This amazing guest post was written by Holly Bertone, PMP, and CEO of Pink Fortitude! You can check out their website here!
We live in a society where we are always on the go. Reaching for “healthy” snacks may not always be the best option when they are packaged and processed. Oftentimes, they contain hidden sugars and unhealthy fats such as vegetable oils. That’s why we’ve compiled 33 great “whole food” snack ideas for someone with diabetes, or anyone who wants to eat healthy and improve their snack options!
Why Healthy Snacking is So Important
Recent studies show that almost half of all American adults are either diabetic or pre-diabetic. It’s obvious that there is a fundamental problem with the average American diet.
If your body is burning glucose as its primary fuel, blood sugar is regularly elevated and this, in turn, promotes insulin resistance. By the same token, foods that have a high glycemic index (such as white breads and pastas, crackers, sugary cereals) will dramatically spike your blood sugar levels, only to have them crash not long afterwards, leading not only to cravings in the short term, but insulin resistance in the long term.
Thankfully, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes can be tempered through nutrition and exercise. This includes a diet high in fiber, healthy fats and protein, and limited amounts of carbohydrates, processed, and sugary foods.
33 Healthy Snack Ideas for Diabetics
If you’re looking for something to snack on, make sure it’s the right choice! These great snack ideas are tasty options you can feel good about:
-
Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
-
Avocado Topped with Bacon and Eggs
-
Baba Ghanoush
-
Baked Broccoli Tots – Substitute with gluten free bread crumbs to help lower the carbs.
-
Broccoli and Cheese Dip (you can easily swap for vegan cheese)
-
Buffalo Spiced Nuts
-
Carrot Sticks and Hummus
-
Celery with Nut Butter
-
Hard Boiled Eggs
-
Mixed Bean Salad
-
Mixed nuts – almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts.
-
Olives
-
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
-
Pumpkin Spice Granola – Go easy on any extra maple syrup.
-
Rosemary Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas
-
Salmon – grilled or smoked on top of a cucumber with hummus
-
Salmon – grilled or smoked on top of an avocado with scrambled eggs
-
Sunflower Seeds
-
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
-
Tuna on Tomato Slices
-
Veggies and Guacamole
When you’re armed with so many snack options, you’ll be much better prepared to fight the temptation of high-sugary foods or processed snacks that only make managing your blood sugar levels difficult.
For more tips for controlling blood sugar or diabetes, check out these articles:
-
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/08/29/9-superfoods-for-diabetics.aspx
The post 32 recipes that won’t spike blood sugar, store fat or make you bloated appeared first on The Hearty Soul.