I've heard that you shouldn't eat sweet fruits such as strawberries or blueberries if you have diabetes. Is this true?

Answer From M. Regina Castro, M.D.

It's a common myth that if you have diabetes you shouldn't eat certain foods because they're "too sweet." Some fruits do contain more sugar than others, but that doesn't mean you can't eat them if you have diabetes.

The total amount of carbohydrates in a food affects blood sugar levels more than the source of the carbohydrates — or whether that carbohydrate source is a starch or sugar. As you decide what fruit to eat, keep in mind that one serving of fruit should contain no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates. So the size of the serving depends on how much carbohydrates are in the fruit.

The advantage of eating a low-carbohydrate fruit is that you can eat a bigger portion. But whether you eat a low-carb or high-carb fruit, as long as the serving size contains 15 grams of carbohydrates, the effect on your blood sugar is the same.

The following fruit servings contain about 15 grams of carbohydrates:

  • 1/2 medium apple
  • 1/2 medium banana
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 3/4 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup cubed cantaloupe or honeydew melon
  • 1 medium orange or nectarine
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 1/4 cup whole strawberries

With

M. Regina Castro, M.D.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Aug. 31, 2022 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. A1C test
  3. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  4. Alpha blockers
  5. Amputation and diabetes
  6. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  7. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  8. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  9. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  10. Bariatric surgery
  11. Beta blockers
  12. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  13. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  14. Blood glucose meters
  15. Blood glucose monitors
  16. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  17. Blood pressure chart
  18. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  19. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  20. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  21. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  22. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  23. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  24. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  25. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  26. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  27. Pancreas transplant animation
  28. Caffeine and hypertension
  29. Calcium channel blockers
  30. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  31. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  32. Central-acting agents
  33. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  34. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  35. Diabetes
  36. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  37. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  38. Diabetes and heat
  39. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  40. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  41. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  42. Diabetes and liver
  43. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  44. Diabetes symptoms
  45. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  46. Using insulin
  47. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  48. Diuretics
  49. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  50. Erectile dysfunction and diabetes
  51. High blood pressure and exercise
  52. Exercise and chronic disease
  53. Fatigue
  54. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  55. Frequent urination
  56. Home blood pressure monitoring
  57. Glucose tolerance test
  58. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  59. Hemochromatosis
  60. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  61. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  62. High blood pressure and sex
  63. High blood pressure dangers
  64. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  65. Hypertension FAQs
  66. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  67. Insulin and weight gain
  68. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  69. Kidney disease FAQs
  70. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  71. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  72. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  73. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  74. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  75. Infographic: Pancreas Kidney Transplant
  76. Pancreas transplant
  77. Picnic Problems: High Sodium
  78. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  79. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  80. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  81. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  82. Statins
  83. Stress and high blood pressure
  84. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  85. Unexplained weight loss
  86. Vasodilators
  87. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  88. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  89. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  90. What is blood pressure?
  91. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  92. Weight Loss Surgery Options
  93. White coat hypertension
  94. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?