Last Updated on July 25, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
There have been several experiments and research on the ability of wood apple to cure diabetes and its extreme effectiveness in lowering blood sugar in all diabetic patients.
However, it is best to stick to moderate amounts of wood apple (bael fruit) consumption in Diabetes, as there is still no clear-cut scientific evidence to show that wood apple is good for Diabetes.
This is a fruit with several potential nutrients that treat and maintain many health conditions. For example, for diabetes, wood apple balances fluctuating blood sugar levels and handles any excess splurges.
These positive effects benefit the body of a diabetic patient by assisting in keeping the severity away and aiding better control on raising blood sugar levels. Therefore, managing your blood sugar levels and keeping them under the normal margin is very important for your overall betterment.
Eating Bael fruit can boost your energy levels without hampering your blood sugar levels too much. It is good for the many other functions in the body as well. This encourages overall health and helps prevent any symptoms or added health issues made worse by diabetes.
It is a great summer drink that enhances hydration and prevents fatigue. Fatigue is often a common symptom in diabetic patients due to altering blood sugar levels.
The nutritional composition of wood apple helps to balance many health levels and provides numerous benefits. We will have a look at the nutritional elements and the health benefits of wood apple as we move further in the discussion.
However, despite these benefits, one must not have Bael in excess amounts because of its sweetness. Therefore, let us have a closer look at this fruit and its effects.
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What are the benefits of eating the wood apple?
This fruit is a unique one with a combination of tastes and textures. It is sweet, slightly sour, with an often called funky smell, and is pulpy and filled with sweet juice. Not only is it a combination of various tastes and textures but also a lot of different nutrients.
We already had a look at some of the good effects of including wood apple in the diets. What is better than this is that there are so many more.
Here is a list of 15 different health benefits that would make you want to start having the Bael fruit from today:
- Bael is a great source of energy and healthy carbohydrates that enhance the body’s overall functioning without raising blood sugar levels of the body. It is a recommended summer drink that induces immediate energy, reduces fatigue, and also adds hydration.
- It is a treatment for several health conditions such as – diarrhea and cholera. The anti-microbial and anti-parasitic qualities can treat cholera and diarrhea of wood apple. The fruit itself, its pulp, or the apple juice is often used to cure such issues.
- The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of the Bael fruit and the tannin found in the leaves of this fruit assist in keeping the stomach clear and digestive system rightly functional. It also cures and soothes stomach ulcers.
- Bael fruit juice is also said to be wonderful for curing constipation. It has laxative properties that cleanse the intestines and avoid constipation. It also reduces the feeling of inflammation in the intestines.
- The Bael fruit is great for keeping the blood clean and preventing related disorders. Moreover, it keeps the blood cholesterol levels under stable levels. This encourages overall betterment. Iron from Bael also improves blood circulation and increases hemoglobin in the body.
- It is also a rich source of potassium that aids in clearing toxins from the body and helps in boosting immunity. Other benefits of potassium can also be harnessed, such as reducing the effects of hypertension, controlling blood pressures, promoting heart health, and so on.
- It also has many antioxidants that help to fight many internally occurring conditions. For example, they increase the body’s potential to fight effectively against the effects of free radicals that lead to chronic diseases.
- Wood apple is good for supporting the heart in several ways. It helps keep the cholesterol levels low, makes the muscles stronger, and reduces heart strokes, blockages, atherosclerosis, blood clots, etc.
- It is also known to treat respiratory issues, common colds, cough, asthma, flu, and similar symptoms. It can also help to get rid of congestion and nasal blockages.
- It is also helpful in treating ulcers in the mouth. It has a soothing effect on these ulcers and clams, blisters, burns, and inflammation by providing rapid healing.
- It is also said to be excellent for breastfeeding women as it increases lactation and supplies nourishment and immunity to the young ones through the mother’s milk.
- It is also rich in Vitamin C that helps to increase overall immunity and fight against infections. Vitamin C also treats and prevents scurvy.
- The many helpful nutrients in Bael also improve the quality and health of skin and prevent many skin issues.
- It also has many advantages on the hair. For example, it helps to get rid of scalp issues like irritation, dandruff, hair fall and induces better blood circulation to the hair to encourage growth.
- The anti-bacterial qualities of wood apple also help with hearing problems. It keeps wax accumulation in the ears under check and promotes better hearing.
Does wood apple lower blood sugar?
We already discussed that the Bael fruit is safe when taken in moderate quantities. Therefore, when it is taken in a regulated amount as per your health, the wood apple can be good for keeping the blood sugar levels low.
In addition to this, the glycemic index of wood apples also falls in the range of 0 to 55. This means that it has a low glycemic index and is safe for diabetic patients.
This can be administered to diabetic patients without harmful effects. However, it is best to keep the daily limits low to avoid any discomforts. You can even ask your doctors and health experts for added guidance.
Wood apple branches and leaves are also medicinal and consist of an active nutrient called – Feronia gum. This has been proven to help reduce blood sugar levels.
Besides, eating wood apples also helps stimulate better insulin functioning. This is essential for added diabetes control and proper management. Proper insulin release and response are important factors for controlling blood sugar levels.
The juice made from wood apple is a common homemade drink during the summer season. It is very healthy and can be had by diabetic patients as well.
It also helps with keeping the blood pressure and metabolism stable. These are related functions and factors that may affect the diabetic individual’s health.
Wood apple is also filled with many antioxidants and healthy plant compounds that increased immunity. They also aid in diabetes management and keep it under check.
Now, let us have a look at some more advantages of having a wood apple.
What are the nutrition facts for wood apple?
We had a look at several benefits of eating a wood apple. Now let us look at the nutritional composition behind the supply of these numerous advantages.
The following table lists the many nutrients found in 100 grams of Bael:
| Sl. No. | Nutrients available in 100g Bael/Wood Apple | Amount available |
| 1. | Calories | 137 |
| 2. | Carbohydrates | 31.8 g |
| 3. | Proteins | 1.8 g |
| 4. | Fiber | 2.9 g |
| 5. | Water | 61.5 g |
| 6. | Vitamin A | 55 mcg |
| 7. | Vitamin C | 60 mg |
| 8. | Thiamine | 0.13 mg |
| 9. | Riboflavin | 1.19 mg |
| 10. | Niacin | 1.1 mg |
| 11. | Carotene | 55 mcg |
| 12. | Calcium | 85 mg |
| 13. | Potassium | 600 mg |
Are there any side effects of eating a wood apple?
There aren’t many disadvantages of eating a wood apple. However, if it is taken in excess quantities, it can lead to a few side effects such as:
- Eating too much wood apple can lead to an upset stomach, cramps, digestive issues, indigestion, etc.
- Excess quantities can make your blood sugar levels drop beyond normal low margins, which can have other adverse effects.
- Pregnant women must not take the wood apple.
For best practices, you must consider your health issues and consult your doctors to avoid any health complications. In addition to this, you need to keep checking your blood glucose levels regularly and note down any fluctuations and take immediate steps.
All in all, keeping your overall blood sugar levels under normal margins is what leads to health management and lifestyle.
References
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anitha-Shivanna/publication/344341644_Therapeutic_effect_of_wood_apple_on_hypertension_and_diabetes/links/5f6a28b4a6fdcc00863452e3/Therapeutic-effect-of-wood-apple-on-hypertension-and-diabetes.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814614015970
- https://scholar.alaqsa.edu.ps/71/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/5/1/25
- https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BJSIR/article/view/4590
- https://www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2020/vol9issue10/PartC/9-9-77-302.pdf
- http://aamjournal.in/fulltext/70-1529678969.pdf
- https://www.biomedres.info/biomedical-research/indian-medicinal-plants-for-diabetes-text-data-mining-the-literature-of-different-electronic-databases-for-future-therapeutics.html
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/1984703
- https://www.diabeteseducatorsindia.com/uploads/Journal/pdfs/vol7-no4-octdec2019-32.pdf#page=11
is Bael fruit good for diabetic ppl thinking the kind of natural sweetness it has?
Bael fruit comes in the moderate Glycemic Index category and so can be eaten in moderation, if you have diabetes