Blood cholesterol-lowering medications like statins, anti-depressant drugs like benzodiazepines and anti-hypertensive drugs in the calcium channel blockers category are the most common medications taken by diabetics that grapefruit interferes with. A special compound found in both raw grapefruit and grapefruit juice affects an enzyme in your gastrointestinal tract, increasing the absorption of many medications, which can lead to dangerous levels of these medications in your blood. The main problem with grapefruit for people with diabetes is its interaction with many drugs used to control blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels or depression. In other words, even if you eat the same amount of carbohydrates by eating either half of a large grapefruit or 1/3 cup of cooked white rice, your blood sugar levels will not increase as much with grapefruit compared to white rice because of their different glycemic index values. A glycemic index value below 55 is considered low and is best for diabetics. Grapefruit has a glycemic index of 25, which makes it a safer carbohydrate option compared to high glycemic index choices like white rice, bread and potatoes. Avoid grapefruit juice, because it doesnt contain any fiber and provides more carbohydrates per serving, with about 24 grams per cup. Monitor your blood sugar levels at regular intervals to ensure that your diet helps you keep them under control. With about 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving, fruits such as grapefruit can usually be included in your diabetes meal plan. Carbohydrates from fruits, just like the carbohydrates from sugar or flours, can raise your blood sugar levels. The amount of carbohydrates found in a whole small or half of a large grapefruit is similar to the amount of carbohydrates found in a small apple, pear or two kiwifruits. Keep in mind that, as with any fruit, too much can raise your blood sugar levels beyond your target range. If you are not on any medications, you can eat grapefruit without any problems. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see whether you can safely include grapefruit in your diet. Although grapefruit is a great source of vitamin C, many diabetics should avoid this fruit because of its well known interactions with many types of medications.
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