Going Bananas

Dietitians and nutrition guidelines recommend that we eat a lot of fruits and vegetables for good health. But if you have diabetes, you might be confused—and maybe concerned—when it comes to fruit. After all, fruit is pretty much all carbohydrate, and carbohydrate raises blood sugar levels. So the logical reasoning is that fruit raises blood sugar, and therefore fruit is “bad.” But is that really true? And what about bananas specifically—should you avoid them if you have diabetes?

Banana basics

Bananas are the ultimate comfort fruit: They’re sweet and creamy, they have no seeds, they’re easy to peel (so no sticky juices on your hand), they’re convenient (just throw one in your bag on the go), and, yes, they taste good.