Once, people with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2, were told to eat every few hours to make sure their blood sugar didn’t drop too low. Then the standard advice changed to eat three small meals and three snacks per day. Now things have changed…some type 2 diabetics take no medication at all, some take one or more diabetes medications that don’t lead to low blood sugar, some use a combination of long-acting and rapid-acting insulins, they have a tendency to give less trouble with low blood sugar.

With these therapies, snacks aren’t absolutely necessary, but you may want to include snacks because they help you achieve your healthy eating goals or because you need them to keep your blood sugar from going too low.

So what are the best types of snacks?

Foods with too much sugar or a glycemic index that is too high can raise blood sugar levels, causing an increase in insulin release, which can ultimately lead to low blood sugar. So, let’s take a look at snacks that will help maintain lower blood sugar levels:

  • homemade popcorn is low in fat and sugar. Use an air blower to pop 1/4 cup of kernels. Add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or your favorite flavor of Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning. This snack has 40 calories, 5.8 grams of carbohydrates, 1.0 grams of fiber, and only 0.1 grams of sugar.
  • apples and other fruits are low in calories and provide healthy nutrients. Apples are among the lowest in sugar. Cheese provides protein to help keep blood sugar levels stable and also helps with hunger. Cut a slice of low-fat cheddar cheese into 4 pieces and place on top of apple wedges. A slice of apple with a quarter slice of cheese has 30 calories, 5.3 grams of carbohydrates, 0.8 grams of fiber and 3.8 grams of sugar.
  • combine 8 ounces of dried cranberries or cherries with 8 ounces of pistachios. Walnuts are a good source of protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar. A one-ounce serving has 106 calories, 13 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber
  • combine 1 cup of blueberries with 1/4 cup of walnuts. Walnuts are believed to be good for maintaining a normal blood sugar level and, like all nuts, they are a good source of protein. A 1/4-cup serving provides 69 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 1/2 gram of fat
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of plain peanut butter on a celery stalk. Peanuts are actually a vegetable, also a good source of protein. This simple but good snack contains 100 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of sugar, 1.5 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein. No, celery does not have “negative calories.” It is low in calories, but the amount of energy required to chew it is only about 10% of the calories it contains.
  • combine 1 cup sliced ​​carrots with 1/4 cup grapes. A quarter cup of this snack provides 35 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar and 0.4 grams of protein.

The snack ideas above are simple and shouldn’t be too difficult to fit into your diabetic meal plan.