Watermelon vs Muskmelon: Which is better for controlling blood sugar?
Kanika Narang, nutritionist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, on the best pick for your fruit salad
Both watermelon and muskmelon, also known as cantaloupe or honeydew, contain vitamins A and C, along with other nutrients like potassium. (Pixabay Photos) Melons are always recommended for hydration and weight loss, particularly in fruit salads, but in a nation mostly prone to diabetes, the question is which is better — watermelon or muskmelon?
Both watermelon and muskmelon have a relatively high glycaemic index, which is a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar levels. A GI of 55 or below is considered low, while 56-69 is moderate, and 70 or above is high. While watermelon has a higher GI at 72 than muskmelon at 65, what’s important here is understanding the glycaemic load. Now this measures how quickly a food makes glucose enter the bloodstream and how much glucose per serving it can deliver. Watermelon, for example, has a high GI but a serving of it has so little carbohydrate that its glycaemic load is only 5. A cup of muskmelon has a slightly lower glycaemic load of 3.14. That’s because both fruits have 90 per cent water and fibre. That’s why, with portion control, both these fruits are safe for diabetes.
Share
