Grapes can reduce inflammation and support overall health making them a smart choice in a balanced diet, but are they safe for diabetics? Like all fruit, they contain sugar, so people who need to control their blood glucose levels should enjoy them in moderation.
There is some evidence that grape extracts might have beneficial effects on glycaemic control, however, when it comes to whole grapes, the story is less clear. Grape extracts are concentrated and purified from the seeds or skins and do not contain the sugars that whole fruits are packed with. When we look at headlines talking about the health benefits of grapes, it’s essential to pay close attention, are they talking about grapes or grape extract?
Grapes have a low glycaemic index, meaning that their sugars release slower, entering your blood stream gradually over several hours rather than all at once. This has some benefits for diabetics, because it means they are less likely to trigger a big blood sugar spike immediately after eating.
On the other hand, if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, switching your bananas for grapes could be a smart move. In 2023 South Korean researchers published the results of a cohort study of over 150,000 middle-aged people that showed people who ate grapes were less likely to go on to develop type II diabetes.
They were able to use in group comparisons to determine that when it came to fruit consumption, the key difference between people who went on to develop type II diabetes and those who didn’t, was that they ate grapes. This could be down to the grapes, but it could also be that eating grapes rather than other fruit is part of another bigger health decision that helped them to control their blood sugar.
A 2021 systematic review of randomized controlled trials that investigated whether grapes or grape products help blood sugar levels found that grapes or grape derived products helped to reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes. They found that in people with pre-diabetes, grapes and grape extracts brought fasting plasma glucose levels down enough to make a difference to their chances of going on to develop type II diabetes. The problem, however, comes when we can’t say for sure that the whole grapes were just as good as grape extracts.
While there is plenty of evidence that argues that grapes in moderation are a healthy addition to your diet, the jury is out on whether they have benefits for diabetics, or a role in preventing diabetes.
Main points:
- Grapes have a low glycemic index, so they are less likely to raise blood sugar levels.
- Packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that promote diabetic health.
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties that benefit overall wellness.
- The potassium in grapes can help control blood pressure.
Diabetes is a serious health condition, and it affects millions of people around the world. It is often thought that a piece of fruit might be harmful to diabetics because of its sugar content.
However, certain fruits can still be enjoyed in moderation.
Since diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels, people with diabetes must carefully monitor their blood sugar.
It is important to eat foods that have a good effect on blood glucose control.1
They should be high in fiber and have a low glycemic index (GI).1
Benefits of eating grapes
Eating fruits with a low glycemic index, such as grapes, is less likely to spike blood sugar levels.1 Other high-GI fruits should be eaten in low to moderate amounts.
Fruits should be eaten as snacks and not with meals to prevent the overconsumption of sugar.1
Fruit juices should be avoided because they are stripped of all the fiber needed for blood sugar control in diabetics.1
It is important for diabetics to eat raw non-processed fruits.1 Fresh fruits can provide the most nutrient benefits. Processed fruits likely contain added sugars that can be harmful to health.
Fruits should be eaten according to portion sizes as recommended by a healthcare professional
Especially for dried fruits, you should always follow professional recommendations. They contain more carbohydrates than non-dried fruits.1
Grapes are a healthy fruit choice for diabetics that can be eaten in a variety of ways.
Health benefits of grapes for diabetic
Nutrients
In 151 grams of grapes, there are 27.3 grams of carbs, 1.1 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, and 1.4 grams of fiber.2
Their high fiber content makes them a good fruit choice for diabetics.3 Fiber helps with health management because it is not absorbed by the body. Instead, it passes through the stomach and intestines.
For diabetics, it can normalize bowel movements, remove “bad” cholesterol, and slow down how much sugar is taken into the body.3
Grape fiber can also help with obesity-related diabetes. As an energy-dense low-calorie food, it improves the feeling of fullness.3
Grapes are packed with lots of essential vitamins and minerals.
They are filled with vitamins C, K, and B6, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, potassium, copper, and manganese.1
Vitamin K is good for proper blood clotting, and vitamin C is a great antioxidant source.1
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are important compounds for protecting against free radical damage that causes oxidative stress.4
Grapes hold most of their antioxidant chemicals in their seeds and outer skin.4
Depending on the type of grape they will have different antioxidants that give them their unique colors and health benefits.4
Grapes carry many antioxidants, such as resveratrol, anthocyanins, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and others.4
Anti-inflammatory
Anthocyanins are an anti-inflammatory compound found in foods.4 Grapes are full of anthocyanins, along with other things that help decrease the amount of inflammation in the body.4
Control blood pressure
Grapes contain 6% of the daily recommended potassium intake (151 grams).2 Potassium is a key mineral for regulating blood pressure.5
The potassium from grapes can decrease blood pressure in the vessels of the heart and protect against disease and stroke.5
Lower blood sugar
Resveratrol is a chemical compound known to regulate the way the body handles sugar after a meal.6
Grapes contain resveratrol and for this reason, they can help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels.
A study done in 2015 showed that men who consumed 20 grams of grape extract a day had lower blood glucose levels, than those who did not.6
The purpose of the GI is to show how much or how little carbohydrates spike blood sugar.
The sugar in grapes, and other fruits, is called fructose.
One cup of grapes contains 23 grams of fructose.1 Although this may seem high, a single serving of grapes has a glycemic index of 25.4
This is a low score compared to other types of fruits.
Grapes can be beneficial for diabetics because they rank low on the glycemic index
When eaten in moderation, grapes can provide great health benefits for diabetics.
Reduce cholesterol
The polyphenols (nutrients from plants) found in grapes can help to control cholesterol levels.7
One study, involving 69 participants, has shown that eating three cups of red grapes was able to lower “bad” and total cholesterol levels in people.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional to create a meal plan that’s right for you.
References:
- Fruit | ADA. (n.d.). American Diabetes Association. https://www.diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well/fruit
- Grapes Nutrition Information. (n.d.). Nutrition Data. https://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-grapes000000000000000000000.html
- Akaberi, M., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2016). Grapes (Vitis vinifera) as a Potential Candidate for the Therapy of the Metabolic Syndrome. Phytotherapy Research, 30(4), 540–556. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5570
- Pezzuto J. M. (2008). Grapes and human health: a perspective. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 56(16), 6777–6784. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf800898p
- Yang, Q., Liu, T., Kuklina, E. V., Flanders, W. D., Hong, Y., Gillespie, C., Chang, M. H., Gwinn, M., Dowling, N., Khoury, M. J., & Hu, F. B. (2011). Sodium and potassium intake and mortality among US adults: prospective data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Archives of internal medicine, 171(13), 1183–1191. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.257
- Urquiaga, I., D’Acuña, S., Pérez, D., Dicenta, S., Echeverría, G., Rigotti, A., & Leighton, F. (2015). Wine grape pomace flour improves blood pressure, fasting glucose and protein damage in humans: a randomized controlled trial. Biological research, 48(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40659-015-0040-9
- Rahbar, A. R., Mahmoudabadi, M. M., & Islam, M. S. (2015). Comparative effects of red and white grapes on oxidative markers and lipidemic parameters in adult hypercholesterolemic humans. Food & function, 6(6), 1992–1998. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5fo00100e
- Image by NickyPe from Pixabay
- Yu H, Lee CM, Oh SW. Fruits and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Cohort. Korean J Fam Med. 2024;45(1):44-50. doi:10.4082/kjfm.23.0201
- Moodi V, Abedi S, Esmaeilpour M, et al. The effect of grapes/grape products on glycemic response: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2021;35(9):5053-5067. doi:10.1002/ptr.7135
