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What Makes Coconut Water a Boon for Diabetics?

By Juhi Walia
26 August 2022, 11:36 AM

A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining a good lifestyle and preventing diseases. One of the most common conditions, diabetes, for example, results from unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. While you need to be physically active to prevent or treat it, you also need to understand how foods (types, quantities, and combinations) play a role in maintaining sugar levels. Also, having health insurance is not a bad idea either. Even after following a strict diet routine, you can get affected by diabetes. While many foods help control diabetes, coconut water is highly reliable and effective. One can consume coconut water, often known as nature’s sports drink, anytime and anywhere -- it is clean, fresh, and free of chemicals and added sugars and has various other health benefits. Besides following a healthy diet routine, you may require health insurance too. It will ensure financial protection should you fall sick despite following the routine.

Highlighting the Characteristics of the Fruit

Vital salts, potassium and sodium, help restore electrolyte balance before and after any physical activity, which is one of its most significant benefits. The use of coconut water to treat and prevent dehydration is becoming increasingly popular due to its electrolyte makeup. Additionally, it includes vital amino acids and calcium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, iron, and copper. In addition to being good for one’s general health, coconut water has proven to be an excellent drink for people with diabetes. 

The clear juice in the centre of a green, immature coconut has long been a favourite among health-conscious people. Let’s examine what makes coconut water the finest supplemental libation for a person with diabetes.

Sugar Content in Coconut Water

Coconut water’s sweet flavour results from its natural sugars. Most packaged coconut water contains a copious amount of sugar, though the manufacturer may not necessarily have added it. There is as much as 15g of sugar in a 330ml carton, and it is occasionally just coconut water that has been condensed.

However, you can always prefer fresh coconut water and keep your consumption to 1-2 glasses.

How is Coconut Water Useful for Diabetic People

Provides Vital Nutrients

Numerous vitamins and minerals included in coconut water help the body retain electrolytes. Along with potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and iron, it has a lot of fibre. These components support normal blood sugar levels.

Low Glycemic Index

Not only does tender coconut water have a low glycemic index but it also has minimal natural sugar, so it won’t spike your blood sugar and is safe to consume regularly. 

Helps Boost Metabolism

Coconut water is an excellent alternative for increasing your metabolic rate. The best part is that it has a low carbohydrate content and provides a sense of fullness, which helps to keep your hunger at bay and aids digestion. Coconut water is low in calories and easy on the stomach. It contains a lot of bio-active enzymes, which are known to help with digestion and metabolism. A higher metabolic rate within the body makes fat breakdown simple.

Better Blood Circulation

Diabetes patients have poor blood circulation, which causes vision problems, muscle spasms, and other symptoms. Coconut water improves blood circulation and restores blood flow in the body, allowing you to avoid problems associated with poor blood circulation.

Rich in Fibre

Coconut water contains amino acids that help regulate blood sugar levels and has abundant dietary fibre. Fibre helps the body metabolise sugar and benefits diabetics’ health.

Supports Weight Loss

Your blood sugar levels may become problematic if you are obese. Secondly, people with diabetes usually gain an incredible amount of weight. Coconut water, on the other hand, helps digestion because it contains a lot of bio-enzymes and few calories. Daily consumption of coconut water aids in lowering calorie intake.

Tender coconut water is low in sugar and abundant in vitamins and minerals. However, you should avoid sugar-sweetened coconut water because it could raise your blood sugar levels and calorie intake.

According to animal studies, consuming mature coconut water may lower blood sugar and haemoglobin A1C levels. Therefore, coconut water is advised if you’re looking for a tasty beverage that won’t raise your blood sugar levels.

Notes to Consider While Consuming Coconut Water

It is now clear whether or not people with diabetes can consume coconut water. For diabetics, coconut water has a lot of advantages. However, patients should be aware that coconut water still contains sugar, and specialists advise against drinking it if you have excessive blood sugar. The patient can still drink coconut water, but only in moderation; do not consume excessive amounts.

When consuming coconut water, people with diabetes need to keep the following in mind:

Do not use canned coconut water with sweeteners or sugar; only use pure coconut water. Avoid eating copra since it is high in saturated fat, which raises the possibility of difficulties for diabetics. Afternoon is the best time to drink coconut water to boost immunity and improve cardiovascular health. Patients with chronic kidney illness, rheumatism or gestational diabetes must not drink coconut water. For people with diabetes, older coconuts are preferable to younger ones. It is advised to divide your daily intake of coconut water into two servings of no more than 250 ml each.

Conclusion

It can be challenging to maintain your blood sugar levels within the range advised by your doctor. That’s because various factors can inadvertently alter your blood sugar levels. Diabetes patients need to take their medication even when they feel well, eat healthily, maintain a healthy weight, walk more every day, and make healthy food choices. There is a tremendous amount to do. Although challenging, it’s worthwhile! 

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FAQs

1. What can I eat as a diabetic person?

In addition to the note on drinking coconut water, what diabetics eat is also a point of great importance. 

  • Plenty of fibrous food. 
  • More alkaline intake from vegetables and low-sugar fruits. Moreover, fruits are rich in vitamins, fibre, and natural minerals that regularise blood sugar levels. While apples, grapefruit, oranges, guava, strawberries, and other citrus fruits are good for diabetics, green vegetables are a great source of vitamins, fibre, minerals, and antioxidants. Experts advise patients to consume fresh vegetables like spinach, radish, watercress, and broccoli.

2. What shall I avoid eating as a diabetic person?

  • Patients should consume less white rice and more nutritious carbohydrates, including brown rice, whole grains, and legumes. 
  • Red meat, namely beef, lamb, and other varieties, can potentially encourage the development of diabetes and is prone to dangerous complications.
  • When the body tolerates too much animal fat, cholesterol levels rise, which affects diabetics and raises the risk of blood fat. Patients must stop drinking alcohol and smoking to prevent adverse health impacts.

3. What should my blood sugar level be usually?

The ideal range of blood sugar levels is between 80 and 130 before meals and less than 180 two hours later.

4. Why is it important to keep my sugar level in control?

Maintaining control over your blood sugar is crucial. Your veins and arteries might get damaged when your blood sugar level is high. Later repercussions from this harm could include heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, neuropathies, visual issues, etc.

5. Do I have to reduce carbohydrates from my diet?

A healthy diet should contain carbohydrates. When you have diabetes, it’s essential to control your portion sizes and get most of your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and yoghurt. People with diabetes can benefit from eating reduced fat, higher fibre meals and just enough calories to maintain a healthy weight and control carbs.

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