Understanding bananas correctly
Bananas are a familiar, nutritious fruit but often cause concern for people with diabetes because they contain carbohydrates, substances that will be converted into glucose when entering the body. A medium-sized banana can provide nearly 30g of carbohydrates and a significant amount of natural sugar, so eating too much can easily increase blood sugar.
However, bananas not only contain sugar but also fiber, which helps slow down the process of glucose absorption into the blood. Thanks to that, blood sugar does not increase too suddenly as when consuming refined sweets. This is the point that makes bananas still appear in the diet if used properly.
Cooking and eating habits determine safety
The glycemic index (GI) of bananas ranges from low to medium and varies with maturity. Green bananas contain a lot of resistant starch, a slow-digest starch, which helps reduce the rate of conversion to sugar. When bananas are ripe, the starch gradually turns into simple sugar, making the ability to increase blood sugar higher.
According to nutrition experts, diabetics do not need to completely eliminate bananas from their diet. Bananas still provide potassium, vitamin B6 and antioxidants that are beneficial for the cardiovascular system and nervous system, if used correctly.
Dr. Frank Hu - a nutritionist at T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University (USA), said: "People with diabetes can still eat whole fruits, as long as they control their portion sizes and avoid abusing foods containing refined sugar.
For safety, patients should eat small amounts, choose just ripe bananas, and avoid eating on an empty stomach. Combining bananas with unsweetened yogurt or nuts also helps slow down sugar absorption and limit blood sugar fluctuations after eating.
In short, bananas are not a food that needs to be absolutely avoided, but a fruit that needs to be understood correctly for controlled use in the diet of people with diabetes.
