Type 2 Diabetes Snack before Bed

If you have type-2 diabetes, eating right is very important to help manage the disease. But this doesn’t mean that you also need to stop eating snacks. Even snacking between meals or before bed is often recommended when you take insulin treatment. Just make sure that your choice is healthy and has least effect on blood sugar.

Eating snack with diabetes

It’s very important for diabetics to manage their blood sugar as well. As long as they can keep it normal, there is nothing to worry. On the other hand, poorly-controlled high blood sugar is to blame for the diabetic complications to occur!

Diabetes can be dangerous when it has caused its complications which some are life-threatening. The complications include cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, neuropathy (nerve damage), eye problems (blindness in worst scenario), kidney disease, and diabetic ketoacidosis.

If you have diabetes, your diet is the core of treatment plan to cope with the disease. What you eat can affect your blood sugar. Therefore, eating right is important step for managing the disease. How about snacks?

When it comes to snacking, what most people think are usually foods high in fats, carbohydrates, calories, or even sugars. But there lots of other options which some are healthy and safe for your blood sugar.

Eating snack is not off-limits if you’re a diabetic. Even there a number of benefits from eating snack for diabetics. If it is healthy or part of your meal plan made by your dietitian, it does help manage your blood sugar as well as avoid binge at mealtime.

In general, snacks with low carbohydrate (about 10-30 grams of carbohydrate) and don’t not contain many calories are the best choice for diabetics. You should also love ones loaded with essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals!

Should diabetics include snack in their diet?

Snacking can be a part of diabetic treatment plan, especially for diabetics who take insulin treatment. It can help reduce the risk of hypoglycemia (too low blood sugar) when you’re on insulin. It is often recommended for people with type-1 diabetes. But sometimes people with type 2 diabetes need it, too

As well we know that type-1diabetes is insulin dependent. This means, patients usually need to take daily injection of insulin to control the disease. Type 1 is usually associated with the abnormality of immune system that mistakenly attacks and destroys islet cells (insulin-producing cells) of pancreas. This can significantly affect the ability of the body in making insulin. Even pancreas may not be able to make insulin at all.

Type-2 diabetes is more likely to be associated with lifestyle factors (such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity), though it also runs in families. In this kind of diabetes, pancreas is still able to make some insulin but it doesn’t meet to the body needs –or– there is adequate insulin released by pancreas, but the body cannot use it effectively (insulin resistance).

Snacking for people with type-2 diabetes is optional choice. They don’t always need to include it in their diet. However sometimes it can be recommended when they take diabetic medication (such as insulin) that can lead to hypoglycemia. Although type-2 is usually not insulin dependent, but sometimes insulin treatment is required.

But like anyone else – snaking can help control blood sugar and curb hunger (even though if you don’t have diabetes) as long as it’s part of your balanced, healthy diet. In general, it’s worth a try for everyone.

What is the best time to eat snack with diabetes? This can vary from diabetic to diabetic. While some need to have it between meals or before bedtime, others may need to split it throughout the day.

And when you’re so hungry in the afternoon, you don’t want to start grabbing anything, do you? That’s why afternoon snacking is also a good idea. Some diabetics find that it is helpful to curb their hunger once they’re home.

For more advice of whether you need to snack at certain times, talk with your healthcare provider! But in general, it’s dependent on the following factors:

1. The treatment plan that you follow.
2. Your low blood sugar pattern.
3. The expected level of your physical activity.
4. And your lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes snack before bed

Diabetic blood sugar level is very easy to fluctuate. People with diabetes are not only easier to have a spike in blood sugar, but also a significant decrease in blood sugar!

Not eating enough food at night is problematic, too. This can cause lack of fuel in the body that stimulates the liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream by converting glycogen, causing a high blood sugar in the morning. Here is why some diabetics may need to eat snack before their bedtime, again particularly true if they take insulin.

There are many healthy snack options to choose from, even though if you have diabetes. If you’re advised to have bedtime snacks, try the following tips and suggestions which are not only healthy but also tasty!

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Is it still safe to eat fruits for diabetics?

Snacking with diabetes should also follow what you need to avoid in your diabetic meal plan. But actually, there is no really something special you need to follow. Snacks high in sugar, fat, low in fiber, simple carbohydrates, or zero in nutritional value are bad for both diabetics and non-diabetics.

How about fruits? Many diabetics are often told that fruits may cause a sudden spike in blood sugar since they are high in sugar and too sweet. But fortunately, in fact diabetes can eat fruits without having worry about high blood sugar afterwards. There are too many good things in fruits and you cannot skip them.

Fruits are sweet, that’s right! But what they have is natural sugar with low-to-medium GI (glycemix index). They are also loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals which are so essential for your health and even some can help manage your blood sugar.

But still, portion size matters – however fruits can give you carbohydrates (glucose), so eat them in moderation! Furthermore, whole fruits are much more recommended than fruit juices. Whole fruits are high in fiber. And by contrast, fruit juice is low in fiber and higher in natural sugar.

Start from simple things!

Actually, snacking is healthy choice for everyone. But in fact, many snacks in these modern living are not healthy. Most of them are usually high in fat, calories, and carbohydrates – these are bad even though if you don’t have diabetes.

If you still don’t have any idea for bedtime snack with diabetes, start with simple things such as a small apple, one egg, a yummy popsicles (sugar-free), a handful of nuts, or raw vegetables with low-fat dip. Other ideas are a cup of fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt (without sugar added). If necessary, add protein such as peanut butter to help get feeling of fullness and increase satiety!

Starchy snack, but pay attention on serving size!

Another popular choice is with starchy snack. But when you choose it, watch on the serving size! For examples – 3/4 of a cup of cereal (unsweetened cereal), 1 slice of toast, or 3 squares of graham crackers is one starch serving that should be enough for your type-2 diabetes snack before bed.

And be careful to any starchy foods high in sugar, salt, or added fat. Ones that are highly processed should be avoided, too.

Dried cranberries and almonds

If you’re looking for a power-packed crunchy snack, the mix of dried fruits and nuts is worth a try. For instance, you can try with dried cranberries and almonds. Cranberries provide some health benefits (they may help cut the risk of heart disease and stroke, two common diabetic complications). And almonds can keep you full and help manage your blood sugar.

But again, portion control matters! Both foods are quite high in calories. Stick to about 2 tablespoons of each. This can add about 20 grams of carbohydrate.

A tasty, chicken noodle soup

It is a good idea for a warm, soothing snack in the evening. It’s not only good in taste, but also fits to your diabetes bill since it’s loaded with a mix of protein and fiber. It also contains starchy carbohydrate, noodles – but in a small amount! Just make sure that the soup is low in sodium. And for longer-lasting enjoyment, sip slowly!

Egg salad

Hard-boiled egg is practical choice, easy to prepare, and loaded with a protein punch. To improve the flavor, mix it with about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (choose low-fat mayonnaise). Or for more protein, add 1-2 extra egg-white!

This high protein snack should be enough to increase your satiety. But if you want more, spread it on a slice of bread (whole-grain bread), or have it with a handful of grapes, or eat it with 4-5 multigrain crackers.

String cheese

Another practical choice is with low-fat string cheese. Even it’s also easy to slip in your backpack or purse. A piece of string cheese contains only about 10-15 grams of carbohydrates. You can eat it with some apple slices, or baby carrots, or five-whole grain crackers for a more nutritionally complete bedtime snack.

Pair veggies with healthy dip

Some good choices of healthy dip include two tablespoons of plain yogurt, 1/3 cup of hummus, or one tablespoon of low-fat salad dressing. Use one of these options as a dip for peppers, broccoli, celery, cucumber, or carrot sticks.  This snack is a calorie-dense, but it is also rich in fiber.