood sugar levels, while others firmly believe that the abundant water content in watermelon acts like a natural blood sugar reducer, bringing a sense of peace to those with sugar-related issues.
So, when faced with this tempting watermelon, is it a “sugar-raiser” or a “sugar-lowerer” for diabetic individuals? Let’s listen to the professional answers from doctors together, perhaps shedding some light on this summer mystery.
What is diabetes?
In the ocean of traditional Chinese medicine wisdom, diabetes is often analogized as thirsting and consuming symptoms, vividly capturing the essence of the condition. Based on the different parts of symptoms, thirst and consumption are meticulously divided into upper, middle, and lower levels.
The upper level seems like an endless desire, with clinical symptoms primarily focused on uncontrollable thirst, as if the spring of life is depleted on the tongue, urgently needing the moistening of sweet nectar.
The middle level is akin to a fire burning in the stomach, with patients showing a fervent pursuit of food, as if the stomach is an insatiable furnace that cannot be satisfied even with excessive food, accompanied by dry stools like soil in the desert lacking moisture.
As for the lower level, it is like a weary traveler frequently seeking shelter from the wind. Frequent urination, lower back pain, reminiscent of fatigue and discomfort after a long journey, warning of metabolic disorders in the body.
All these roots are closely related to genetics, autoimmune factors, and environmental influences. The defect in the secretion or action of insulin, like a wrong note in a symphony, disrupts the harmonious metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the body, ultimately leading to the onset of diabetes.
First understand the nutritional components in watermelon:
When we slice open a watermelon, the bright red flesh shines like the summer sun, with its rich water and sugar content providing energy and moisture. With a water content of over 90%, watermelon is a natural rehydrating product, especially in hot weather, a slice of watermelon can quickly replenish the lost fluids due to sweating.
In addition to the sweet flesh, watermelon also hides various vitamins and minerals. Among them, vitamin A is crucial for maintaining eye health, and the abundant vitamin A content in watermelon undoubtedly provides a natural protective barrier for our eyes. Furthermore, watermelon is rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps us resist the invasion of free radicals, delaying aging.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, watermelon also contains an amino acid called “citrulline,” which has significant effects on promoting urea formation, reducing fatigue, and relieving muscle soreness. In the scorching summer days, when we feel exhausted due to high temperatures, a slice of watermelon can quickly replenish our energy and relieve fatigue.
Diabetic individuals eating “watermelon,” is it increasing or decreasing blood sugar? Doctors tell the truth, don’t eat wrong
When exploring the mystery of watermelon, we first need to unveil its rich nutritional components. This sweet fruit, like a clear spring in summer, contains over 90% pure water, like a natural drink given to us by nature. Within this clear water area, there are hidden treasures—moderate sugar content, vitamin C, B1, B2, carotene, and precious minerals.
Especially worth mentioning is the sugar content in watermelon, that sweet source mainly derived from fructose. Although its glycemic index (GI) is as high as 72, ranking among high GI foods, it does not mean that it causes blood sugar to soar like a tiger rushing down a mountain. Behind the sweetness of watermelon, the sugar content is relatively gentle, with only 6-8 grams per 100 grams of flesh, making it more like a graceful dancer lightly moving on the taste buds.
Therefore, although watermelon has a slightly higher GI value, its sugar content is like the rising morning sun, gentle and not glaring. It brings us sweetness and satisfaction, rather than excessive blood sugar fluctuations. In the scorching summer, let us enjoy this gift from nature to the fullest.
Diabetic individuals should pay attention to the following points when eating watermelon:
1. Savor the charm of watermelon:
In the intense heat of summer, tasting a sweet slice of watermelon is undoubtedly a great joy in life. However, apart from savoring it, one should also control the portion size, with each serving not exceeding 200 grams, allowing the taste buds to enjoy satisfaction within moderation.
2. Choose the right time wisely:
For maximizing the deliciousness and health benefits of watermelon, the best time is approximately two hours after a meal. Avoid consuming on an empty stomach or before meals to reduce potential blood sugar fluctuations, ensuring that each bite becomes a means of health care.
3. Guarding blood sugar:
For diabetic individuals, although watermelon is sweet, it still requires careful attention. After consumption, closely monitor the subtle changes in blood sugar, allowing for timely adjustment of dietary strategies to safeguard one’s health fortress.
4. The way of all-round balance:
A diabetic individual’s diet is like a beautiful symphony, requiring harmonious resonance of various notes. While the impact of individual foods is important, more crucial is the balance and harmony of the overall dietary structure. While relishing watermelon, let’s not forget the balance and goodness of the overall diet.
Elevated blood sugar can easily lead to five major complications, better understand them early
Firstly, the rise in blood sugar seems like opening Pandora’s box, allowing the devil of “diabetic eye disease” to stealthily descend. It is like a silent invasion, quietly eroding our eyesight, causing the once clear world to gradually blur.
Secondly, the fluctuations in blood sugar are like a double-edged sword, disrupting the peace of blood vessels. The blood in a high-sugar state, like thick and stagnant marsh, makes blood flow slow and difficult, leading to “diabetic cardiovascular disease,” casting a shadow over our heart health.
Moreover, high blood sugar is like a cunning intruder silently eroding our nervous system. It breeds “diabetic neuropathy” stealthily, making our senses dull, even losing sensation, like walking in a dark maze, unable to perceive external changes.
Furthermore, high blood sugar can also lead to “diabetic foot,” making our feet fragile. Once injured, it is easy to cause infections, even leading to serious consequences such as amputation.
Lastly, elevated blood sugar can lead to the occurrence of “diabetic nephropathy.” As the filter in our body, once the kidneys are damaged, they can no longer effectively eliminate toxins and waste products from the body, plunging the body into a more serious predicament.
To stabilize blood sugar, three fruits are recommended for regular consumption, potentially beneficial for one’s health
1. Dragon fruit,
Resembling a red gem, it contains a rich treasure trove of high fiber. These fibers absorb water and expand in the body like sponges, cleverly building a barrier for the body, delaying the rapid absorption of glucose and maintaining stable blood sugar. For those desiring to lower blood sugar, dragon fruit is undoubtedly a delicious companion.
2. Apple,
A common fruit in daily life, it can still occasionally visit individuals with high blood sugar. When savored in moderation, it usually does not cause significant blood sugar fluctuations. However, when blood sugar fluctuations are turbulent like waves, fruits rich in sugar should be temporarily avoided to prevent worsening of the condition and affecting bodily harmony. It is worth noting that apples are not always suitable in all situations; on an empty stomach, they may seem indifferent, thus avoid meeting with them at this time.
3. Kiwi,
It is like a green elf, carrying natural sugar alcohols called myo-inositol. This substance acts as a wise harmonizer, cleverly regulating the body’s sugar metabolism to maintain balance. Moreover, kiwi itself is rich in nutrients, with trace elements and vitamins like twinkling stars, providing the body with ample energy and nutrients. For those needing to lower blood sugar, kiwi is undoubtedly a gift from nature.
Extended reading—How do diabetic patients care for themselves in daily life?
1. Select foods cautiously, avoid the “sweet trap.” Sugar, seemingly sweet temptation, is the enemy of diabetic patients. Therefore, on the dining table, reduce the intake of high-sugar foods as much as possible, keeping the taste buds away from that “sweet burden.”
2. Avoid the “greasy battlefield,” stay away from high-calorie, high-fat foods. Although tempting, prolonged intake of these foods is akin to setting a time bomb for the body. For health’s sake, courageously refuse them.
3. Quit smoking and limit alcohol, cherish life. Tobacco and alcohol, like two sharp double-edged swords, ruthlessly erode the health of diabetic patients. Put down the cigarette in your hand, stay away from the glass of alcohol, allowing the flower of life to bloom with even more brilliant colors.
4. Appreciate life but avoid excessive hot tea consumption. Despite the benefits of hot tea, excessive consumption may cause discomfort in the body. While enjoying the essence of tea, moderately control the intake to provide ample nourishment to the body and soul.
5. Regular check-ups, guard health. Blood sugar fluctuations are like changes in the weather, difficult to predict. Therefore, regularly measure blood sugar levels, follow-up appointments, timely discover and adjust treatment plans, keeping health always by your side.
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