There are many considerations that a diabetic patient needs to account for when going on vacation or at home. It is important to choose the right snack so that the glucose level stays normal.
Snacking and diabetes
People who are suffering from diabetes need to maintain their blood sugar level at bay through a well-balanced diet and prevent further health complications. When the blood glucose levels are increased due to excess fat and calories in a diet, it can contribute to conditions like heart problems, nerve damage, venostasis, hyperglycemia, or diabetic ulcers. Snacking is a good option to keep blood glucose levels in check between meals, which is essential for those who have to spend almost a full day without eating due to work.
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Avoid certain foods if you have diabetes
While snacking, it is important for a diabetes patient to hit the right snack to keep his/her sugar levels stay normal at the targeted levels. After all, a good snack can help maintain your blood sugar level and provide energy throughout a busy day. When you choose a snack to quiet your hunger, some options are better than others. People with diabetes are advised to count their carbohydrate intake during snacking continuously. Make sure that, your diabetes diet contains more fruits, green vegetables, healthy fats, whole grain, and lean protein to help you stay on the track. It is said that everything should be in moderation when it comes to managing blood sugar. It is true in context with diabetes. High carbohydrate foods, calorie-laden food products, and food items that are packed in a bag are best left off your plate. A diabetic must limit the intake of saturated fats, sugar, and carbohydrates. Such foods are more likely to mess with your blood glucose levels and may ultimately lead to unwanted weight gain. Obesity can further reduce insulin sensitivity and worsen your diabetes symptoms and increases associated complications, leaving you to feel tired all the time rather than energized. Here are five unhealthy snacks that a person with diabetes should avoid eating to stay healthy:
- Doughnuts– Doughnuts look gorgeous while showcasing at the pastry shop. They are sweet and fun to eat, but at the same time, their nutritional value makes them an unhealthy diabetes diet. Skip doughnuts due to their high sugar and fat content. When you see cream candies or sweet jellies attacked with it, think about sugar and high calorie. Avoid eating such sugar-rich food items instead use snack time to have another serving of the diabetes-friendly foods that can help in managing the disease. Include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. In case you crave for something sweet, have a banana along with one tablespoon of peanut butter. It is a powerful combination containing healthy fat, magnesium, and potassium that is helpful in fuelling your body throughout the day. Peanut butter is enriched with protein and good fat that is beneficial for the absorption of the carbohydrates from the banana increasing the blood glucose levels slower than eating a banana alone.
- Fatty fish or chicken– Chicken is considered as a good source of lean protein, but not all types of chicken are same. Grilled chicken or skinless chicken breast is a healthy choice for diabetes while breaded or fried snacks such as fish sticks or chicken fingers contain more fat than a lean beef patty.
- Chips and crackers– You may like to eat salty potato chips, corn chips, nachos, crackers, or tortilla chips, but they are not considered as the best food choices for people living with diabetes. These snacks can ultimately lead to higher levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and add more calories to your diet. Chips and crackers make your diabetes harder to control.
- Cheese– Say no to cheese if you are a diabetic. A full-fat cheese contains five grams of saturated fat, which can make it harder to control the disease and your weight. Instead, you can have non-fat plain Greek yogurt to promote a healthy weight.
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- Packed cookies– Avoid snacking onto packed chocolate chip cookies. These look convenient to eat but are high in sugar, fat, and calories.
Hit onto healthy snacks for a better diabetes care. It is necessary to follow the diabetes treatment in a correct way along with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Take your diabetes medication on time to reduce the symptoms of diabetes. Drink plenty of water as it is one of the best natural type 1 and type 2 diabetes treatment.