Diet and blood glucose levelsDiet is the mainstay of Diabetes management. Your blood glucose often depends on what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat. Most people with Diabetes are recommended an average daily diet of approximately 1200 - 1500 kilo calories.A kilo calorie (kcal) is a unit of measurement that measures energy. 100 kilo calories indicate the amount of energy your body will get when that food or drink is consumed. Usually, a dietician will advise that about 60 per cent of total calories must come from carbohydrates, 30 per cent from fat and the rest from proteins.Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are the important nutrients in your meal. Amongst these, carbohydrates (carbs) have the maximum impact on your blood glucose. Even though carbs affect blood glucose, people with Diabetes should not avoid them. Carbs are the body's most preferred source of energy. Carbs should account for 50-60 per cent of daily calorie intake. However, it is the quality of carbohydrates that matters. Instead of simple carbs (sugar, honey, fruit juices, cakes, candies, cookies, etc.) complex carb (whole wheat products, fruits and vegetables) with fibre should make up the bulk of diabetic diet. The presence of adequate carbohydrates is both tasteful and brings in a feeling of fullness.Proteins (lean meats, fish, low fat dairy foods, pulses and legumes) can be included with most meals and snacks. They have very little effect on blood glucose.Proteins should make 15 per cent of daily calories.Fats delay the rise in blood glucose, after eating, as they slow down stomach emptying. Fat intake should account for 20-25 per cent of total daily calorie intake. People with Diabetes have an increased risk of heart diseases; therefore, it is imperative for them to choose healthier fats and limit the intake of high fat foods. Fat intake brings in satiety.However, while fat intake is not banned, it is true that some fats are 'bad'. Processed ready-to-eat and crisp bites contain a type of fat called trans-fat that are invariably damaging to the body. Eat as little trans-fat as possible by limiting fried foods and checking labels for zero grams of trans fat.Vitamins and minerals help the body to work properly. Fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) are mainly found in animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver, and oily fish. Water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B, C and folic acid) are mainly found in fruits, vegetables, grains and milk and dairy foods. Minerals are necessary for building strong bones and teeth, controlling body fluids inside and outside cells and turning the food you eat into energy. Minerals include calcium and iron amongst many others and are found in meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, fruit and vegetables and nuts.Avoiding hypoglycaemiaWhen you have Diabetes, the most important factor is to control your blood glucose levels.Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose level) is defined as blood glucose level <70 mg/dL.Signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia include confusion, dizziness, feeling shaky, hunger, headaches, irritability, sweating, trembling, weakness and anxiety. If severe it can cause loss of consciousness, convulsions and can be life threatening if not treated promptly. Check your blood glucose levels if you experience these symptoms. A reading below 70mg/dL will confirm hypoglycaemia.The causes of hypoglycaemia are:Missing a snack or don't eat a full mealIncreased physical activityConsumption of alcoholic beveragesUnnecessary high medications.Managing those lowsTaking regular medications, healthy eating, regular exercise and lifestyle modifications are the basic pillars of the management of Diabetes and to prevent complications like heart diseases, kidney problems and obesity.Healthy eating is one of the most important factors amongst all the pillars. People are becoming aware of the importance of healthy eating and can self-control their blood glucose levels by making healthy food choices. Like all the major meals, better understanding of the importance of healthy snacking not only ensures better management of blood glucose levels but also helps to adjust the doses of Diabetes medications which will keep your good quality of life and energy without any extra efforts.Eating mid-morning (between breakfast and lunch), healthy evening snacks (between lunch and dinner) and sometimes bedtime snack is important in people with Diabetes, especially for those who take specific Diabetes pills and insulin.Snacking helps to avoid spikes and lows in blood glucose levels in between major meals.Snacking helps to control the portion of the major meals and avoid any hunger pangs before lunch and dinner which leads to overeating and sudden rise in blood glucose levels.Snacking helps prevent low blood glucose, hypoglycaemia in people on blood glucose lowering medications like Insulin and some tablets.Snacking helps maintain healthy body weight.Snacking helps to boost your nutrition and keep good energy levels up..Snacking 'WISELY'An important thumb rule is to eat healthy snacks in moderation. Eating a large portion size of high calorie foods constitutes unhealthy snacking. Chips, biscuits, cakes, fast food, soft drinks etc. may cause weight gain and increase blood glucose levels. When choosing snacks, plan to have healthy-nutritious snacks. Your dietitian can help you to choose wise, healthy options according to your health requirement. The mantra to control blood glucose levels and to avoid unhealthy spikes of blood glucose after meals is to spread daily recommended healthy carbohydrates wisely in major meals, mid meal, and snacking.An ideal snacking choice should be food or drink which is nutritionally rich, high in proteins, healthy fats, high fibre and low carbohydrate. It should give good satiety with a small portion size without increasing blood glucose levels. You can use carbohydrate counting methods while planning your meal. Choose a healthy snack containing 15 to 30 g of healthy carbohydrate.Consider your Diabetes medicationsIf you are managing your blood glucose levels with the help of a healthy diet, regular exercise and lifestyle modification along with the oral tablet Metformin, you may not need to eat a snack. (Please note: Metformin does not cause hypoglycaemia so a snack can be dropped). On the other hand, if you take insulin or glucose lowering Diabetes pills, snacking is recommended to help you prevent hypoglycaemia. Your dietitian or health care team can help you figure out the type of medications you are advised and the requirement of snacking accordingly to fit your lifestyle..Snack timePlan your snack time according to your daily routine and meal timings. A general rule of thumb is, when it comes to meal management for Diabetes (especially for people on oral hypoglycaemic medications), do not stay too long without eating. For instance, if you eat your breakfast at 7 a.m. and lunch at 2 p.m, eating a late mid-morning meal (around 10 am) can help keep blood glucose levels controlled steadily. One more example, if you have early dinner at 7 p.m. and you go to bed at 9 p.m., you may not need to eat a bedtime snack. (Snacking will depend on your blood glucose levels as well.)Pay attentionStay focused on when, how much and what you eat. When you eat your food while doing some activity such as watching television, scrolling social media screen or hanging out with friends, you tend to consume an extra portion of food without being aware of doing so. Pay attention when you eat in such situations. Try to portion out into a smaller bowl/plate or order some healthy snacks with a smaller portion size and try to finish it without adding the extra ones..Count the carbsToo much carbohydrate in one meal (even a mid-meal snack) can make your blood glucose stay high for too long. Counting carbohydrates is one of the best and easiest ways to plan your meals and keep a check on your blood glucose levels. It provides an accurate 'guess' of how your blood glucose level will rise after a meal or snack.Counting carbs can offer more variety to your meal plan.For people with Type 1 Diabetes, carbohydrate counting is absolutely the key to maintaining tight control over your blood glucose levels. You count the carbohydrates in a meal you are about to eat and then adjust the amount of short-acting or rapid-acting insulin you inject or the bolus on your insulin pump to balance out those carbohydrates as exactly as you can. By doing this, you are trying to mimic the functioning of a healthy pancreas and release just the right amount of insulin to cover the carbohydrates you eat. With the right balance of carbohydrates and insulin, your blood glucose level will usually stay within the targeted range.One word of caution here is that you need to choose the right types of carbs as foods rich in simple carbs (bad carbs such as sugar, refined foods) and fat can cause your lipid levels to go haywire. The type and amount of carbs is very important in ensuring that blood glucose and lipid levels are well within the target range. Within your daily carbohydrate limit, it is recommended to include foods providing good carbs such as unpolished cereals, pulses, sprouts, whole fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Try to include fibre rich foods as they aid in better blood glucose control.If you count your carbohydrate intake, try to consume a healthy snack containing 15- 30 g of carbohydrate along with proteins and fibre. Example, a small portion of fruit and ¾th cup of curd fits in this guideline. The requirement of carbohydrate may vary according to many factors such as body weight, blood glucose levels, dose of the medications, activity level, age etc.You can take the help of your dietitian for the snack options containing 15-30 g of carbs. Also read food labels to understand how much carbohydrate you're eating from a single portion of the packed foods..Resist the hunger urgeThere may be times when you cannot resist your hunger and really need an immediate snack to eat and grab some unhealthy quick foods such as a pack of biscuits, cup noodles or chips. Don't wait to eat until you are too hungry. Always reach or keep some healthy - easy to carry snacks options with you such as fruits, nuts, makhanas etc. which are low in carb and with good satiety. These snacks will also help to keep the blood glucoses steady..Emotional eatingAt times, we may emotionally eat when we are upset, bored or stressed. In such a situation we search the freezer to eat ice cream or some dessert or eat some other junk foods such as chocolates, chips or burgers etc. Here we eat for emotional reasons, and not because we are hungry. If you find yourself in such a situation, try to divert your mind by doing some activities like talking to your friend, going for a long walk, engaging yourself in the hobby you like. Always keep handy ready to eat healthy food options such as Nuts, dry fruits, fresh fruits, roasted chana, peanuts, hummus etc. Emotional eating will give you temporary relief and later you will regret how much and what you ate.Drink a sugar-free beverageIf you don't feel satisfied after having a snack, instead of adding up the extra portion, try drinking some sugar-less beverages such as water, green tea, buttermilk, or vegetable juice. This will help you make you fill fuller and keep you hydrated..Healthy snacking challengeEveryone tries to opt to eat healthy, but there are often many obstacles like food cravings, restricted time, cost, eating with a group etc. Because of these reasons, you might not eat healthy snack foods every day. To take care of your health, it is important to get your daily recommended nutrition.No time to snack healthyMany times, it's difficult to eat healthy snacks because of a busy schedule. Everyone is busy in their routine with multiple commitments. But it's not difficult to eat nutritious foods and it doesn't need to take a lot of time either. Choose snacks which will cut down your prep time like cutting, cooking, heating etc. Few ready to eat healthy options could be - fruits, peanuts, roasted chana, boiled eggs, makhana, nuts. You can also try taking out one hour on weekends to do a little bit of prep for a week like - pre-packing or freezing smoothie ingredients or soups into individual containers. All you must do in the morning is to just blend it or heat it.Eating healthy is always expensiveThere is an assumption that eating healthy foods is always fancy and expensive. But the fact is you can eat healthy snacks without spending too much money. Buy healthy ingredients from the grocery shop to prepare snacks and save time and money to buy snacks. It will surely cost much less than the amount you would spend on buying outside snacks..Crave for sweet and saltyWhen you crave for sweet or salty, it becomes difficult to overcome the feeling of eating chocolates or chips, a kind of unhealthy snacking. You can easily get addicted to these unhealthy snacks. But try to resist these feelings by managing your stress levels, keep yourself occupied to distract from the cravings. If you crave for sweets, choose healthier sweet options such as fresh or dry fruits to overcome the cravings.When eating sociallyWhen everyone surrounding you is eating unhealthy food, why can't you? Here the peer pressure comes and it's a struggle.When someone offers you unhealthy food when you are hungry, you are more likely to say yes . But if you avoid getting over- hungry and consume nutrient rich food before your appetite is at peak level, it will help you have nutritional fuel for the whole day and make you able to avoid unhealthy eating. At social gatherings - before leaving home grab some healthy snack to control the portion. Fill up yourself with salads, whole grains, grilled fish or eggs to control the portion size of the main course meal.Snacking while working outIf you are managing your blood glucose levels with diet and exercise you don't need a pre-workout snack. But if you are on Insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications, you may have to eat a healthy snack before, during, and after you work out.Snacking depends on a few things:your blood glucose level before you exerciselength of doing exercisethe time of day you are doing exercisethe way your body reacts to a particular exerciseBefore exerciseBefore you start doing exercise, if your sugar level is between 200 and 300 mg/dL and you've already had one meal prior to that, you probably don't need to eat anything. Also check for ketones, your body makes them when it burns fat for fuel instead of sugar. Try to avoid doing exercise if you have ketones over 250.If the blood glucose level is < 200 mg/dL, grab a snack with 15-30 g of carbs, depending upon the duration of your workout.Following snacks offer 15 g of carbohydrates:1 small piece of fresh fruit (around 125-150 g)1 slice of whole wheat bread(around 30 g) or 1 (6-inch) chappati½ cup of oatmeal½ cup of plain curd with 4-5 pieces of fruit1 handful makhana / roasted chanaMorning workoutIf you work out in the morning hours, make sure you eat breakfast first, no matter how much your blood glucose is. Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning can raise your blood glucose levels. But, if you consume food, it sends a signal to your pancreas to make insulin, which keeps it at a safe level.Long workout sessionsIf you're planning a long workout like a marathon or hiking, carry some snacks with you. Carrying food may not be easy every time so glucose tablets or sports drinks can be good options. You can also count the carbs here, like you would with food. The idea is to eat enough carbs to manage your blood glucoses at safe levels.Post workoutPost workout, test your blood glucose levels. If it's less than 100 mg/dL, have at least 15 g carbohydrates with 7-8 g of protein such as 1 boiled egg, handful of nuts..Healthy snacking optionsWhen planning for healthy snacks keep following things in mind:Select Diabetes friendly snacks - Low carb, high protein, high fibre which will promote keeping blood glucose levels in controlSnacks should be tasty, palatable, easy to prepare and with good satietyEat the snack slowly, gradually to control the portion size.Here is a list of some healthy snacking options and combinations for Diabetes-Fruit + protein- apple or pear slices with low fat paneer or curdHummus dip with veggies such as cucumber, carrot, broccoli, bell peppers, mushroomsWhole wheat bread with an egg/ avocadoFruit and yogurt parfait - use fruits such as blueberries, sliced strawberries, apples, pearVegetable smoothies -added with a small portion of fruit.Sprouts- vegetable soupA handful of nuts like almonds or roasted chana or peanuts or roasted makhanas.A handful of roasted seed mix offlaxseed such as - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, with a few pieces of dried fruits.1 cup sprouts - veggie saladDal chillas with added lots of veggiesHard-boiled eggHence, by no means should the diet be monotonous. Indeed, a balanced diet with carbs, fats and proteins is desirable. Spices and condiments may be added to make food tasty. While reheated oils and trans fats are best avoided, adequate intake of healthy fats will make food nourishing and tasty, yet healthy too! Reading this cover story, you will realise that healthy snacks can be yummy too!Priya Chaudahari is a Clinical Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator
Diet and blood glucose levelsDiet is the mainstay of Diabetes management. Your blood glucose often depends on what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat. Most people with Diabetes are recommended an average daily diet of approximately 1200 - 1500 kilo calories.A kilo calorie (kcal) is a unit of measurement that measures energy. 100 kilo calories indicate the amount of energy your body will get when that food or drink is consumed. Usually, a dietician will advise that about 60 per cent of total calories must come from carbohydrates, 30 per cent from fat and the rest from proteins.Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are the important nutrients in your meal. Amongst these, carbohydrates (carbs) have the maximum impact on your blood glucose. Even though carbs affect blood glucose, people with Diabetes should not avoid them. Carbs are the body's most preferred source of energy. Carbs should account for 50-60 per cent of daily calorie intake. However, it is the quality of carbohydrates that matters. Instead of simple carbs (sugar, honey, fruit juices, cakes, candies, cookies, etc.) complex carb (whole wheat products, fruits and vegetables) with fibre should make up the bulk of diabetic diet. The presence of adequate carbohydrates is both tasteful and brings in a feeling of fullness.Proteins (lean meats, fish, low fat dairy foods, pulses and legumes) can be included with most meals and snacks. They have very little effect on blood glucose.Proteins should make 15 per cent of daily calories.Fats delay the rise in blood glucose, after eating, as they slow down stomach emptying. Fat intake should account for 20-25 per cent of total daily calorie intake. People with Diabetes have an increased risk of heart diseases; therefore, it is imperative for them to choose healthier fats and limit the intake of high fat foods. Fat intake brings in satiety.However, while fat intake is not banned, it is true that some fats are 'bad'. Processed ready-to-eat and crisp bites contain a type of fat called trans-fat that are invariably damaging to the body. Eat as little trans-fat as possible by limiting fried foods and checking labels for zero grams of trans fat.Vitamins and minerals help the body to work properly. Fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) are mainly found in animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver, and oily fish. Water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B, C and folic acid) are mainly found in fruits, vegetables, grains and milk and dairy foods. Minerals are necessary for building strong bones and teeth, controlling body fluids inside and outside cells and turning the food you eat into energy. Minerals include calcium and iron amongst many others and are found in meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, fruit and vegetables and nuts.Avoiding hypoglycaemiaWhen you have Diabetes, the most important factor is to control your blood glucose levels.Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose level) is defined as blood glucose level <70 mg/dL.Signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia include confusion, dizziness, feeling shaky, hunger, headaches, irritability, sweating, trembling, weakness and anxiety. If severe it can cause loss of consciousness, convulsions and can be life threatening if not treated promptly. Check your blood glucose levels if you experience these symptoms. A reading below 70mg/dL will confirm hypoglycaemia.The causes of hypoglycaemia are:Missing a snack or don't eat a full mealIncreased physical activityConsumption of alcoholic beveragesUnnecessary high medications.Managing those lowsTaking regular medications, healthy eating, regular exercise and lifestyle modifications are the basic pillars of the management of Diabetes and to prevent complications like heart diseases, kidney problems and obesity.Healthy eating is one of the most important factors amongst all the pillars. People are becoming aware of the importance of healthy eating and can self-control their blood glucose levels by making healthy food choices. Like all the major meals, better understanding of the importance of healthy snacking not only ensures better management of blood glucose levels but also helps to adjust the doses of Diabetes medications which will keep your good quality of life and energy without any extra efforts.Eating mid-morning (between breakfast and lunch), healthy evening snacks (between lunch and dinner) and sometimes bedtime snack is important in people with Diabetes, especially for those who take specific Diabetes pills and insulin.Snacking helps to avoid spikes and lows in blood glucose levels in between major meals.Snacking helps to control the portion of the major meals and avoid any hunger pangs before lunch and dinner which leads to overeating and sudden rise in blood glucose levels.Snacking helps prevent low blood glucose, hypoglycaemia in people on blood glucose lowering medications like Insulin and some tablets.Snacking helps maintain healthy body weight.Snacking helps to boost your nutrition and keep good energy levels up..Snacking 'WISELY'An important thumb rule is to eat healthy snacks in moderation. Eating a large portion size of high calorie foods constitutes unhealthy snacking. Chips, biscuits, cakes, fast food, soft drinks etc. may cause weight gain and increase blood glucose levels. When choosing snacks, plan to have healthy-nutritious snacks. Your dietitian can help you to choose wise, healthy options according to your health requirement. The mantra to control blood glucose levels and to avoid unhealthy spikes of blood glucose after meals is to spread daily recommended healthy carbohydrates wisely in major meals, mid meal, and snacking.An ideal snacking choice should be food or drink which is nutritionally rich, high in proteins, healthy fats, high fibre and low carbohydrate. It should give good satiety with a small portion size without increasing blood glucose levels. You can use carbohydrate counting methods while planning your meal. Choose a healthy snack containing 15 to 30 g of healthy carbohydrate.Consider your Diabetes medicationsIf you are managing your blood glucose levels with the help of a healthy diet, regular exercise and lifestyle modification along with the oral tablet Metformin, you may not need to eat a snack. (Please note: Metformin does not cause hypoglycaemia so a snack can be dropped). On the other hand, if you take insulin or glucose lowering Diabetes pills, snacking is recommended to help you prevent hypoglycaemia. Your dietitian or health care team can help you figure out the type of medications you are advised and the requirement of snacking accordingly to fit your lifestyle..Snack timePlan your snack time according to your daily routine and meal timings. A general rule of thumb is, when it comes to meal management for Diabetes (especially for people on oral hypoglycaemic medications), do not stay too long without eating. For instance, if you eat your breakfast at 7 a.m. and lunch at 2 p.m, eating a late mid-morning meal (around 10 am) can help keep blood glucose levels controlled steadily. One more example, if you have early dinner at 7 p.m. and you go to bed at 9 p.m., you may not need to eat a bedtime snack. (Snacking will depend on your blood glucose levels as well.)Pay attentionStay focused on when, how much and what you eat. When you eat your food while doing some activity such as watching television, scrolling social media screen or hanging out with friends, you tend to consume an extra portion of food without being aware of doing so. Pay attention when you eat in such situations. Try to portion out into a smaller bowl/plate or order some healthy snacks with a smaller portion size and try to finish it without adding the extra ones..Count the carbsToo much carbohydrate in one meal (even a mid-meal snack) can make your blood glucose stay high for too long. Counting carbohydrates is one of the best and easiest ways to plan your meals and keep a check on your blood glucose levels. It provides an accurate 'guess' of how your blood glucose level will rise after a meal or snack.Counting carbs can offer more variety to your meal plan.For people with Type 1 Diabetes, carbohydrate counting is absolutely the key to maintaining tight control over your blood glucose levels. You count the carbohydrates in a meal you are about to eat and then adjust the amount of short-acting or rapid-acting insulin you inject or the bolus on your insulin pump to balance out those carbohydrates as exactly as you can. By doing this, you are trying to mimic the functioning of a healthy pancreas and release just the right amount of insulin to cover the carbohydrates you eat. With the right balance of carbohydrates and insulin, your blood glucose level will usually stay within the targeted range.One word of caution here is that you need to choose the right types of carbs as foods rich in simple carbs (bad carbs such as sugar, refined foods) and fat can cause your lipid levels to go haywire. The type and amount of carbs is very important in ensuring that blood glucose and lipid levels are well within the target range. Within your daily carbohydrate limit, it is recommended to include foods providing good carbs such as unpolished cereals, pulses, sprouts, whole fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Try to include fibre rich foods as they aid in better blood glucose control.If you count your carbohydrate intake, try to consume a healthy snack containing 15- 30 g of carbohydrate along with proteins and fibre. Example, a small portion of fruit and ¾th cup of curd fits in this guideline. The requirement of carbohydrate may vary according to many factors such as body weight, blood glucose levels, dose of the medications, activity level, age etc.You can take the help of your dietitian for the snack options containing 15-30 g of carbs. Also read food labels to understand how much carbohydrate you're eating from a single portion of the packed foods..Resist the hunger urgeThere may be times when you cannot resist your hunger and really need an immediate snack to eat and grab some unhealthy quick foods such as a pack of biscuits, cup noodles or chips. Don't wait to eat until you are too hungry. Always reach or keep some healthy - easy to carry snacks options with you such as fruits, nuts, makhanas etc. which are low in carb and with good satiety. These snacks will also help to keep the blood glucoses steady..Emotional eatingAt times, we may emotionally eat when we are upset, bored or stressed. In such a situation we search the freezer to eat ice cream or some dessert or eat some other junk foods such as chocolates, chips or burgers etc. Here we eat for emotional reasons, and not because we are hungry. If you find yourself in such a situation, try to divert your mind by doing some activities like talking to your friend, going for a long walk, engaging yourself in the hobby you like. Always keep handy ready to eat healthy food options such as Nuts, dry fruits, fresh fruits, roasted chana, peanuts, hummus etc. Emotional eating will give you temporary relief and later you will regret how much and what you ate.Drink a sugar-free beverageIf you don't feel satisfied after having a snack, instead of adding up the extra portion, try drinking some sugar-less beverages such as water, green tea, buttermilk, or vegetable juice. This will help you make you fill fuller and keep you hydrated..Healthy snacking challengeEveryone tries to opt to eat healthy, but there are often many obstacles like food cravings, restricted time, cost, eating with a group etc. Because of these reasons, you might not eat healthy snack foods every day. To take care of your health, it is important to get your daily recommended nutrition.No time to snack healthyMany times, it's difficult to eat healthy snacks because of a busy schedule. Everyone is busy in their routine with multiple commitments. But it's not difficult to eat nutritious foods and it doesn't need to take a lot of time either. Choose snacks which will cut down your prep time like cutting, cooking, heating etc. Few ready to eat healthy options could be - fruits, peanuts, roasted chana, boiled eggs, makhana, nuts. You can also try taking out one hour on weekends to do a little bit of prep for a week like - pre-packing or freezing smoothie ingredients or soups into individual containers. All you must do in the morning is to just blend it or heat it.Eating healthy is always expensiveThere is an assumption that eating healthy foods is always fancy and expensive. But the fact is you can eat healthy snacks without spending too much money. Buy healthy ingredients from the grocery shop to prepare snacks and save time and money to buy snacks. It will surely cost much less than the amount you would spend on buying outside snacks..Crave for sweet and saltyWhen you crave for sweet or salty, it becomes difficult to overcome the feeling of eating chocolates or chips, a kind of unhealthy snacking. You can easily get addicted to these unhealthy snacks. But try to resist these feelings by managing your stress levels, keep yourself occupied to distract from the cravings. If you crave for sweets, choose healthier sweet options such as fresh or dry fruits to overcome the cravings.When eating sociallyWhen everyone surrounding you is eating unhealthy food, why can't you? Here the peer pressure comes and it's a struggle.When someone offers you unhealthy food when you are hungry, you are more likely to say yes . But if you avoid getting over- hungry and consume nutrient rich food before your appetite is at peak level, it will help you have nutritional fuel for the whole day and make you able to avoid unhealthy eating. At social gatherings - before leaving home grab some healthy snack to control the portion. Fill up yourself with salads, whole grains, grilled fish or eggs to control the portion size of the main course meal.Snacking while working outIf you are managing your blood glucose levels with diet and exercise you don't need a pre-workout snack. But if you are on Insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications, you may have to eat a healthy snack before, during, and after you work out.Snacking depends on a few things:your blood glucose level before you exerciselength of doing exercisethe time of day you are doing exercisethe way your body reacts to a particular exerciseBefore exerciseBefore you start doing exercise, if your sugar level is between 200 and 300 mg/dL and you've already had one meal prior to that, you probably don't need to eat anything. Also check for ketones, your body makes them when it burns fat for fuel instead of sugar. Try to avoid doing exercise if you have ketones over 250.If the blood glucose level is < 200 mg/dL, grab a snack with 15-30 g of carbs, depending upon the duration of your workout.Following snacks offer 15 g of carbohydrates:1 small piece of fresh fruit (around 125-150 g)1 slice of whole wheat bread(around 30 g) or 1 (6-inch) chappati½ cup of oatmeal½ cup of plain curd with 4-5 pieces of fruit1 handful makhana / roasted chanaMorning workoutIf you work out in the morning hours, make sure you eat breakfast first, no matter how much your blood glucose is. Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning can raise your blood glucose levels. But, if you consume food, it sends a signal to your pancreas to make insulin, which keeps it at a safe level.Long workout sessionsIf you're planning a long workout like a marathon or hiking, carry some snacks with you. Carrying food may not be easy every time so glucose tablets or sports drinks can be good options. You can also count the carbs here, like you would with food. The idea is to eat enough carbs to manage your blood glucoses at safe levels.Post workoutPost workout, test your blood glucose levels. If it's less than 100 mg/dL, have at least 15 g carbohydrates with 7-8 g of protein such as 1 boiled egg, handful of nuts..Healthy snacking optionsWhen planning for healthy snacks keep following things in mind:Select Diabetes friendly snacks - Low carb, high protein, high fibre which will promote keeping blood glucose levels in controlSnacks should be tasty, palatable, easy to prepare and with good satietyEat the snack slowly, gradually to control the portion size.Here is a list of some healthy snacking options and combinations for Diabetes-Fruit + protein- apple or pear slices with low fat paneer or curdHummus dip with veggies such as cucumber, carrot, broccoli, bell peppers, mushroomsWhole wheat bread with an egg/ avocadoFruit and yogurt parfait - use fruits such as blueberries, sliced strawberries, apples, pearVegetable smoothies -added with a small portion of fruit.Sprouts- vegetable soupA handful of nuts like almonds or roasted chana or peanuts or roasted makhanas.A handful of roasted seed mix offlaxseed such as - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, with a few pieces of dried fruits.1 cup sprouts - veggie saladDal chillas with added lots of veggiesHard-boiled eggHence, by no means should the diet be monotonous. Indeed, a balanced diet with carbs, fats and proteins is desirable. Spices and condiments may be added to make food tasty. While reheated oils and trans fats are best avoided, adequate intake of healthy fats will make food nourishing and tasty, yet healthy too! Reading this cover story, you will realise that healthy snacks can be yummy too!Priya Chaudahari is a Clinical Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator
