Summer fruits are here by the cartload. Those juicy, colorful sweet fruits make your mouth water and are the perfect way to enjoy summer's bounty.

 

You may have heard that fruits can raise your blood sugar. This is true, since fruits contain carbohydrates. Fruits that raise your blood sugar faster and more strongly tend to be less filling, so you may get hungry soon after eating them.

 

But some fruits raise your blood sugar more slowly, causing a more gradual increase in sugar and are therefore more satisfying.

 

This is the concept of the glycemic index. Fruits that are high on the glycemic index raise your blood sugar more quickly, making you hungrier. Fruits that are low on the glycemic index raise your blood sugar more slowly, keeping you more satisfied.

 

Fortunately, many of your favorite fruits are also low glycemic index fruits, so they'll keep you more satisfied. Below are some of the lower-index, more filling fruits:

 

 

apples

apricots

blackberries

blueberries

cantaloupe

cherries

grapefruits

peaches

plums

raspberries

strawberries

 

 

 

bananas

grapes

mangos

pineapples

 

 

Fruits that are not on these lists, like oranges and pears, tend to be somewhere in-between in terms of keeping you satisfied.

 

When you choose fruits to keep you satisfied, you won't be as hungry and can keep your calories lower.

 

However, you can eat any fruit and stay satisfied (even high glycemic index fruits like bananas) by eating protein first and then eating the fruits.

 

For example, for lunch try eating a palm-sized piece of salmon, a salad and a piece of fruit -- any type, even a banana -- for dessert. The protein, and also the vegetables, will help regulate your blood sugar so that you can eat any fruit and stay full.

 

Fruits are high in vitamins and antioxidants so don't be shy -- enjoy this summer's bounty of refreshing fruits!