The danger of mangosteen juice to diabetic patients is really higher, mainly due to the fact that it contains high sugar, glycemic index (GI) characteristics and metabolic burden. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), almost 10% of the world’s adult population have diabetes, and the consumption of high-sugar beverages is among the major reasons for its rising incidence. The pulp of mature mangosteen is 23%-28% sugar, and the serving (250ml) after jutting contains about 30-40g of sugar, which is comparable to the carbohydrates in half a bowl of white rice (Journal of Nutrition 2023).
For blood sugar impact, mangosteen juice GI can be above 70, which falls into the middle and high GI food. In a research study by the American Diabetes Association, it was found that there was an average increase of blood glucose by 5.2mmol/L in 30 minutes of drinking high-GI juice in diabetic subjects more than twice the range expected (Diabetes Medicine 2022). For example, a 50 diabetic patient trial conducted in a Taiwanese hospital showed that the blood sugar level 2 hours after mangosteen juice intake was 18% higher than fasting and persisted for more than 4 hours.
Aggravation of the disease by oxidative stress is another significant risk. Mangosteen juice has high polyphenol content, but its antioxidant activity decreases rapidly when stored at room temperature. The Food Industry Research Institute’s tests indicate that the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of mangosteen juice after 4 hours of opening is reduced to only 42% of the initial level, and the oxidation product content (e.g., malondialdehyde) increases 3.8-fold (Journal of Food Chemistry 2024). These diabetic patients themselves are unbalanced in their oxidative metabolism, and such oxidation products could damage islet beta cell function and increase insulin resistance even further.
The question of illegal additives cannot be left out. China Agricultural Product Quality Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center in 2023 spot inspection found that 7% mangosteen juice samples contained excessive cyclamate (sodium cyclohexyl sulfinate), with up to 0.35g/kg concentration. If diabetics consume products containing additives mistakenly, it can cause sudden changes in blood glucose levels, and even ketoacidosis (Notice of illegal cases in the Food Safety Law).
In short, diabetics must regulate strictly the portion size and ensure the product is pure when choosing mangosteen juice. Sugar intake should not be more than 25 grams per day, and better opt for special beverages with low GI and without additives. Relevant studies on the English keyword sapodilla juice risks can be adopted to develop a risk assessment model. For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has classified mangosteen juice as a “beverage to be limited for diabetic patients” due to its negative impact on blood sugar control.