Counting carbohydrates and avoiding sugar-heavy snacks is part of a person with diabetes’ daily grind. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is the name of the game, which often involves asking for the cheque before reading the dessert menu and avoiding the snack aisle at all costs.
Everyone snacks eventually, but people with diabetes snack differently. They require snacks with fewer carbohydrates, less sugar, and more fiber. Thankfully, there are plenty of readily available, satisfying snacks that check off all those boxes. Today, we’re going to feature a few of those sweet and satisfying snacks for people with diabetes.
Dark Chocolate
I’d warn you against taking a huge bite of dark chocolate if you’ve never tried it before. It’s denser and more calorie-rich than its candy-bar counterparts. It also tastes different, though many prefer it to milk chocolate.
On to the positives! Dark chocolate is low in carbs, high in fiber, and rich in dietary flavonoids. When buying dark chocolate, know that the bar’s bitterness often increases in tandem with its cocoa content. We recommend you start with a bar listed as 70-percent cocoa and go from there.
Pears
Fiber is a powerful biological building block. It helps control blood sugar levels, aids bowel health, lowers cholesterol, and may even help you live longer. That blood sugar bit is particularly important to people with diabetes. What’s more, increasing your fiber intake can be a delicious endeavor.
Pears contain over 4-grams of fiber per cup, which makes them one of the leading fruit sources of fiber available.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Not all snacks need to be sweet. They just must satisfy your appetite without sending your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride.
Hard-boiled eggs are an absolute rockstar in health food circles. They’re cheap, easy to make, high in protein, and keep you fuller, longer. One large hard-boiled egg contains a whopping 6-grams of protein and tastes delicious with a little salt and pepper.
Apples
Apples sit exceptionally low on the glycemic index, ensuring that this delicious and nutritious treat can be enjoyed with confidence. Some suggest that eating apples may even lower your blood sugar naturally.
Now, the science doesn’t warrant replacing your prescribed medications with applesauce, but it should be enough to alter your grocery list. Better yet, when stored correctly, apples can stay fresh for up to 2-months!
Yogurt and Berries
Specifically, Greek yogurt, which is an incredible, low-carb source of protein. Greek yogurt boasts 20-grams of protein for each 7-ounce serving, which should help you feel fuller, longer. There are even a few studies that link daily Greek yogurt consumption with an improvement in overall blood sugar control.
The next time you’re at the grocery store, be sure to go with the un-sweetened container of Greek yogurt and sweeten it at home with some honey or, better yet, some antioxidant-rich berries.
Cottage Cheese
Rich in minerals and vitamins, cottage cheese is an ideal snack for those looking to stay fuller longer. It’s high in protein too, offering 13-grams of protein in each half-cup serving. If you want to make this snack sweet, just add berries!
Some studies link cottage cheese consumption to an increase in blood sugar stability. There’s a lot said about the positive impact of fat consumption on blood sugar too, so be sure to choose regular cottage cheese instead of the popular reduced-fat alternatives.
Hummus and Veggies
They’re a sorry substitute for an extra-large bag of potato chips, but your body will feel better after you’re done, that much is certain.
In addition to their stellar fiber statistics, veggies and hummus are loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals. Hummus is full of protein too, which should help you feel fuller and benefit blood sugar stability.
Almonds
Some may tell you to avoid almonds and their high-calorie content altogether. Ignore that advice. Almonds are filling, store well, and incredibly healthy. They’re loaded with the biological building blocks that your body loves, like protein, magnesium, and monounsaturated fats.
They’ve also been championed by the scientific community for their positive influence on managing glucose and insulin levels. No, you don’t want to eat too many in one sitting. But almonds are safe to lean on when you’re hungry.
Jerky
Another low-carb, high-protein delicacy, beef jerky is the delicacy of choice for those that prefer savory snacks.
It’s important to watch nutrition labels though. Not all jerky is created equal. Some brands are loaded with sugar and unnecessary carbs. Seek out low-sugar jerky, or make your own at home as an alternative to the high-sugar, gas station varieties.
Edamame
Edamame doesn’t just live at your favorite sushi spot. It’s available in the freezer section of most grocery stores and is, you guessed it, a healthy snack for people with diabetes.
Rich in protein and high in fiber, edamame are really just soybeans that are harvested early to maintain their green coloring and crunchiness. Not only are they easy to prepare, but they often serve as a healthier alternative to popcorn and potato chips.
The Takeaway
There you have it! A whole list of sweet and satisfying snacks to be enjoyed with confidence by people with diabetes. This list may not include chips, fast food, fries, or soft drinks, but it’s most certainly for the best.
Avoiding junk food is the smart decision for all of us. Unmitigated consumption of junk food can lead to high cholesterol, weight gain, high blood pressure, dental distress, depression, and of course, a spike in blood sugar. Save yourself the literal headache and lean on our list the next time you feel peckish.
