5 Best Snacking Habits for High Blood Sugar
If you're dealing with hyperglycemia, also known as high blood glucose or high blood sugar, you need to be careful when it comes to blood sugar spikes. Blood sugar spikes can be the result of various eating or drinking habits, from drinking coffee to skipping breakfast; the types of foods you eat; and environmental effects, such as getting sunburn.
However, just because you need to watch your food intake when you have high blood sugar, it doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite snacks. Instead, you can adapt your snacking habits to be healthier. We spoke with The Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT, and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, authors of The Nutrition Twins' Veggie Cure, to give you the best snacking habits that won't negatively impact your high blood sugar. Read on, and for more, don't miss 4 Best Foods for High Blood Sugar.
Swap out your late-night ice cream choice.
The Nutrition Twins suggest swapping out those traditional late-night sugar-laden ice cream snacks. Instead, have lower sugar, lightened up alternatives that also contain a combination of fiber and protein to keep blood sugar stable.
"Halo Top's Chocolate Cake Batter has a winning combination for avoiding blood sugar spikes and crashes with 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per 2/3 cup serving and with just 9 grams of sugar," says the Nutrition Twins. "Most ice creams easily have twice as much sugar per serving."
Have a cup of green tea with your snack.
"While green tea has many health benefits, sipping it seems particularly helpful for blood sugar," says The Nutrition Twins. "In fact, its epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and other beneficial compounds have been shown to lower blood sugar levels by helping to shuttle sugar from the blood and into the muscle. This may be quite helpful if you have a snack that quickly causes a rise in blood sugar, as many snacks do!"
That's why The Nutrition Twins suggest making a habit of sipping green tea with a snack. They say that regular tea consumption has been shown to help lower fasting blood sugar. And, levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a marker of long-term blood sugar control.
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Keep carb-rich snack portions in check.
How can you do this? By limiting foods like pretzels to less than a cup. You can also combine them with a small amount of healthy fat and/or protein and fiber to help to prevent blood sugar from soaring.
"Sabra Singles are portioned-controlled 150-calorie hummus packs, which contain fat, protein, and fiber that can steady blood sugar," says The Nutrition Twins. "These are perfect for pairing with pretzels, carrots, or any carb that many people mistakenly consume on their own."
Try a better-for-you baked good.
Not all baked goods have to take a toll on your blood sugar, and you should still be able to enjoy some type of sweetness.
"Satisfy sugar cravings with this good-for-your-blood-sugar Copycat Apple Pie instead of diving into sugar-packed baked goods," says the Nutrition Twins. "You can whip up this naturally sweet 140-calorie version in less than 5 minutes."
According to The Nutrition Twins, cinnamon helps to lower blood sugar and mimics the effect of insulin, helping to bring sugar into the cells. Therefore, you can sprinkle a lot of it on.
"You'll also get about 4 grams of fiber from that apple to keep blood sugar steady," says The Nutrition Twins. "Eating apples has also been found to be linked to a decreased risk of Type 2 diabetes."
Choose nuts for a snack.
According to The Nutrition Twins, nuts contain the blood sugar-stabilizing combination of protein and fiber.
In fact, in a study published in Frontiers of Nutrition, teen snackers were found to improve their blood cholesterol and blood sugar markers when they snacked on almonds.
"Both fiber and protein help you to feel satisfied and cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar, keeping your energy on an even keel," says The Nutrition Twins. "Plus, since they're delicious and indulgent feeling, you won't miss that blood sugar-spiking candy bar or that energy crash that comes with it."
