Diabetics should have snacks as part of their daily meals. This, therefore, means that to except snacks completely from their meal plan will not be practical in so many ways.
Snacks are the small bites of food or fruits that we eat in between the normal main meals of the day. Diabetics are encouraged to eat at least 6 times a day.
These are the usual three meals of the day, and small snacks in between.
This is important in order to prevent sudden spikes in blood glucose levels, and instances of hypoglycemia (when blood glucose levels are too low)
The question of whether to eat or not to eat snacks is still because of the worry of possibly raising blood glucose levels.
There are snacks that are quite diabetic-friendly, however, here are the top worst snacks for any individual with diabetes;
1. Dried Fruits
Fruits already Contain sugar, which will not pose any danger for a diabetic individual when eaten in a moderate manner.
Yes, eating too many sugary fruits can raise the level of your blood glucose, and that is why the emphasis is on moderation of quantity.
Dried fruits however are not recommended because the process of drying fruits causes the fruits to lose so much water, and therefore what is left is too much sugar.
The dried fruits, therefore, contain too much sugar compared to other whole fruits that haven’t been dried
Too much sugar present in these dried fruits can quickly cause Hyperglycemia (a rise in blood glucose levels).
Instead;
Enjoy natural fresh fruit slices that will contain just enough nutrients and dietary fibre that your body needs.
2. Processed meats
Bacon, sausage, and other processed meats are always Common at our tables.
Processed meats contain too much-saturated fat, which is in addition to the sodium added to them for flavour and preservation.
Diabetics already are at a very high risk of developing heart attacks, high blood pressure, and even stroke.
The saturated fat, increases the risk even more, as it gets stuck in the blood vessels causing blockage and influencing blood flow.
The sodium in these processed meats poses a danger in possibly raising your blood pressure to life-threatening levels.
Diabetics are therefore advised to stay a distance away from these processed meats.
Instead;
Replace these meat bites with healthier options of snacks like fruit slices, vegetable salads, and groundnuts.
3. Coffee
What do you add to your coffee? Milk? Sugar? Even aside from adding sugar to our coffee to enjoy it, it can cause a level of dependency that may not be healthy for your general health.
One cup of coffee is never enough and you always find yourself taking more and more.
The worst is when you keep adding sugar, then the risk of Hyperglycemia increases with every cup that you drink.
Instead;
Enjoy a cup of milk, oatmeal, or porridge to keep you going till your next meal.
4. Flavored yogurt
Sweet, isn’t it? Too sweet in the mouth but poison to the body, they say. The amount of sugar in this flavoured yoghurt can be enough to push your blood glucose levels too high than you thought.
Diabetics have an insulin problem, maybe your body does not produce enough insulin to get glucose from your bloodstream to your cells and muscles, or your cells are resistant to the insulin produced.
This shows that taking in foods that contain too much sugar will only bring problems.
Instead;
Enjoy non-flavored yogurt, Or a sugar-free smoothie just to keep your blood glucose at a normal range.
5. Potato chips
There seems to be an endless war with potato chips, they always seem to win every time. But when you are trying to maintain a normal blood glucose level, these are also snacks that you have to avoid.
Potato chips contain refined carbohydrates and are very low in dietary fiber.
Dietary fiber is important as it slows down digestion allowing your body to process the glucose slowly, therefore no risks of a sudden rise in your blood glucose levels.
However, potato chips lack this dietary fiber and that’s why they could be diabetic unfriendly.
Refined carbohydrates are also a danger as they get digested quite fast, increasing your risk of Hyperglycemia.
Instead;
Enjoy fruit slices like apple slices, watermelon, and so on.
