Can diabetics eat oranges?

People with diabetes must monitor their blood sugar levels, which their food and diet can significantly influence. They often have to be extremely careful about what they eat. Foods that are naturally high in sugar are especially a big no-no.

It's a frequent fallacy that fruits for diabetes, especially oranges, are unhealthy for diabetes patients and should be avoided. However, studies show that oranges may be a healthy element of a diabetes-friendly diet if consumed in moderation. The effects of oranges on people with diabetes are discussed in this article. So, are oranges good for diabetes? Let us find out.

Is Orange good for Diabetes?

Yes, orange is good for diabetes as they provide a person with several important nutrients that can benefit their overall health and well-being. Oranges may also keep blood sugar levels steady as they have a low glycemic index and high fiber content. Oranges are also high in vitamin C.

Eating a variety of fruits, especially oranges, is beneficial for your health if you have diabetes.

Because GI of orange is low, high in fibre content, and have other nutrients, whole oranges might help you maintain a stable blood sugar level. Its vitamin and antioxidant content in particular may combat oxidative stress brought on by high blood pressure, heart disease, and inflammation.

How much sugar is in an orange?

A normal navel orange sugar content is 77 calories and 14 grams of sugar.

Only about half of this is sucrose, or pure sugar in orange, with the remainder being an equal mixture of fructose and glucose. Fructose is referred to as "fruit sugar," whereas glucose is the most common type of sugar found in the blood. Each of these sugars has a unique interaction with the body, and the sugar found in oranges happens to be in a food that is also high in fibre and vitamins.

Oranges are another another delicious sweet snack that you may have without ingesting a lot of calories or sugar. Also, they're a great method to increase your vitamin C intake.

orange glycemic index

The glycemic index of oranges is 40. Oranges are high in fibre and provide a good source of vitamin C. Although the glycemic index of different oranges varies slightly, the estimated glycemic index of a medium sized orange is around 40, indicating that it falls into the low gi category. As a result, it is safe to consume this pulpy fruit whenever you feel like snacking.

Benefits of Oranges

Here are a few benefits of including oranges in your diet:

• Rich In Fiber: Oranges are known to have a good amount of fiber. They also offer relief from issues like constipation.
• Good For Skin: Oranges give a natural glow to the skin. It helps you look young and tightens the skin.
• Excellent For Weight Loss: Oranges, when taken regularly, help in the reduction of weight.
• Blood oranges also include anthocyanins, a flavonoid subclass found in red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables. These substances may help to battle oxidative damage, heart disease, and inflammation, according to research.

Benefits of Oranges for Diabetes

Fruits have long been an essential component of a balanced diet but can a diabetes patient eat oranges?. People with diabetes should avoid some fruits, but oranges are not one of them. Here are a few advantages of eating an orange for diabetics:

1. ‍Adequate Amount of Vitamins and Minerals
   ‍Oranges include various vitamins and minerals that may be especially useful to people with diabetes. A medium orange contains approximately 91 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C. This vitamin is also an antioxidant, which means that it fights oxidative stress in the body. Elevated blood sugar levels, in particular, promote oxidative stress, which can lead to cellular damage and illness. If you have diabetes, you may require more vitamin C to help you recover from oxidative stress. Know about diabetes treatment.
2. ‍Low glycemic index
   ‍The glycemic index (GI) assesses how rapidly meals alter blood sugar levels after a meal. Eating meals with a low GI can help with blood sugar control. Since oranges have a low GI, they generate a gradual rise in blood sugar levels, making them a good snack choice for people with diabetes. The glycemic index of oranges is 40 which lies in the medium range. However, the overall glycemic load of the fruit is 4.4 – low. This means that consuming an orange will not lead to any blood sugar spikes in the body.
3. ‍Fiber
   Fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that passes through your stomach undigested and provides a variety of health advantages. Fiber-rich meals, in particular, may help with blood sugar control. A medium orange has 4 grams of fiber in it. Fiber reduces fasting blood sugar levels and helps lower blood sugar levels after a meal.
4. ‍Antioxidants
   Flavonoid antioxidants provide several advantages for diabetics, including reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity. Oranges, in particular, are one of the most common sources of flavonoid antioxidants.

Disadvantages of Over Consumption of Orange Juice

Even though orange juice contains nutrients that improve health, it may not be as good for you as it appears. Here are a few disadvantages of orange juices which you should know before drinking them excessively :-

1) Weight Gain

These days everyone is concerned about their health and maintaining their weight. Drinking orange juice may seem healthy, but this is only sometimes the case. Instead of drinking fruit juice, some experts say that adults and children should eat whole fruit. The fruit has fibre, which slows digestion and makes you feel fuller.

As per the study, drinking juice without natural fibre from fruit is linked to obesity and liver damage. This is because consuming a lot of sugar when you drink fruit juice is simple. After all, you can quickly consume the juice of multiple fruits without feeling full.

2) Rise in Blood Sugar and Diabetes 

According to some studies, orange juice contains almost the same amount of sugar and calories as your cold drinks. For example, a glass of a Cold drink has 25 grams of sugar, while orange juice has 21 grams, which is almost the same.

Diabetic people should be especially careful not to consume too much orange juice because sugary drinks can increase your blood sugar, which is one of the disadvantages of orange juice. Even in people who do not have diabetes, sudden spikes in blood sugar can eventually lead to dangerous conditions like kidney disease and heart disease.

3) Can cause Diarrhea and Abdomen cramps

Orange juice has a high fructose content and is acidic, so drinking too much of it can be bad for your body. Excessive fibre may cause digestive issues such as diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. It can also cause severe heartburn because of its acidic nature. Therefore, you must drink moderate amounts of orange juice.

4) Lack of Important Nutrients and Vitamins

More than a glass of orange juice is required to get your daily intake of vitamins and minerals. It does contain some, but it is lacking in other essential nutrients like protein and healthy fats. So, you should not depend only on orange juice for your dietary needs. You should also eat whole fruits and vegetables to get the fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need for good health.

5) Possible Allergic Reactions

If you are allergic to oranges, then it is best to avoid drinking orange juice as it can cause serious allergic reactions. Even if you are not allergic to oranges, drinking too much orange juice can cause an upset stomach or other digestive problems. Therefore, it is important to consume orange juice in moderation.

Orange Nutrition Value

Oranges are good for a person with diabetes, there is no doubt about that fact. However, if you are living with type 1 diabetes, you may need to understand how much to bolus if you are consuming an orange. The nutritional profile of oranges is as follows:

In 1 orange (about 140 grams), you will find:

Oranges also do not have any salt or fat in them. Moreover, they are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc, and therefore, are highly suitable for a person with diabetes to add to their diet.

How Do Oranges Affect Blood Sugar Management?

People with Type 2 diabetes must eat regular meals to control blood sugar and provide adequate nourishment to protect them against the disease's consequences.

You may be wondering, if orange juice is good for diabetes or can a diabetes patient drink orange juice? In addition to many other critical minerals and antioxidants, one average-sized orange may deliver more than three-quarters of your daily vitamin C. So, small amounts of fresh oranges are safe. However, orange juice for diabetics may not be safe to include in the diet, especially for those with Type 2 diabetes.

Carbohydrate Consumption

People with Type 2 diabetes should consume no more than 45 to 60 grams of carbs every meal, according to the American Diabetes Association. The quantity of carbs you can tolerate depends on your gender, age, level of physical activity, weight objectives, and diabetes management. Carbohydrates are present in oranges, as well as all other fruits. Based on your carbohydrate consumption goals for each meal, you can eat oranges or other fruits.

Keeping Track Of Your Blood Sugars

Some individuals with Type 2 diabetes may manage their disease by eating well and exercising regularly, while others will need to take diabetic medicines or possibly insulin injections. Your capacity to handle carbs, whether they originate from sugars, grains, or fruits, will be influenced by your diabetes treatment strategy. Request a signed prescription from your doctor for a blood glucose meter so you can monitor your blood sugar levels at home. Check your blood sugar levels before and two hours after eating an orange-based meal. The sugar level in your blood should not exceed 180 mg/dL. If they occur, reduce the number of carbs you consume until you can avoid an excessive rise in blood sugar levels after your meal.

Is orange juice good for diabetics?

Although 100% orange juice contains a number of vitamins and minerals, it is deficient in fibre, which is crucial for controlling blood sugar.

Moreover, orange juice has a high GI and is frequently consumed with other foods high in carbohydrates, which may raise your risk of developing high blood sugar levels. So, those who have diabetes should restrict their intake.

Orange juice is often known to have a significant advantage over other beverages – this is particularly true if it is 100% orange juice and is not adulterated with any sugar or added preservatives. Two independent clinical studies were conducted to compare 100% orange juice to other glucose drinks or water that was to be consumed with a high-fat/high-carb meal. The study pointed towards more gradual increases in blood glucose levels and insulin when the participants consumed orange juice as opposed to sugary water.

Additionally, a cohort modeling study was also conducted with the same purposes. It saw that the substitution of 100% fruit juice for sugary or sweetened beverages created a significant decrease in the development and risk of several cardiometabolic markers, including type 2 diabetes. Other complications of diabetes like cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, etc were also delayed/prevented with the consumption of orange juice. No adverse impact was noted upon the intake of 100% juice made from whole fruit on cardiometabolic risk factors. Even though 100% fruit juice and sweetened beverages may have the same sugar contents, they may not be comparable regarding cardiometabolic risk factors.

Therefore, if you are trying to understand if orange juice is good for diabetes, you may consider these factors. However, juices should be consumed in moderation by people with diabetes as they are often high in sugar content and are devoid of fiber.

Orange juice glycemic index

The glycemic index, which measures how different foods affect blood sugar levels, ranks orange juice between 66 and 76 on a scale of 100. Fruit juice is thus a high GI drink, and high GI foods and drinks should be avoided by diabetics in most cases.

Different Ways to Consume Oranges For Diabetes

The best way to eat oranges for diabetics people is raw. If you're tired of eating the same old fruit, here are some ways to spice things up:

Salsa de Orange

Combine chopped oranges, tomatoes, coriander, green onions, dried nuts, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl, and add salt and pepper. Serve this salsa on its own or with nachos.

Kebabs de Fruits

Fill a skewer stick with your favorite fruits including oranges. Serve it with a low-fat yogurt dip for more zing.

Oats and Orange

Add some zesty oranges and almonds to your regular oatmeal, and spruce it up with citrusy flavors.

Bottomline

An orange for people with diabetes if consumed in moderation is a good inclusion to diet. It has roughly 15 grams of carbs on average, but a big one can have up to quadruple that amount. You can combine a small orange with 15 grams of carbs with a dish of yogurt, almonds, and a little quantity of granola for 45 grams of carbohydrates, which is suitable for most persons with Type 2 diabetes. You may also stick to your carbohydrate budget by having lunch or dinner with chicken or fish, a medium sweet potato, and broccoli, and finish it with an orange.

FAQs

‍Do oranges raise your blood sugar?

‍Oranges fall under the low glycemic index score. The fruit triggers a gradual and slow increase of blood sugar and glucose levels in the body. It is also fiber-rich, helping people with diabetes feel full for a long time that also helps with weight loss and weight management.

What is the GI score of orange?

The orange has a GI score of 52 and glycemic load of 4.4. Since oranges have low GI scores they trigger a slow increase of blood sugar.

What are the disadvantages of eating oranges for diabetes?

The limited amount of oranges does not trigger diabetes as it has a low GI. However, eating a lot of oranges or orange juice can increase blood sugar.

What are some orange juice alternatives for diabetes?

The best alternative to orange juice is vegetable juices such as Amla juice, Spinach Juice, Karela Juice.

How many oranges can a diabetic eat per day?

The body size, activity level, diet plan, medical conditions, and metabolism might differ among people with diabetes. There is no single right number of oranges that can be consumed however, you can gauge this level by understanding the number of carbs per orange – 15. 1 orange will have 15 grams of carbs, therefore, having 1 or 2 oranges in a day should be sufficient for a person with diabetes.

Will orange juice raise blood sugar?

Orange juice is high in sugar and is quickly digested after consumption. Too much fruit juice can cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels (also known as blood sugar levels), which can lead to hyperglycemia.