10 Best Type 2 Diabetes Snacks
Healthy Combinations Ready in Minutes When you have type 2 diabetes, a smart strategy for controlling your blood sugar levels is to think of snacks as miniature versions of meals and plan your carbs accordingly. Snacks with a good mix of protein, fat, and fiber will help keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar on an even keel throughout the day. "Since a meal should include 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates, a snack should have around 15 to 20 grams," says Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian in the Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation departments at University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville. By the same token, she says, fill your snack plate the same way you would for a regular meal. That means half should be non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter should be lean protein, and one-quarter a starchy carb. Here are 10 terrific options for healthy diabetes snacks. Continue reading >>
Nuts And Seeds Address 4 Problems | Reverse Diabetes
Author Sidebar: I didn't really care that much for nuts (or seeds) as a snack. I preferred potato chips or pretzels; or, a piece of fruit such as an apple or some grapes. But, after I recovered from my coma and returned to work, I realized that I needed something healthier than potato chips for a snack. :-) I started with salted, roasted peanuts; but, after doing some research, I discovered that roasted nuts tended not to be healthy because the heat caused damaged to the healthy fats within the nuts. In addition, I discovered that peanuts were one of the least healthy nuts. So, I gradually transitioned to raw nuts (no salt, not roasted), mainly almonds, pecans and walnuts; and, sometimes macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, and pumpkin seeds. Beyond helping with blood pressure, cholesterol, weight gain, and other health issues, there are 4 major problems that nuts and seeds help address to have them quality as super fats that help reverse your diabetes. 1. Healthy Snacks: is key to help diabetics maintain proper glucose control, especially between major meals. Eating nuts and seeds make it a lot easier to prepare quick and healthy snacks. 2. Healthy Fats: is one of the areas where many diabetics are lacking from a nutrient content perspective. Nuts and seeds provide monounsaturated fats, oleic acid and Omega-3 fats to help address inflammation, oxidation, weight gain, blood glucose levels and insulin levels. 3. Cravings: is a problem area that nuts and seeds can help with because of their macronutrient and micronutrient content, especially the fat, protein and minerals. 4. Eating Fruits: can be better tolerated when eaten with a handful of nuts and seeds. Why? Because the protein and fat in the nuts and seeds offset the carbs in the fruit. Nuts and Seed | Reverse Diabetes| Othe Continue reading >>
Are Peanuts Safe For Diabetes?
Peanuts are a common snack in the diet of an average American. It is consumed in various ways, such as in the form of candy bars, peanut butter, or simply by roasting it. But if you have diabetes, you might be wondering if peanuts are safe for you to eat. As you know, people with diabetes should carefully choose the food that they eat. Unsalted Peanuts Unsalted peanuts can be a safe snack for those with diabetes. There have been a lot of studies that suggest nuts, as a whole, are good for one’s health. According to experts, peanuts are filled with so much nutrients and are rich in healthy substances, like the following: • Healthful fats • Vegetable protein • Fiber • Minerals • Antioxidants Several studies have linked eating peanuts to lowering the risk of heart diseases, including gallstones. Nuts can even help in lowering cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as inflammation. Glycemic Index of Peanuts As you may already know, foods that have lower GI scale are converted to sugar steadily and slowly. On the other hand, foods that have high GI could release glucose fast into the bloodstream. According to medical studies, peanuts have a GI of 13. Such number is so low and this means that peanuts will only trigger a less spike in your blood sugar level, when compared to other foods. Peanuts are also said to only have a glycemic load of 1 and this means that after they are digested fully, they will not add too much sugar in your blood. This also means that peanuts can be considered a great snack even if you have diabetes. Are Peanuts Healthy for Diabetics? According to medical studies, peanuts are a nutrient enrich food and are rich in fats and proteins. Furthermore, they are a great source of magnesium, vitamin C, phosphorous and B-vitamins. Since peanuts h Continue reading >>
Nuts Will Change Your Life
Last year everyone was talking about how good nuts are for diabetes. This year they’re just as good, and new research shows it. If you aren’t eating lots of nuts yet, I’m going to try to get you started. Nuts are great because they are seeds and fruit combined. They are literally full of life. According to Wikipedia, while fruit seeds are separate from the fruit itself, in nuts (according to the botanical definition of the term), the seeds and fruit (which the seed will use to grow if planted) are bound up together, making them among the most nutritious foods on the planet. New research from Louisiana State University found that people who regularly eat tree nuts — including almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, and cashews — have lower risks for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Their C-reactive protein (a major marker of inflammation) levels were lower. Their HDL (“good cholesterol”) levels were higher. According to The Huffington Post, the study was funded by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation. Study results often show what the funders wanted them to show, but I tend to believe this one. It appeared in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition and was based on analyzing data from NHANES, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the gold standard for this kind of study in the US. This research confirms dozens of other studies. As Web Editor Diane Fennell wrote in 2011, “Nuts are well known for their nutritional benefits, including their high levels of heart-healthy fats, protein, antioxidants…, plant sterols (natural substances found in plants that can help lower cholesterol), fiber, and minerals.” Nutritionist Amy Campbell explained in this article that nuts are good because they h Continue reading >>
Which Nuts Can A Diabetic Eat
Managing diabetes requires a number of lifestyle changes, including becoming more active and making changes in your diet. Often that means saying goodbye to foods you enjoy, but nuts aren't one you need to worry about. Not only can diabetics eat nuts, but they may actually help minimize the impact of some other health issues that often come along with diabetes. Depending on your condition and circumstances, there are several techniques you might use to manage your meals and their impact on your blood sugars and overall health. The American Diabetes Association favors counting the grams of carbs in your diet, while some people with diabetes monitor the glycemic index, or GI, of the foods they eat. If you're trying to lose weight, you might also be on a calorie-restricted plan. Nuts can play a role in your diet, whichever of these strategies you follow: Carb Counting: Most nuts have a low impact on your carb count. An ounce of walnuts contains only 4 grams of carbohydrates, almonds and peanuts have 6 grams, and cashews have 9 grams. Glycemic Index: The Glycemic Index, or GI, measures how quickly a food raises your blood sugar, and the lower the number the better, with any GI below 55 considered "low." Most nuts are very low: The GI of peanuts is 13, for example, and even cashews – relatively high in carbs, for a nut – have a GI of 22. * Calorie Counting: Nuts are more problematic in a weight-loss scenario, because they're high in calories. An ounce of walnuts contains 185 calories, for example, and almonds contain 170. However, their combination of protein, healthy fats and fiber make them a filling and healthful snack, and may help you stay away from less-virtuous foods. Nuts and Health Benefits "First, do no harm" is a fundamental principle in medicine, but nuts go Continue reading >>
Are Peanuts Healthy?
Im sure youll agree with me when I say, nuts are super healthy. But wait up are peanuts healthy? Perhaps itsonly a problem when you eat too many, right? Well, lets back up a little and define peanuts first of all. NEW VISITOR BONUS: Download a Free GuideHow To Lose Weight Fast in 3 Simple Steps (Based on Science). Follow these steps to lose 10 pounds in a week As you probably know,peanutsarent actually nuts, they arepulses belonging in the legume family, along with peas, beans, lentils and soybeans. And, theygrow under the ground, too, not on trees. They are a greatsource of protein for a plant food, and a good source of vitamins and minerals, like biotin, copper, folate, vitamin E, thiamin, and magnesium. But, although they are different to nuts like almonds and Brazil nuts etc., do they still have the same health benefits their counterpartsare renowned for having? One of the biggest nutritional myths of all times is that eating foods high in fat will make you fat. As a result, people are often fearful of nuts. While its true that peanuts are high in fat mostly monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, but also some saturated fat studies suggest this does not appear to contribute to weight gain. In well-controlled trials, no change in body weight was observed in the participants. But, lets look more specificallyat some of the research. Onestudy found that when peanuts were added to the diet everyday for 8 weeks, the peanut group naturally compensated for this energy increase in their overall dietary intake. Despite being energy dense, peanuts have a high satiety value and chronic ingestion evokes strong dietary compensation and little change in energy balance. 2. Reduced Energy Intake At Subsequent Meals One study compared peanuts topotato chips, and f Continue reading >>
Nuts Good For Some With Diabetes
July 8, 2011 -- Eating about 2 ounces of nuts daily in place of carbohydrates may be beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes by lowering bad cholesterol levels and improving blood sugar control, a new study shows. “There are two important factors in caring for diabetes: blood sugar control and heart health,” study researcher Cyril W.C. Kendall, PhD, of the University of Toronto, says in a news release. The study involved 117 people with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group’s members ate about 2 ounces of mixed nuts daily, another a healthy muffin, and the third half nuts and half muffin. Researchers say those whose diet included 2 ounces of nuts showed better results after three months in both blood sugar and LDL "bad" cholesterol levels than participants in the other two groups. The nuts consisted of a mixture of unsalted and mostly raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias. The muffin was concocted to be a healthy whole wheat product, sweetened with apple concentrate but with no sugar added. The muffins had similar protein content to the nuts from the addition of egg white and skim milk powder. Calories from monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the nuts were the same as the carbohydrate calories in the muffin, the researchers write. During the three-month study, participants were asked to maintain their oral diabetes medications. The main outcome researchers looked for was change in a marker of blood sugar control called HbA1c. Kendall described the results of the study as “a very exciting and promising finding about the treatment” of type 2 diabetes. The researchers write that the reduction in the HbA1c level was significantly more in those in the nuts-only group than pa Continue reading >>
Eating Nuts Such As Peanuts Improves Diabetes Control Without Weight Gain
ALBANY, Ga., Aug. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- An important new study released in the August issue of Diabetes Care shows that replacing carbohydrates with two ounces of nuts, such as peanuts, everyday improves blood glucose control and blood lipids in people with type 2 diabetes. David Jenkins, MD, PhD, DSc, Principal Investigator and a pioneer in the area of glycemic control for diabetics said, "Nuts, including peanuts, can make a valuable contribution to the diabetic diet by displacing high glycemic index carbohydrates and replacing them with vegetable fats and vegetable proteins which have been shown in the long term to be associated with better cardiovascular health and diabetes prevention." Peanuts have more protein than any other nut and are a source of mono and polyunsaturated oils. The paper reports that, "increased proportions of fat and protein, especially of plant origin, may confer metabolic benefits and reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease and diabetes." The study, "Nuts as a Replacement for Carbohydrates in the Diabetic Diet", was conducted at the University of Toronto. During the study, 117 men and women with type 2 diabetes were randomized into three groups where they received either a full portion of mixed nuts including peanuts, a half portion of both nuts and muffins, or a full portion of muffins. The muffins were made of healthy whole wheat with protein from egg and skim milk powder. Participants' fasting blood glucose were tested every other week. After three months, participants receiving the full portion of nuts showed the biggest decrease in glycated hemoglobin (HgA1c), a measure of blood glucose control. The difference was significantly more than the decrease shown in the participants receiving the half portion of nuts and muffins, a Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Peanuts?
Peanuts are a popular American snack food, and if you have diabetes you may wonder if you can also enjoy this nutritious favorite. While concerns about the impact of nuts on your weight and blood sugars may stop you in your tracks, there is good news. Peanuts, a groundnut from the legume family, and other tree nuts are linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, a common complication of diabetes. In addition, peanuts have properties that can actually help with appetite control and weight management, and peanuts in moderation do not worsen blood glucose control. Video of the Day A handful of nuts -- about 1 ounce -- contains 160 calories and has the same amount of protein as an ounce of meat or chicken, while also providing 2 grams of fiber and only 5 grams of carbohydrates. Peanuts have a glycemic index of 13 and a glycemic load of 1 -- both very low -- which means the carbohydrates in peanuts trigger less of a blood sugar spike compared to other foods with the same amount of carbohydrates. Peanuts are also nutrient-rich, as they contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, and are a good source of vitamin E, folate, niacin and the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and copper. Peanuts are also rich in phytochemicals -- substances with properties known to promote health and offer protection from chronic disease. According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to adults without diabetes. Consuming peanuts may help lower this risk. Research featured in the May 2015 issue of "JAMA Internal Medicine" followed over 200,000 people for at least 5 years, comparing peanut and tree nut consumption in adults to death rates. Researchers found that U.S. study participants eating peanut Continue reading >>
Diabetic Snacks: What To Eat And What To Skip
"Don't eat between meals." That's one piece of advice diabetics might want to take with a grain of salt. If you go more than four or five hours between meals, a mid-afternoon snack might be just what the doctor ordered to help you keep your blood sugar steady. Snacking is also important if you're taking medication that could cause a blood-sugar low between meals. Discuss with your doctor or a registered dietitian what snacking approach is right for you. Keep your snacks to 150 calories or less The danger of snacks is that they can become more like extra meals if you go overboard. First, make sure you're truly hungry—and not just bored or stressed or craving chocolate—before reaching for a snack. Then limit yourself to 150 calories per snack. (Cutting calories is easier than you think.) This will help keep your snacking "honest." After all, it's hard to find a candy bar with only 150 calories. And if you're hankering for a candy bar, but a healthier snack doesn't appeal, you're probably not truly hungry. Beware of low-fat snacks Studies show that people tend to eat about 28 percent more of a snack when it's low-fat because they think they're saving on calories. But low-fat snacks, such as cookies, only have about 11 percent fewer calories than their full-fat counterparts. Stick to the same amount you'd eat if you thought the snack was full-fat. Need more snack ideas? Check out these delicious snacks for adults. Check the ingredients Avoid heavily processed crackers and chips. If the list of ingredients is long and has big words with lots of syllables, put it back on the shelf. Stay away from these worst eating habits for diabetics. Watch those carbs Carbohydrates are major culprits when it comes to raising blood sugar (though there are some good carbs for diabetes). Continue reading >>
We're Nuts About Nuts, Seeds, Peanut Butter & Nut Butters!
Nuts, seeds, peanut butter and nut butters are a great source of protein and natural fats. This means that they make for a great 'GD food pairing tool' to eat with carbohydrates to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. But with so many different products available to buy, which ones should you choose and are any better than others? Here we share with you all our hints and tips for choosing the best nuts, seeds, peanut butter and nut butters... Nuts Nuts are a great source of protein and natural fat but they do still contain carbohydrates, meaning that some nuts are better than others. The best choice for nuts are nuts which are not salted or flavoured. Looking at this chart we can see that cashew nuts and pistachio nuts contain the highest amounts of carbohydrates, making them the nuts which aren't so good for pairing if eaten in larger amounts. Another nut that is high in carbohydrates, which isn't listed on this chart is the chestnut, so be wary of these carby nuts at Christmas! Highest in protein are the peanut and almonds. With macademia, walnuts and pecans being the highest in fats. That makes these nuts better for food pairing. Flavoured or coated nuts Salted, dry roasted, sweet chilli, BBQ, salt & vinegar, yoghurt coated, crispy shells, chocolate coated, you name it they seem make nuts covered or coated in so many different things. Savoury nuts included salted, dry roasted and flavoured contain high amounts of salt, so bear this in mind when eating them. Choosing nuts which are yoghurt or chocolate coated means that you are significantly increasing the carb amount, making these type of nuts possibly suitable for a treat, but would not be advisable as such good 'food pairing tools'. What about snickers, peanut M&Ms & Reese's peanut butter cups? Continue reading >>
The Benefits And Risks Of Peanuts For People With Diabetes
Peanuts are packed with a variety of nutritious properties that may benefit people with type 2 diabetes. Eating peanuts and peanut products may help: promote weight loss lower the risk of cardiovascular disease control blood sugar prevent people from developing diabetes in the first place However, peanuts also carry some potential risks. If you have type 2 diabetes, read on to learn more about the risks and benefits of eating peanuts. Adding peanuts and peanut butter to your diet may be beneficial, especially if you have type 2 diabetes. While not technically nuts, peanuts provide many of the same health benefits as tree nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, and pecans. Peanuts are also less expensive than most other nuts, which is great if you’re looking to save money but still want the nutritional rewards. Peanuts help control blood sugar If you have diabetes, you need to consider the glycemic content of the foods you eat. Glycemic content is based on how quickly your body converts carbohydrates into glucose, or blood sugar. The glycemic index (GI) is a 100-point scale that rates foods on how rapidly they cause blood sugar to rise. Foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar are given a higher value. Water, which has no effect on blood sugar, has a GI value of 0. Peanuts have a GI value of 13, which makes them a low GI food. According to an article in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating peanuts or peanut butter in the morning may help control your blood sugar throughout the day. Peanuts may also help lessen the insulin spike of higher GI foods when paired together. One reason that peanuts may help control blood sugar is because they contain a large amount of magnesium. A single serving of peanuts (about 28 peanuts) contains 12 percent of the daily recommended amount Continue reading >>
Peanuts Help Control Blood Sugar
Disease Prevention Glycemic index is a point scale used to compare how high your blood sugar and insulin spike after eating the same amount of carbohydrates from different foods. Foods that are digested more slowly and release sugar gradually into the blood stream have a lower GI. The GI content of foods is measured on a 100-point scale, with 100 being the highest GI foods. Peanuts have a GI of 14 making them a low GI food (Jenkins, 1981). Glycemic load also measures blood sugar spikes, but uses the typical serving size of each food item instead of a standard carbohydrate amount, making it an even better tool to show how different foods eaten can affect blood sugar (Salmeron, 1997). Foods with a higher GI and GL can cause blood sugar and insulin to spike soon after eating, followed by a drop in blood sugar to levels lower than before consumption. This crash in blood sugar can make a person feel tired and hungry for more food, and the rollercoaster cycle of highs and lows can contribute to the development of pre-diabetes and diabetes (Jenkins, 1981). In addition, low-GI diets can significantly improve long-term glucose control in people with diabetes, similar to the amounts achieved with medication (Ajala, 2013). Peanuts and peanut butter are both low GI and GL foods, due to their content of healthy oils, protein, and fiber that have a positive effect on blood sugar control. Research has shown that peanuts can help control blood sugar in both healthy individuals and those with type 2 diabetes (Kirkmeyer, 2000 and Jenkins, 2011). Peanuts and peanut butter have even been shown to help lessen the spike in blood sugar when paired with high carbohydrate or high GL foods (Johnston, 2005). Snacking on peanuts can help to maintain blood sugar in between meals. One study showed t Continue reading >>
Are Salted Peanuts Allowed?
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community i have type 2 diabetes. i love salted peanuts, but once i start i cannot stop eating them. they lower my blood sugar, are they good for diabetics or not? Well they are a bit high in salt, but I do eat some now and again as a snack. I am careful to put a small potion in a bowl though, as you say they are very more-ish, I'd demolish the whole bag if I sat in front of the TV with it! If they work for you and don't cause any bg issues, stick with them! Still may need not to get too carried away and eat loads If you buy red skin peanuts from the supermarket, you can roast them yourself. 200C for 15 mins. They dont really need salt. Alternatively, take them out after 10-12 mins and mix them in a bowl with some kind of chilli/garlic sauce and whack them back in for 5-10 mins. You have to keep an eye on them as once they are overdone, they are inedible. I;ve been doing that for years. Its much cheaper and healthier than buying the salted ones. Salted peanuts are one of my staple snacks - carbs are fine (0.6g carbs per 50g) Tent. peanuts are very high carb and technally they are not a nut they are a legume which i think is a type of beanI used to think they lowered bloods aswell. check bgs after three hhours u might get a hell of a shock. the reason thry lower bgs first is bcause of the fat con I have never found that to be the case. They dont increase my levels at all. Tent. peanuts are very high carb and technally they are not a nut they are a legume which i think is a type of beanI used to think they lowered bloods aswell. check bgs after three hhours u might get a hell of a shock. the reason thry lower bgs first is bcause of the fat con Peanuts are not adv Continue reading >>
The Best Nuts For Diabetes: Walnuts, Almonds, And More
When you’re looking for a satisfying diabetes-friendly snack, it’s hard to beat nuts. “Nuts are a super snack food for people with diabetes because they’re the total package — low in carbs and high in protein, fiber, and healthy fat — and they create a feeling of fullness,” says Cheryl Mussatto, RD, founder of Eat Well to Be Well in Osage City, Kansas. Nuts: A Good Choice for Diabetes and Your Heart The healthy fat in nuts protects your ticker, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RDN, CDE, a spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. That’s important because people with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to die of heart disease than those without it, according to the American Heart Association. Heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in nuts can lower your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, Mussatto says. “At the same time, nuts also raise levels of ‘good,’ or HDL, cholesterol,” she says. “This cholesterol acts sort of like a sanitation worker, removing cholesterol from the tissues for disposal, which prevents plaque buildup in the arteries.” What’s more, nuts help regulate blood sugar, which makes them a better option to reach for than, say, pretzels, when afternoon hunger strikes, Mussatto says. Many kinds of nuts have this effect: Almonds have been shown to slow down the blood sugar response when eaten with carbohydrate-rich foods, according to a small study published in the journal Metabolism that focused on healthy people without the disease. A study published in March 2011 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found similar results for pistachios when eaten by healthy volunteers. For those people already diagnosed with diabetes, regularly eating tree nuts can also improve blood sugar management, Continue reading >>
