Type 2 Diabetes - The Top Six Low-Sugar Fruits for Diabetics By Beverleigh H Piepers

There's nothing like eating fresh fruit - biting into a crisp tart apple or a juicy, dripping watermelon slice, or a soft fuzzy peach. Fruit tastes good and fruit is good for you, no doubt, but did you know that fruits contain very different amounts of sugar in each of them? That tart apple may have far more sugar than that fuzzy peach.

Living with Type 2 diabetes, it's important to be aware of your overall sugar intake. Generally speaking, whole fresh produce - including all fruits, is a great addition to most diabetic meal plans, but that doesn't mean you should be eating bunches of sugary bananas or bags of sweet cherries every day.

Here are six of the lowest sugar fruits you can find at the market. They're...

• available year-round,
• grown in most parts of the world, and
• are all economical,

so you've got no reason not to eat them on a regular basis. Data is collected by the USDA and reflects the sugar content within a 100-gram serving of each fruit.

Top Six Lowest-Sugar Fruits...

Avocado: less than 1 gram. Yes, the avocado is actually a fruit, not a vegetable! This buttery, creamy fruit is full of fiber and healthy fats, and it's perfect for sweet and savory dishes. Slice ½ an avocado and serve over eggs for a lean protein breakfast, or add a few slices to a corn tortilla taco. For dessert, puree ½ an avocado with frozen fruits for a naturally sweet shake.

Raspberries: 4.4 grams. Raspberries are the perfect sweet-tart berry. Add them to a whole grain baking mix for delightful cornbread, muffin, and cupcake recipes. Or add them to spinach and leafy green salads, along with a sprinkling of almonds.

Blackberries: 4.5 grams. Blackberries are tart, juicy, and full of flavor. They're great mixed with yogurt, granola, or stirred into cooked oatmeal. Try a great topping for roasted meats and fish: sauté a handful of blackberries with honey and olive oil, then pour the sauce over your meat.

Strawberries: 4.7 grams. Strawberries need no introduction. Serve them over cereal, spooned into yogurt, and topped with homemade whipped cream for dessert. Or gently mash a bowl of berries with balsamic vinegar, and top with mascarpone cheese for a fancy, sugar-free dessert.

Watermelon: 6.2 grams. Watermelon is probably best enjoyed as simple slices, but it's also great stirred into cottage cheese. Watermelon also makes one fantastic fresh lemonade: just puree fresh watermelon cubes with fresh lemon juice, adding a small bit of sugar if desired - strain and serve.

Cantaloupe: 7 grams. Like watermelon, cantaloupe is great eaten whole. But for a great appetizer or snack, serve small cubes with thinly sliced prosciutto and a sprinkling of feta cheese.

The USDA recommends you eat 5 to 8 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day - which can seem like an overwhelming number. But realistically, a serving of fruit is about half-a-cup, so you can hit your daily goal by adding a handful of berries to your yogurt, chopped strawberries to your cereal, or a slice of watermelon with cottage cheese for dessert. It all adds up in a healthy, delicious way.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. By making simple changes to your daily routine, its possible to protect your heart, kidneys, eyes and limbs from the damage often caused by high blood sugar and eliminate many of the complications you may already experience.

Type 2 Diabetes - The Adult Form of Diabetes Is on the Rise in Children and Teens

Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, while Type 1 was the form of diabetes diagnosed in children and teens. But now many children are also being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. What is causing children to develop this form of diabetes normally found in adults, and what can be done to prevent it?

One of the main reasons is that children and teens are more overweight than ever before. The number of children and teens with diabetes has increased along with the increase in overweight and obesity. There are many causes for this increase - unfortunately our society generally is much less active than before...

• more time is spent in front of the television and computer.
• children ride the bus to school in lieu of walking or biking.
• there's less time for recess and physical education in schools.

Good nutrition has become more difficult as well. It's often cheaper and more convenient to eat less healthy foods. So we really need to make extra effort in order to stay active and eat healthily.

If your child is overweight and at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, there's still a lot you can do to prevent it. Eating healthy food, getting lots of physical activity, and losing weight are key. It also helps if the whole family can make lifestyle changes at the same time - it's difficult for one person to make changes alone.

Since children are still growing, it's a good idea to work with a dietitian to make sure they lose weight safely and only if they need to. Dietitians can give you ideas for your child to eat healthy foods and lose weight while still getting sufficient food and nutrition. For example, the plate method is a good way to structure meals. Fill half the plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and the last quarter with whole grains. This is a healthy way to eat for each and every member of the family!

As for physical activity, the minimum recommendation for children is usually one hour per day. Most of this should be moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise. There are lots of different ways for your children to get this exercise each day...

• skateboarding,
• playing tag,
• jumping rope,
• playing basketball, and
• swimming

all count.

Muscle-strengthening exercises should also be included at least three days a week. This could be gained from

• playing on playground equipment,
• doing gymnastics,
• climbing trees, or
• rock climbing.

Find out what your child likes to do and keep it fun! And involving the whole family will make it beneficial for everyone.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help build a healthy body. Go tohttp://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.