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Cherries are allowed for consumption with type 2 diabetes, but they should be eaten with caution. The product contains a certain amount of natural sugars, so if consumed in moderation, it can lead to surges in glucose levels.
Is it possible to eat cherries if you have diabetes?
Cherry is one of the few berries that can be consumed for diabetes. The fruits contain a lot of vitamins and valuable minerals, but the content of natural sugars is reduced. Therefore, when consumed wisely, fruits rarely lead to surges in blood glucose.
The list of permitted products includes both fresh and processed fruits. But they should be consumed without sugar or with a minimal amount of sweetener.Sweet dishes can not only lead to an increase in glucose, but also harm your figure due to their high calorie content, and with diabetes, weight gain is also very dangerous.
Fresh cherry fruits do not lead to glucose surges
Glycemic index of cherries
The glycemic index of fresh fruits depends on the variety. But on average the index is 22-25 units - this is very little.
Can you eat cherries if you have gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes, which often develops in pregnant women due to hormonal changes, differs from regular types of diabetes. Therefore, it is not always clear whether it is worth eating cherries for this disease, or whether it is better to give up the berries.
Fresh cherries are not dangerous for gestational diabetes if eaten in small quantities. It thins the blood and balances sugar levels, and also helps get rid of toxicosis and prevents constipation. Due to its high fiber content, cherries have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestinal system; trace elements in its composition help normalize blood pressure. Thus, in case of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy, the product is predominantly beneficial and even reduces the manifestations of the disease.
The benefits and harms of cherries for diabetes
Fresh cherries have a very healthy and varied chemical composition. Its pulp contains:
- vitamins B - from B1 to B3, B6 and B9;
- potassium, chromium, iron and fluorine;
- ascorbic and nicotinic acids;
- vitamins A and E;
- pectins and tannins;
- coumarins;
- magnesium and cobalt;
- organic acids.
According to the chemical composition, cherry fruits are very useful
Fresh fruits also contain anthocyanins, which are of particular value for diabetes; these substances stimulate the production of insulin in the pancreas.The product is low in calories and contains only about 49 calories per 100 g of berries; it does not lead to weight gain in case of diabetes.
Thus, a diabetic can have cherries, and its value lies in the fact that the fruits:
- have a beneficial effect on digestion and pancreas function;
- relieve constipation and help eliminate toxins from the body;
- remove excess salts and prevent the development of complications, such as gout;
- improve the condition of blood vessels and have a good effect on the composition of the blood.
Of course, the benefits of fruits for diabetes are not at all absolute. Diabetics can eat cherries in moderate dosages. In excess quantities, it can lead to diarrhea and have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the stomach, harm the health of the kidneys, the berries have a diuretic effect.
Beneficial properties of cherry twigs for diabetes
Type 2 diabetics can eat cherries, and not only the berries will be beneficial, but also other parts of the fruit tree, for example, cherry branches. In folk medicine they are used to make healing tea.
Twigs collected in early spring even before flower buds appear have medicinal properties. Cherry twigs are carefully cut from the tree, dried in the shade, and then used to create tea. To prepare it, you need to pour 1 small spoon of crushed raw materials with a glass of water, boil for 15 minutes and strain.
Tea with cherry twigs improves insulin sensitivity
Drink this tea three times a day on an empty stomach.The drink is useful primarily because it increases the body's sensitivity to insulin injections and facilitates the treatment of diabetes. In addition, tea from twigs improves immunity, improves kidney function and removes salts from joints, strengthens blood vessels and has a positive effect on hormonal levels.
What kind of cherries can a diabetic eat?
If you have diabetes, you need to pay attention to the type of cherry, its taste and type of processing. It is recommended to rely on the following simple rules:
- It is most beneficial for diabetes mellitus to eat fresh fruits; they contain a maximum of valuable substances, and they contain very little sugar. It is also allowed to add frozen fruits to the diet, which retain all their beneficial properties.
- Dried cherries are allowed for type 2 diabetes, but on the condition that the fruits were harvested without the use of sugar. They must be dried without using sweet syrup; the berries are simply washed thoroughly, blotted with paper towels and left in the fresh air until the moisture has completely evaporated.
- Even dessert varieties with a sweet taste can be consumed in small quantities by diabetics. However, it is better to give preference to varieties with pronounced sourness, for example, Zarya Povolzhya, Amorel, Rastunets cherries. The more sour the cherry, the less sugar it contains, and, accordingly, the greater the benefits for diabetes.
- The recommended daily dosage is about 3/4 cup - even fresh and unsweetened cherries should not be consumed in excess quantities.
It is better to give preference to more sour fruits
How to benefit from cherries for type 1 and type 2 diabetes
The disease imposes strict restrictions on a person's diet. Even healthy cherries and type 2 diabetes mellitus are combined only under the condition of special processing, for example, you have to forget about sweet desserts, cherry cakes and muffins. But there are still quite a lot of safe recipes for people suffering from diabetes.
Recipes for dishes with cherries for type 1 and type 2 diabetics
If you have diabetes, you can eat cherry fruits not only fresh. You can prepare many simple and healthy dishes from them.
Cherry and apple pie
Apple-cherry pie is allowed in small quantities for diabetics; it does not contain sugar and will not cause harm to health. The recipe looks like this:
- 500 g of pitted cherry pulp are mixed with finely chopped apple, 1 large spoon of honey and a pinch of vanilla;
- add 1.5 large tablespoons of starch to the mixture;
- in a separate container mix 2 large spoons of flour, 50 g of oatmeal and the same amount of chopped walnuts;
- add 3 large tablespoons of melted butter and mix the ingredients.
After this, you need to grease the baking dish with oil, place the fruit preparation in it, and sprinkle the pie with nut crumbs on top. Place the preparation in the oven for half an hour, heated to 180°C, and then enjoy the tasty and low-calorie dish.
Apple-cherry pie in small quantities is allowed for diabetics
Cherry dumplings
For type 2 diabetes mellitus, fresh cherries can be used to make dumplings. According to the recipe, you need:
- mix 350 g of sifted flour, 3 large tablespoons of olive oil and 175 ml of boiling water in a bowl;
- knead the elastic dough with your hands, and then leave it for an hour, covering the bowl with a towel;
- prepare 300 g of cherries - remove the seeds from the fruit, mash the berries and mix them with 1 large spoon of semolina;
- after an hour, roll out the dough into a thin layer and carefully cut out circles about 7-8 cm in diameter;
- Place the cherry filling on each of the scones and wrap, pinching the edges;
- Immerse the dumplings in salted water and boil for 5 minutes after boiling with the addition of 1 large spoon of olive oil.
Ready dumplings can be topped with sour cream before eating. The classic recipe also suggests sprinkling the dish with sugar, but this should not be done if you have diabetes.
Cherry dumplings are very tasty and healthy
Pancakes with cherries
If you have diabetes, you can make cherry pancakes. The recipe looks like this:
- in a small bowl, combine and thoroughly mix 1 egg, 30 g of sugar and a pinch of salt until completely homogeneous;
- pour a glass of kefir, warmed to room temperature, and 1.5 large spoons of olive oil into the mixture;
- mix the ingredients and pour 240 g of flour and 8 g of baking powder into a bowl.
After this, the dough must be mixed again until it becomes completely homogeneous and left for 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare 120 g of cherries - wash the berries and remove the seeds.
When the dough has “rested,” you will need to heat a greased frying pan and place the pancakes on it, and place 2-3 berries in the center.Add a little more semi-liquid dough on top of the berries so that it covers the cherries, and fry the pancakes for 2 minutes on each side until cooked.
Kefir and cherry pancakes can be prepared with a sweetener
Cherry pies
Cherry pies with fresh berries are tasty and nutritious. It’s very easy to prepare them, all you need is:
- prepare the dough - mix 3 cups of flour, 1.5 small spoons of dry yeast and a pinch of salt in a bowl;
- in a separate bowl, mix 120 g of sweetener with 120 g of melted butter;
- add the resulting syrup to the flour;
- pour in 250 ml of warm water and knead the dough properly.
When the dough begins to curl into a ball, you will need to add 2 large tablespoons of vegetable oil, knead the dough thoroughly again until it becomes homogeneous, smooth and airy. After this, the dough is kept under film for 1.5 hours, and in the meantime, the seeds are removed from 700 g of cherries and the fruits are slightly kneaded. According to the classic recipe, it is recommended to mix cherries with 4 large spoons of sugar, but if you have diabetes, it is better to use a sweetener.
Cherry pies are quite nutritious, but if you have diabetes, you can eat them little by little
After this, all that remains is to make pies from the risen tender dough, put a little filling in each and place in the oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes. Although cherry pies will be quite high in calories, in small quantities they will not cause harm in case of diabetes.
Recipes for cherry preparations for diabetics for the winter
Fresh cherries can be preserved throughout the winter using preparations.There are several recipes that allow you to preserve healthy berries for storage.
Cherry compote
One of the simplest recipes suggests making compote. To do this you need:
- rinse 1 kg of fresh berries;
- pour 2 liters of water over the cherries and bring to a boil;
- skim off the foam and boil over low heat for 40 minutes.
After this, the compote is poured into sterile jars and closed for the winter. It is better not to add sugar to the drink if you have diabetes, although you can stir a spoonful of honey into the compote immediately before drinking.
Unsweetened compote - a healthy and tasty drink
Cherry jam
For type 2 diabetes, cherries can be prepared in the form of jam with a sugar substitute. The taste of the delicacy will not be inferior to the traditional one, and will not cause harm. The recipe looks like this:
- in a small saucepan prepare a syrup from 800 g of sweetener or honey, 200 ml of water and 5 g of citric acid;
- 1 kg of cherry fruits, from which the seeds are extracted, are immersed in hot syrup;
- The syrup is brought to a boil again, after which the berries are boiled in it for only 10 minutes.
The finished jam is poured into sterile jars and sealed tightly.
It’s quite possible to make cherry jam without sugar.
Dried cherries
Simple drying helps preserve cherries for the winter; the resulting dried fruits will be completely safe for diabetes. Drying fruits is simple; to do this you need:
- wash the berries and remove the stems;
- spread the fruits in an even layer on a baking sheet or piece of cloth;
- cover the top with a fine mesh or gauze and place it outdoors in light shade.
It takes about 3 days to dry completely. You can also dry the fruits for several hours in the oven at 50°C, but they will retain less benefit.
Cherry fruits should be dried without using syrup.
Frozen cherries
Fresh cherries in the freezer retain all their valuable properties. It is stored for a very long time, and its chemical composition does not change at all; after defrosting, the berries remain just as useful for diabetes.
Freeze cherries like this:
- the fruits are washed, blotted and the seeds are removed;
- the cherries are poured in an even layer on a small tray the size of the freezer and covered with polyethylene;
- Place the berries in the freezer for 50 minutes;
- After the expiration date, the tray is removed, the fruits are quickly poured into a prepared plastic container and placed back in the freezer.
If you freeze cherries in this way, then during storage they will not stick together, but will remain crumbly, since slightly frozen berries will not stick to each other.
Frozen fruits retain all their valuable properties
Restrictions and contraindications
Although cherries are very useful for diabetes, they should not be consumed in some conditions. Contraindications include:
- gastritis with increased production of gastric juice and stomach ulcers;
- tendency to diarrhea;
- urolithiasis and cholelithiasis;
- chronic kidney diseases;
- allergy to cherries.
If you have diabetes, you can eat cherries in limited quantities. In excessive quantities, it can not only lead to increased glucose levels, but also cause indigestion and abdominal pain.
Conclusion
Cherries can be beneficial for type 2 diabetes mellitus both fresh and as part of various dishes.Some recipes suggest preparing even jams and pies from cherries for diabetes; it is only important to ensure that the dishes contain as little sweetener as possible, or replace it with harmless analogues.
