TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwanese Association of Diabetes Educators highlighted the distinction between sweetness and how quickly foods raise blood sugar, as it released new survey findings on fruit and vegetable consumption patterns among people with and without diabetes.
The group said blood sugar control remains a lifelong task for diabetes patients, with dietary management at its core. Its latest survey found that while awareness of the glycemic index (GI) — a measure of how foods affect blood glucose levels — has reached 98%, the belief that sweet foods trigger rapid blood sugar spikes remains widespread, according to CNA.
The June online survey collected 485 responses, of which 479 were valid. About 57% of respondents were people with diabetes.
Vegetable intake was broadly similar between respondents with diabetes and those without. Fruit consumption, however, differed by more than 30%, suggesting that avoidance is driven more by perceptions of sweetness than by overall nutritional balance.
Association Chair Ou Hung-yi (歐弘毅) said 75% of respondents with diabetes reported avoiding fruit due to concerns about sugar content. He said the misconception of equating sweetness with a higher GI, or a faster rise in blood glucose, has contributed to overly restrictive eating habits.
This may reduce intake of key nutrients such as dietary fiber and vitamin C. Sweetness, however, is not a reliable indicator of GI, with fruits such as cherries, guava, strawberries, grapes and oranges all classified as low-GI options, according to Vitabox.
Nutritionist Ho Ming-hwa (何明華) said recent studies suggest that consuming about two servings of fruit per day, particularly low-GI, high-fiber options, may help stabilize blood sugar and reduce the risk of complications. She added that timing fruit intake, such as after breakfast or about 30 minutes before meals, may help smooth post-meal glucose fluctuations.
She also noted that adjusting total carbohydrate intake when eating fruit may help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals. Over time, moderate fruit consumption may even support improved insulin sensitivity.
Foods that are digested and absorbed more quickly tend to have a higher GI, while slower-digesting foods have a lower GI. In general, higher-GI foods cause a faster rise in blood sugar when consumed in equivalent amounts compared with low-GI foods.
