Short Answer: Guava is good for diabetes type 2. Because it has vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants and they can help lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and protect against oxidative stress.
Diabetes type 2 is a condition that affects your blood sugar levels and how your body uses insulin.
In diabetes type 2, your body either does not produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take in glucose from the food you eat and use it for energy.
This can lead to various health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney damage, nerve damage, eye problems, and infections.
One of the key factors in managing diabetes type 2 is diet.
What you consume can affect your blood sugar levels, which can impact your diabetes symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage diabetes type 2, you should consume fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes and avoid refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fats like white bread, candy, soda, and butter.
Now, guava is a tropical fruit that has a sweet and sour taste. People usually eat it raw, cooked, or as juice, jam, or tea.
Guava is good for diabetes type 2 because it contains vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants.
These nutrients can help lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and protect against oxidative stress.
One medium guava (about 165 grams) can give you 112% of your daily vitamin C needs, 12% of your daily potassium needs, 9 grams of fiber (36% of your daily needs), and 228 milligrams of antioxidants1.
Vitamin C can help boost your immune system and prevent infections, which are common complications of diabetes2.
Potassium can help regulate your blood pressure and prevent kidney damage.
Fiber can help slow down the absorption of sugar and lower your cholesterol levels.
Antioxidants can help prevent cell damage and reduce the risk of diabetes complications like heart disease and nerve damage.
Furthermore, guava is a low-glycemic food and has a glycemic index of 206.
Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food raises your blood sugar levels.
Low-glycemic foods are good for diabetes type 2 because they do not cause sudden spikes or drops in blood sugar levels.
Because of this, they can help you control your appetite and prevent overeating.
You can eat one or two guavas per day safely.
More than that can cause diarrhea, bloating, or gas because of the high fiber content.
Also, you shouldn’t eat guava if you have a latex allergy to prevent an allergic reaction.
Because guava contains a substance called chitinase, which is similar to latex and can trigger a cross-reaction.
You can buy fresh guava in your local market or can order it from online.
Always choose ripe, firm, and unblemished guavas.
Because they have the best flavor and nutritional value.
You can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a year.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing diabetes type 2 effectively.
I always recommend my diabetes type 2 patients to follow a diabetes-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.