Postprandial hyperglycemia after ingestion of peeled and non-peeled fruits in type-2 diabetics.

Should diabetics prefer nonpeeled fruits in their diet? To answer this question 27 type-2 diabetics divided into three groups were examined on two different occasions under the same fasting conditions. The first group of patients received 300g of pears with peel and on another day 300g of peeled pears. The second group ate 300g of pears with peel and 230g of peeled pears (the 70g difference represents the weight of the peel). The third group of diabetics consumed 300g of apples with peel and 300g of apples without peel. Blood samples were collected before and 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 min after fruit ingestion. No significant differences were noted in terms of mean blood glucose, serum insulin and serum triglyceride levels among the two meals (fruits with or without peel). This observation was confirmed in all groups studied. Peeled and nonpeeled fruits appear to produce the same hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetics, in spite of the high fiber content of the peel. Therefore, the suggestion of reducing postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetics by eating nonpeeled fruits does not seem to be justified.