Quantifying Soluble Glucose in Selected Fruits from West Bengal's 
(India) Local Markets to Enhance Dietary Knowledge

A fruit, the soft, pulpy part of a flowering plant, is abundant in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds. It provides macronutrients such as carbohydrates and energy while being low in protein and lipids. Health authorities advocate a minimum daily intake of five servings of fruits and vegetables for a balanced diet. Fruits contain simple sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, which are essential for regulating blood sugar levels and supporting brain function. However, excessive sugar consumption can be harmful in certain health conditions. This highlights the importance of accurately estimating glucose content in fruits for the field of nutrition science.

In this study, a total of 42 fruit samples from 20 groups were collected from local markets in West Bengal, India, to measure glucose levels using the GOD-POD method.

Results revealed the top five fruits highest in glucose: green grapes (54.12 ± 5.82 mg/g), java apple (green jamrul: 47.25 ± 8.23 mg/g), red grapes (44.75 ± 5.23 mg/g), Zahedi dates (43.88 ± 3.25 mg/g), and Medjool dates (43.48 ± 3.87 mg/g). Conversely, the five fruits lowest in glucose were Indian gooseberry (amla: 0.84 ± 0.21 mg/g), Bengal currant (koromcha: 1.24 ± 0.15 mg/g), gondhoraj lemon (2.62 ± 0.25 mg/g), himsagar mango (3.46 ± 0.81 mg/g), and pearafuli mango (5.5 ± 0.52 mg/g).

This study aims to contribute to the development of a comprehensive database on fruit glucose content. Fruits with lower glucose levels are beneficial for diabetic patients, obese individuals, and others, whereas those with higher glucose levels are not recommended for diabetics but are suitable for athletes and malnourished individuals.