Healthy Snacks For Diabetes Patients

Diabetes is a severe and life-threatening condition that affects the pancreas. Depending on the type of diabetes an individual has, their body with either not make enough insulin or it will not be able to use it effectively. Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar in the body. Diabetes patients see symptoms such as extreme hunger, increased thirst, and increased urination. They may lose weight without a clear reason, have blurred vision, and will likely experience chronic fatigue.

The majority of diabetes patients will need an insulin prescription to manage their condition. A blood sugar monitor is also common, as is an insulin pump. They may also have options for insulin resistance medication and hypoglycemic drugs. Relying on these medications and a glucose meter is not desirable. If they want to have a chance at reducing this reliance, they will need to pay attention to their diet.

Apples

Diabetes patients, unfortunately, must avoid consuming foods that contain refined sugar. This is why they do not eat cookies, cupcakes, and candy, among others. Refined sugar will often result in blood sugar spikes and crashes, which are dangerous for these individuals. However, an apple may be what helps diabetes patients here. Apples are a source of natural sugars, so patients may still be able to get some sweetness in their diet.

However, they still cannot eat too many apples, since this can also compromise their blood sugar stability. They must also keep the skin on the apples they do consume, since this is where most of the healthy nutrients are. Removing the skin reduces the benefits that the apple will provide. This includes the fiber, flavonoids, and antioxidants, all of which may be helpful for diabetes patients.

Uncover information on another potentially healthy snack for diabetes patients now.

Nuts

Diabetes patients need to keep their blood sugar as stable as possible. This will hopefully help them avoid serious complications from their condition. This is why a snack such as some nuts is supposed to be healthy for them. Most nuts contain high amounts of fiber and healthy fats. They are also a fair source of protein. Some of the nuts that diabetes patients should consider are cashews, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts.

Many patients may be tempted to consume salted peanuts, but this is almost always a mistake. Salt may cause significant harm to a diabetes patient’s heart. In addition, only eating one type of nut does not let them get the variety of nutrients they need in most cases. It may get them some, but there will likely be gaps.

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Pomegranates

Once again, diabetes patients are limited to a source of natural sugar for their snack or dessert. They have to avoid blood sugar spikes and subsequent crashes. Although healthy individuals can likely handle these with only a little increase in fatigue, diabetes patients face devastating complications. These complications include nerve damage, vision problems, and kidney damage, though there are countless others. Thus, instead of eating sweets, diabetes patients need to snack on pomegranates.

As a source of natural sugar, the arils in pomegranates are quite sweet. They do not, however, seem to cause spikes in blood sugar nearly as often as refined sugar. Diabetes patients must still ensure they do not consume too many arils, though, since they can still influence their glucose negatively. They may also want to consider adding plain Greek yogurt to this snack if they want to have a chance at sustaining their energy for longer.

Discover another healthy snack that may benefit diabetes patients now.

Fruit Salad

Once again, diabetes patients are limited to certain fruits when they want a sweeter snack. They, sadly, do not have the privilege of eating a packaged granola bar, chocolate bar, or cupcake. Fruits, as mentioned, offer diabetes a source of natural sugar. They can consume fruit as long as they only do so in moderation. These patients will likely also need to be careful about what types of fruit they chose. Most berries, for instance, are appropriate for diabetes patients. This means they can eat a fruit salad made from raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, among others.

Diabetes patients cannot include sugar on their fruit salad, which is common for many individuals to do. They may be able to adapt their own sauce from honey and juice squeezed from appropriate fruit. This will, however, be hard to balance in terms of sugar content.

Continue reading to reveal more snacks that diabetes patients may consider now.

Fruit Smoothies

It can be a fine line for diabetes patients in regards to if a fruit smoothie is a healthy snack or one that can result in serious issues with their blood sugar. Most commercial smoothies include refined sugar, particularly when they are made from frozen yogurt. The fruit commercial smoothies contain may also be coated with refined white sugar. This is not good for individuals with diabetes. It is also why they may be limited to only making their own fruit smoothies. They need to have control over all of the ingredients in their fruit smoothies. They cannot overload on certain fruits in most cases. Blueberries and cranberries can be helpful. Pomegranates and apples may be as well. Bananas and grapes, however, are high on the glycemic index and should be avoided more often.

Some healthy individuals may be able to only include fruit and sweetened yogurt in their smoothies. However, diabetes patients will likely need to pay more attention. They cannot have sweetened yogurt in many cases, since this type can be high in refined sugar. Diabetes patients will also need more nutrients for sustained energy, which is where ingredients such as avocados, leafy greens, and even flaxseed may come in handy.