4 Snacks For Improving Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifestyle disease without a permanent cure. It is caused due to abnormal levels of insulin in the bloodstream. If you want to manage diabetes, you will have to keep an eye on your food intake. It is not necessary that diabetes-friendly snacks should always be bland. You don’t always have to restrict your diet with specialized foods. You only have to be careful about your intake of sugars, starches, and carbohydrates, and limit salt, sugar, and fat.

Here’s a curated list of some of the most healthy and delicious snacks for managing and improving diabetes.

Yogurt and berries
Keep your pantry well-stocked with berries and yogurt because a combination of these is one of the best snacks for improving diabetes. Moreover, the sweetness of berries with the tartness of yogurt tastes quite palatable. The antioxidants in berries lower inflammation. Additionally, the antioxidants prevent cell damage of the pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for releasing the hormone insulin in the bloodstream. This hormone manages blood sugar levels. Also, berries are a rich source of fiber. A cup of blueberries can give you nearly 4 grams of dietary fiber with each serving. Moreover, the addition of yogurt can also lower blood sugar levels due to the high probiotic and protein content. Thus, a regular snack of yogurt and berries will slow down your digestion, stabilizing blood sugar levels and metabolizing the sugar in the food that you eat.

Hummus and veggies
Made from chickpeas, hummus is not only delectable but quite good for improving diabetes. Add fresh crunchy veggies such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots to it, and you have got a super-healthy snack in your hands to satiate those hunger pangs between meals. A combination of raw veggies and hummus dip will help to control blood sugar levels. Also. hummus and veggies are packed with loads of dietary minerals, fiber, and vitamins. Moreover, hummus is loaded with proteins; you get nearly 3 grams of dietary protein in one tablespoon of hummus.

Almonds
One of the most convenient snacks, almonds are great for lowering blood sugar levels. A daily intake of a handful or one ounce of almonds can lower blood sugar levels by nearly 3%. Additionally, you get more than 15 minerals and vitamins along with B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese. Moreover, almonds contain high levels of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, which help to stabilize blood sugar levels as well as insulin levels. Another healthy benefit of snacking on almonds is that you will have lower cholesterol levels, which is usually difficult to manage in diabetes. It also becomes easier to manage weight and keep the heart-healthy. Although almonds have a lot of nutrients and are a convenient snacking option, you must remember that they are also high in calories. So, limit your intake to about just a handful or less.

Avocado
With high percentages of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy fats, avocadoes are of the most diabetes-friendly foods. Also, these are rich in fiber. Both these nutrients help in controlling blood sugar levels after every meal. Avocadoes are not only healthy but also a very versatile snacking option for improving diabetes. You can eat a whole avocado, just remove the peel. Another great option is to take a dip such as guacamole and have it with fresh raw veggies. While avocados are delicious and you may feel indulgent to have more, make sure that you limit the serving size to one-fourth or one-half of an avocado. This is because although quite healthy, avocadoes have high-calorie content.