Fresh strawberries can be a healthy and delicious snack, especially in the summer when they’re ripe and plentiful. But if you have diabetes, is it OK to eat strawberries at night? DiabetesTeam members have mixed opinions.

“I eat them every night,” one member shared. “It doesn’t affect my blood sugar levels.”

Another said, “I wouldn’t eat strawberries at night, especially without something to slow the breakdown of sugars, such as fiber or some yogurt.”

This article answers the question, “Can we eat strawberries at night?” The short answer is yes, strawberries can be a safe and healthy nighttime option for many people living with diabetes. However, how your body responds may depend on factors like portion size, what you eat with them, your activity level, and your overall blood sugar management.

Keep reading to learn why it might be OK to add strawberries to your diabetes meal plan and how to decide if this sweet fruit is the right nighttime snack for you.

Strawberries Provide Important Nutrients

The American Diabetes Association includes berries on its list of superstar foods for diabetes, alongside citrus fruit, whole grains, milk, and yogurt. Strawberries, in particular, are one of the best fruits for people with type 2 diabetes to eat. They taste great and are full of healthy nutrients like vitamin C, folic acid, manganese, and potassium.

Strawberries are also a low-calorie, low-carb, high-fiber fruit packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants are important because they promote heart health and help protect your cells from damage. They may lower the risk of developing cancer and other health problems. Regularly eating a variety of foods that have antioxidants in them can be a great way to support your body and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Anthocyanin is the name of the main antioxidant in strawberries. It’s actually what gives strawberries their bright red color. The redder and riper your strawberries, the more antioxidants they contain.

Health experts believe anthocyanin can help people with diabetes by decreasing insulin resistance and protecting cells from damage. It’s also good to know that anthocyanin can help protect the heart, since people with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease. This powerful antioxidant supports heart health by lowering high blood pressure, reducing bad cholesterol, and decreasing inflammation.

Whether you eat strawberries purely because they make your sweet tooth happy or as a focused part of your diabetes management plan, these delicious berries have much to offer.

Strawberries Are a Low-Glycemic Food

In addition to providing numerous health benefits, strawberries are a low-glycemic food. This means they don’t cause rapid blood sugar spikes and are generally a safe nighttime fruit option for people with diabetes. Other low-glycemic fruits include plums, grapefruit, pears, and apricots.

The glycemic index (GI) scale is a helpful tool for learning which of your favorite foods can cause an increase in blood glucose (blood sugar). Foods with a high GI score (70 to 100) increase blood glucose levels more rapidly than foods with a low GI score (0 to 55). Strawberries have a glycemic index score of 41. If you live with diabetes, low-GI foods like strawberries can make it easier to control your blood sugar. They can also help you manage your appetite and lower cholesterol.

Additionally, you can lower the overall glycemic index of a meal or snack by pairing high-GI foods with low-GI ones. Adding fiber, fat, protein, or even vinegar can slow how your body breaks down food. For example, eating strawberries with a protein like cheese, or adding foods like pickles or olive oil, can help keep your blood sugar more stable.

Even though strawberries have a relatively low GI score, portion size matters. The recommended serving size of fruit for people with diabetes is 15 grams of carbohydrates. For strawberries, this is approximately 1.25 cups of whole berries. Eating more than one serving of fruit at a time may raise your blood sugar levels.

Strawberries Can Be Enjoyed in Many Ways

Strawberries are a healthy and delicious snack that can be enjoyed on their own or combined with other ingredients to make a delicious meal or dessert.

Generally, whether you’re eating strawberries or another type of fruit, it’s best to eat clean, fresh or frozen whole fruits. This helps ensure you get all the health benefits of the fruit without added sugar or sweeteners. Dried fruits can also be a healthy option, but look for brands without added sugar. It’s best to avoid or limit fruit juice because it’s often high in concentrated sugar and it’s not recommended for people living with diabetes.

Here’s how some DiabetesTeam members enjoy strawberries:

• “I often have strawberries with a little cream.”
• “I eat strawberries with granola and sugar-free Cool Whip.”
• “It’s nice to enjoy strawberries while they are in season and nice and fresh.”
• “I put Greek yogurt in a bowl with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.”
• “I eat them every night with some type of protein and sugar-free whipped cream. It feels decadent.”
• “I love sugar-free strawberry jam.”
• “I ate strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream last night for dessert.”
• “I put strawberries on top of sugar-free cheesecake pudding.”
• “I eat strawberries with a handful of roasted peanuts.”

Other popular ways to eat strawberries include blending them into smoothies, slicing them into green salads, or drizzling them with balsamic vinegar.

Strawberries Are OK for Most People

While strawberries can be part of a balanced diet for most people with diabetes, individual responses to nighttime snacks can vary based on factors like medication, insulin resistance, physical activity, and meal timing.

One way to decide if strawberries are right for you is to monitor your blood sugar. You’re likely already doing this as part of your diabetes management plan, but monitoring your overnight responses after eating strawberries can provide additional information. The target range for most people is 80 to 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before meals and 180 mg/dL or below one to two hours after a meal.

However, the target range can vary based on age, pregnancy, health status, and other factors, so ask your doctor for your ideal range. Remember, it’s important to approach checking your blood sugars from a place of curiosity and learning — not fear or judgment.

If you notice you have high blood sugar levels after eating strawberries, try pairing them with a source of protein or healthy fat. Unsweetened Greek yogurt, peanut butter, cheese, and other foods can be paired with strawberries to help slow digestion and reduce the likelihood of blood sugar spikes.

In addition to monitoring your blood sugar levels in response to strawberries, it’s important to consider how strawberries fit into your long-term diabetes management plan. If strawberries aren’t the only type of fruit you enjoy, you might need to pick and choose which fruits you eat and when. The best diabetes meal plan is one that you can stick to.

Bottom line: Most people with diabetes can eat strawberries at night without significantly disrupting their glucose levels. If you have questions about adding strawberries or other fresh fruit to your diabetes diet, talk to a registered dietitian or your healthcare provider. While you do have to watch your servings sizes and count carbs, don’t be afraid to eat fruit if you have diabetes.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On DiabetesTeam, the social network for people with diabetes and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with diabetes.

Do you eat strawberries at night? What are your favorite nighttime snacks? If you find a new and delicious way to eat strawberries at night, share your experience in the comments below or on your Activities page.