Fruit and carbohydrate

A common myth when it comes to diet and diabetes is that you can no longer eat certain types of fruit (watermelon, grapes and bananas are commonly mentioned) or that fruit is off the table altogether, due to its sugar content.

Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose, which is a carbohydrate, so you do need to consider it when it comes to your total carbohydrate intake for meals and snacks.

However, it also comes with another nutrient - fibre - which slows down the release of the glucose into the bloodstream and can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer.

Fruit is also an important source of other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are protective against other health conditions, like heart disease and stroke.

How much fruit can people with diabetes eat?

The current recommendation for people with diabetes is the same as what is recommended in the Australian Dietary Guidelines – which is two servings of fruit per day. When it comes to the effects of fruit on your blood glucose levels, it is the serving size of the fruit that is going to have the biggest impact.

It is best to choose smaller to medium sized serves of fruit, which will give you somewhere between 10-20g of carbohydrate, and spread these two serves out across the day, so you’re not eating them all at once. If you have fruit as part of a meal, be mindful that it adds to the total carbohydrate content of your meal.

What is a serve of fruit?

A standard serve of fruit is about 150g or:

• 1 medium size fruit – such as a medium apple, banana, pear, orange
• 2 small pieces of fruit – such as two small apricots, plums (or other stone fruit) or kiwi fruit
• 1 cup of cut up fruit pieces (e.g. a fruit salad, grapes, berries) or canned fruit in natural juice (drained)

Dried fruit is a concentrated source of fructose. As the water has been removed from the fruit, the size of the fruit itself shrinks, making the portion size smaller. This means that dried fruit is not as filling as fresh fruit and may be easy to over-eat. If you choose to eat dried fruit, limit it to a 30g serve, which is roughly four dried apricot halves or one and a half tablespoons of sultanas.

What about fruit juice and smoothies?

Although fruit juices and smoothies are often promoted as a healthy option, they are usually low in fibre, as they do not contain the skin or the pulp of the fruit. A serving of juice or a smoothie can often contain many serves of fruit, which is likely to cause a spike in your blood glucose levels. Try to limit juices and smoothies and eat whole fruit instead.

How much carbohydrate is in fruit?

Listed below is the amount of carbohydrate in an average serve of different types of fruit. You can see that the serving sizes listed below will give you less than 20g of carbohydrate.

Take-home message

Fruit does not need to be avoided when you have diabetes. You can still enjoy all the fresh seasonal fruit that summer has to offer.

Like any type of carbohydrate, the amount that you eat, and the portion size will have the biggest impact on your blood glucose levels. Aim to eat two serves of fresh fruit each day, spread out across the day and enjoy a wide variety of different coloured fruits (and vegetables) to ensure you are eating a wide range of nutrients.