Best Smoothies For People With Diabetes
Smoothies may seem like a healthful option, but they can be a very bad choice for people who have diabetes. Many people with diabetes are well-informed about what they can and cannot eat. They know also that choosing premade meals, snacks, and drinks can be challenging. People with diabetes have to be very careful when ordering smoothies in restaurants, as these often contain far too much sugar and not enough protein and fat. With some modifications, however, smoothies can be enjoyed either at home or at a restaurant. Things to consider when making a smoothie People with diabetes must pay careful attention to their carbohydrate intake. Avoiding low quality carbohydrates, such as sugar or white flour, and using dietary fiber as their guide in choosing carbohydrates, are the best dietary options for them. A person with diabetes should consider some of the following: Extra fat can be a good thing The debate can be very confusing between good and bad fat, what is good and bad cholesterol, and the ever-changing guidelines on what offers the best balance between them. However, in short, some fats are very beneficial to people with diabetes, as they help slow down the speed at which sugar enters the blood. Some sources of fat that can be added to a morning smoothie include: almond or peanut butter chia seeds avocado raw pecans raw walnuts Include extra protein Similarly to fat, protein offers many health benefits that are particularly important to people with diabetes. For example, high-protein content slows the absorption of food, which reduces the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream. Protein does not always need to come from an animal or animal byproduct. Many foods contain high amounts of protein, and adding them to a smoothie in the morning will offer great benefit Continue reading >>
Smoothies And Diabetes: Do The Two Mix?
Smoothies are everywhere. Search on the Internet and you’ll come across an endless number of smoothie recipes. But what are they and, more importantly, are they good for people with diabetes? What is a smoothie, anyway? In general, a smoothie is a blended drink made from fruits and/or vegetables; a liquid such as milk, a milk alternative, yogurt or juice; and ice. Some smoothie recipes may call for additional protein in the form of a powder. A smoothie’s “thickness” can vary and depends on the ratio of liquid to solid ingredients. Why do people drink smoothies? Smoothies aren’t for everyone, but they can be appealing to people who may not like eating a meal or who don’t have time to prepare a healthful meal. For example, many people find that drinking a smoothie for breakfast is a quick and easy way to get a healthy dose of their daily nutrient needs. Other people drink smoothies to help them achieve a particular health goal, such as losing weight or better managing their blood sugar. Smoothies can be used as a meal replacement, as a supplement to a meal, or as a snack. Are smoothies safe for people with diabetes to drink? Smoothies can be a great way to boost your nutrition. In general, these popular beverages provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and protein. People who fall short of recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables can make up for that deficit by “drinking” them in the form of a smoothie. However, if you’re interested in trying this beverage, either in place of a meal or for a snack, it’s a good idea to first check with your doctor or dietitian. Depending on the recipe you use (if you’re making your own) and how much you drink, smoothies can be high in both calories and carbohydrate. It’s important to choose your ingredi Continue reading >>
10 Delicious Diabetic-friendly Smoothies
Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories. Some fruits and vegetables are better for managing your diabetes than others. Look for produce that’s low on the glycemic index and load, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar. Low-glycemic fruits and vegetables include: It’s also important to get plenty of calcium- and probiotic-rich dairy foods to fortify your bones and provide good gut bacteria. Good sources are low-fat milk, kefir, and Greek yogurt. These foods are essential to any diabetes diet, yet you don’t need to eat them with a fork or even a spoon. You can pack a lot of nutrition into one smoothie and get a delicious treat. As long as you stick with healthy ingredients and don’t add extra sweeteners, you can enjoy these treats on a regular basis. Just remember when you do blend fruit into your smoothies to count them as part of your daily fruit allowance so you don’t overdo it on carbohydrates. Even natural sugar can drive up your blood sugar if you eat too much of it. Here are 10 diabetes-friendly smoothie ideas to get you started. 1. Superfood Smoothie This smoothie has it all — antioxidant-rich berries, healthy fat from the avocado, greens, and protein. Just be careful when buying berry yogurt that you choose a brand that’s low in sugar, such as Siggi, or stevia-sweetened. Or opt for unsweetened yogurt. This recipe has 404 calories, so use it as a meal replacement instead of a snack. View the recipe. 2. Lower-Carb Strawberry Smoothie Recipe This smoothie’s creator has diabetes and discovered this recipe after some careful experimentation. Not only does Continue reading >>
8 Best Smoothies For People With Diabetes
Are smoothies good for diabetes? That depends. If it’s the 32 ounce variety from a smoothie chain with a drive-through, probably not. If you make it at home in your blender, is it then good for diabetes? That depends also. The ingredients that you put in it, specifically the amount of sugar and balance of protein and “good” fats, and the portion size matter. For diabetes, you should be counting your carbohydrates. You should know what a good size smoothie is for you. If you wonder what kinds of things you should put in it to make it healthier and delicious, you have come to the right place. We will help you to make nutritional sense of it all. I enjoy collecting healthy recipes for my patients with diabetes, and for my family. I have compiled a list of the best and healthiest smoothie recipes that I can find on the internet. It is almost fall, and time for Halloween! Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, and the first two smoothies on my list are made to gather the spices of fall into one. If your friends are heading out for a Pumpkin Pie Latte, why not make your own healthier smoothie and invite them to try it? First, let’s see what Brenda’s been drinking. What kind of smoothie did Brenda have? Brenda came into clinic. She was proud of herself because she was drinking smoothies. She had heard they were healthy. Her A1C was still a 9. Her fasting blood sugar was 197 mg/dl. “What kind of things do you put in your smoothie, Brenda,” I said. “Well I put a banana in, and a half cup of blueberries since they’re in season,” she said. “I have to put a few spoons of sugar in cause the blueberries are a little tart, a little early. You know, I put in some honey from the bee keeper down the road. “Oh, ok,” I said, thinking. “Is your glass this big? (I Continue reading >>
The Best 10 Delicious Diabetic Smoothie Recipes
For a long time, people living with diabetes didn’t get to enjoy many delicious options due to diet restrictions. But not anymore. Today, I’m giving you my best 10 smoothie recipes especially crafted for diabetics. They are ideal for you, whether you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic. My parents are diabetic and most of my extended family has diabetes too. We had to learn to live with it, and we've found smoothies to be a great solution - provided we chose the right ingredients, as I'll show you here. Fighting Diabetes Type 2 ? I've gotten several enthusiastic recommendations from followers who tried the "Reverse Diabetes Today" program. Note: it's now on a special 50% off promo, so grab it while the promo is still up. It’s important that through my experience, you’ll have a helpful new tool to live a wholesome life. You can now develop a meal plan with diabetic smoothies being a part of your everyday diet. My mother used to complain that her meals were boring. She would skip meals everyday, which caused her agony, as her blood sugar levels would decrease so rapidly. And now, with these smoothies, she’s always looking forward to her meal times. Her sugar levels are stable and she’s never been happier. Want to lose weight with smoothies? How smoothies can be good for Diabetes You may have thought that smoothies are laden with sugar. It’s true for many store-bought options, but at home you’re in perfect control. This is what prompted me to look up recipes to make low sugar, diabetic friendly smoothies. The best part? These are more than delicious treats. They are low calorie recipes for healthy smoothies to help you lose weight. You’ll appreciate how quick they are to make, especially on those days you’re too busy to cook or too lazy. Other days Continue reading >>
Green Smoothie Recipes For Type 2 Diabetes
One of THE biggest questions I get is about whether or not diabetics should consume green smoothies. I will attempt to answer this question in this post. First, you should know that I am not a doctor, and that absolutely nothing in this post should be taken as medical advice. Always work with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes when you have a medical condition, such as diabetes. Keep in mind that your results may vary from somebody else’s. Okay, now with that out of the way… The biggest concern that diabetics have about green smoothies is their sugar content. It is true that fruit contains glucose (and fructose). People with metabolic disorders such as diabetes should strictly monitor their carbohydrate intake – including the amount of sugar that they get from each meal. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have any fruit, or that green smoothies are not for you. Fresh, whole fruits, as well as blended green smoothies not only provide a healthy way for diabetics to get more fruits and vegetables in their diet, green smoothies also may help reverse some of the diet and lifestyle problems that exacerbate diabetes, or contributes to its progression. How Green Smoothies Have Helped My Readers With Diabetes I have collected countless testimonies from readers who have told me about how green smoothies have benefited their diabetic condition. I have heard from people who no longer need anti-diabetes medication, and who have brought their high blood sugar into the normal range! One of the most striking green smoothie success stories I received was from a reader named Charles from Michigan. He shared his amazing story with me: “I lost a total of 35 pounds in 11 weeks. My doctor has discontinued ALL of my medications for high blood pressure, an Continue reading >>
Diabetic Friendly Smoothies
Living with diabetes is all about managing your blood sugar levels. This is a chronic illness, but you can live well with it if you manage it. A huge part of that management is diet. Several lifestyle factors can affect your well-being as a diabetic and your blood sugar levels, but what you eat on a daily basis is one of the most important. Eating healthful, balanced meals can help maintain a steady blood sugar level and smoothies can be a part of this balance. There are even some recommended superfoods that are particularly good for controlling blood sugar and they all work well in smoothies. Of course, it is important that you discuss any lifestyle changes, such as your diet, with your doctor. Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by high blood sugar, or glucose. Most common are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes because it is usually first diagnosed during childhood. If you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make insulin, the hormone that regulates glucose. In a healthy person, the pancreas releases insulin when blood sugar levels get too high. The insulin goes to work lowering the amount of glucose in the blood. Type 1 diabetics need to inject insulin regularly to maintain a normal blood sugar level. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still makes insulin, but your body has developed a resistance to it and it no longer adequately lowers blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is sometimes called adult-onset, as it is rare to develop in children. In adults type 2 is the most common kind of diabetes, accounting for around 90 percent of all cases. It develops in stages and can be prevented or even reversed with proper lifestyle changes, including diet, weight loss, and exe Continue reading >>
