It is estimated that about 422 million people around the world have diabetes. As per health reports, in every family, one person has diabetes. Given the large population in the clutches of this metabolic disease, pharmaceutical companies everywhere are striving day and night to get a cure.
While on this journey for the cure, researchers have found many fruits, vegetables, roots and other easily accessible therapies that help control diabetes. One of the fruits on this list is the custard apple.
Is custard apple good for diabetes? Yes, it helps control blood sugar. Why? Let’s take a look.
But first,
A Note On Diabetes
Diabetes is a common metabolic disease that manifests when the blood glucose level increases in the body. This could happen if the body does not produce enough insulin or does not properly utilise the insulin produced to control increased glucose in the blood. To compensate for the function of insulin, it is supplemented intravenously.
The more common forms of diabetes are Type-I and Type-II diabetes. But there are other two types of diabetes, known as gestational and latent autoimmune diabetes, commonly seen in adults.
Although lifestyle and environmental factors play a role in getting diabetes, it may be hereditary. While there is no permanent cure for this disease, with proper care it can be controlled.
Nutrients Found In The Custard Apple And Their Effects
Custard apple is a sweet seasonal fruit helpful in managing heart-related diseases, PCOD in women, and even diabetes. It contains nutrients like magnesium, potassium, antioxidants, vitamin C and flavonoids that have a summative anti-ageing effect on the heart and circulatory system.
Flavonoid is a secondary metabolite found in plants and plant products. It is useful in treating tumours and cancer. Custard apples also contain riboflavin which is essential for eye health and good vision.
This diabetes control food has only 28% sugar made up of fructose and glucose, which is less than the other fruits. Apart from having anticancer and antidiabetic properties, it also has a low glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index defines the increase of a certain level of glucose in the body after consuming a carbohydrate-rich food. It is found that the GI value for custard apple is 54, which comes under the low category of GI value.
Including Custard Apple In Your Diet
A common myth about custard apple is that since it is sweet diabetic people should not consume it. But that’s not the case. People wondering if custard apple is good for diabetes should know that despite the sweetness, it has many additional nutrient properties that can help control diabetes to a large extent.
Custard apples should be included in the diet when it is in season. It can be eaten raw, or you can make a smoothie by adding curd and honey.
Is Custard Apple Good For Diabetes?
People with diabetes can consume this fruit in small amounts as it has a low glycemic index value. The presence of antioxidants will enhance the production of insulin by the pancreas. The presence of dietary fibres in the fruit has also proven effective in slow absorption of sugar in the blood. Hence, it is a diabetes control food.
The custard apple and its leaves have also proven effective in treating diabetes. Its leaves contain antioxidant properties, and it increases insulin production. It also manages the blood sugar concentration in the muscles preventing the sudden spike in sugar levels in the body.
Conclusion
Custard apples have many benefits for people with diabetes. Be it type-I diabetes or type-II diabetes, it can control the disease to a certain extent. Although the beneficial activities of fruit have been discussed, its disadvantages should not get unnoticed. Eating too much custard apple can cause an overdose of magnesium and potassium, which may react with diabetes medicines. Having an optimal amount of this seasonal fruit is a sweet treat that helps manage diabetes.