Can people with diabetes safely eat pineapple?

Pineapple is rich in nutrients. However, it can be high on the glycaemic index. If you’re living with diabetes, fresh pineapple may be a better option than canned, dried, or juiced pineapple.

Pineapple and diabetes

If you have diabetes, you can eat any food, including pineapple and other fruit, but you’ll need to consider how the food you eat fits in with the rest of your diet and lifestyle. 

The type of diabetes you have can also have an effect.

Doctors advise people with diabetes to:

• eat a nutritious, balanced diet

• keep track of the food they eat, especially the carbs

• have an exercise plan that fits with their carb intake and medication use

However, since fruit contains carbohydrates, including natural sugars, you need to account for it in your meal and exercise plan.

Carb counting for pineapple

Many people with diabetes count their carbohydrate intake every day because carbs are responsible for raising blood sugar levels. 

To keep glucose levels within a healthy range, you need to have a steady intake of carbs throughout the day. 

When carb counting, most people aim for 45–60 grams (g) of carbs per meal and 15–20 g of carbs per snack, depending on calorie goals for the day. 

But, the amount will also vary depending on individual factors, such as medications and exercise levels. Your GP or a dietitian can help you make a plan after identifying how many carbs you need.

Balancing carbs means you can eat what you like, but you need to make sure the total number of carbs in one session is within a specific range. 

So, if you add one high carb ingredient, such as pineapple, into a meal, you may need to do without a potato or a piece of bread, for example, so that you have the right number of carbs.

Pineapples and sugar

However, it’s worth noting that, of the carbs in a thin slice of pineapple, 5.5 g are naturally occurring sugar. 

A 3oz slice contains 8.3g of sugar, and 250g of pineapple chunks contains 16.3g. The body digests sugar more quickly than other types of starch, and it’s more likely to trigger a glucose spike.

Be conscious of the carb difference between canned pineapple chunks, drained of juice, as opposed to pineapple chunks in heavy syrup which will have a higher carb value. Check the label on the can to find out the carb value for a specific product.

Just 125g of 100% pineapple juice contains 16g of carbohydrates. 

Juicing a fruit partly breaks down its fibres, which means that sugar from juice will enter the bloodstream more quickly than sugar from whole fruit. 

Drinking a large glass of pineapple juice will likely trigger a glucose spike even if the juice is labelled “unsweetened” or “100% juice.”

Pineapple is a sweet and tasty fruit that contains some essential nutrients. 

One thin slice of pineapple provides a considerable dose of vitamin C. Comparable with daily requirements for men and women. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, among other functions. Pineapple also contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, folate, and various antioxidants that can help boost your overall health. However, it can also contain sugar that must be accounted for in the daily allowance for carbs.

Extracts taken from Natalie Silver from www.healthline.com