A typical example is pineapple - a fruit with a mild sweet and sour taste, easy to eat and very popular in daily meals.
Sweetness when tasted does not always accurately reflect the effect of food on blood sugar. Scientists often use the glycemic index (GI) to assess the degree to which a food increases glucose in the blood after eating.
According to classifications by international nutrition organizations and the American Diabetes Association, foods with a GI of 70 or higher are considered high, meaning they can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly after consumption.
Many fruits have a slightly sour or sweet taste but contain a fairly high amount of easily absorbed carbohydrates. When these sugars are quickly digested, they can cause blood glucose levels to spike suddenly.
Pineapple is a fruit rich in vitamin C, manganese and digestive enzymes such as bromelain. However, in terms of sugar metabolism, this fruit has a fairly high GI index, especially when the pineapple is ripe or processed in the form of juice.
When pineapple is pressed into juice or processed into smoothies, the amount of natural fiber in the fruit decreases significantly. This makes sugar absorbed faster and speeds up post-eating blood sugar spikes.
Nutrition experts recommend that drinking fruit juice can cause blood glucose to rise faster than eating whole fruit.
Fiber is an important factor in slowing down carbohydrate digestion. Fruits high in fiber such as apples, pears, or strawberries often have lower GI and are less likely to cause blood sugar fluctuations.
Fiber helps slow down the absorption of glucose in the gut, thereby gradually increasing blood sugar instead of suddenly increasing. This is why nutritionists often recommend eating whole fruits instead of juice to retain natural fiber.
Meanwhile, fruits that are low in fiber or are well-processed can raise blood sugar faster.
Pineapple is still a fruit rich in vitamins and has many health benefits if eaten properly.
Only eat about 100-150 g each time; Prioritize eating fresh pineapple whole pieces instead of drinking juice; Do not eat pineapple immediately after a meal rich in starch.
Can be combined with foods rich in protein or healthy fats to slow down sugar absorption
