It is sometimes hard to know what you can and can’t eat when you have diabetes. It is also sometimes difficult to find snacks for people with diabetes. Understanding why diabetics can eat certain foods and not others will help alleviate some of the worry surrounding these issues.

Diabetics have trouble processing blood sugar (glucose). Therefore, foods which contain high levels of carbohydrates and sugars should be avoided. Examples of these are enriched breads, chips, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and even some starchy vegetables. Diabetics are also generally advised to avoid snacks which could lead to weight gain such as foods which contain trans fats, saturated fats, and those that are high in calories. One must remember, however, that even the healthiest of foods can cause a person to gain weight if they eat too big of portions (Diabetes.org, 2012).

To help you with your decisions, DiabetesDaily.com lists 23 low-carb snacks for people with diabetes. It includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Peanut butter
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Cottage cheese
  • Salad and low-carb dressing
  • Tomato and mozzarella salad
  • Celery with peanut butter
  • Fresh strawberries or blue berries with low-fat plain yogurt
  • Carrots
  • Beef jerky
  • Sautéed Spinach
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Pickles
  • Deli meat
  • Rotisserie chicken
  • Pepperoni and cheese
  • Nuts

 

Recipes for Diabetic Snacks

 

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup finely chopped pineapple
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped onions
  • 2 chopped green chile peppers
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 can of black beans (15 oz.), drained
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup of ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

Using a large bowl, mix together the red and green bell pepper, pineapple, black beans, onions, corn, green chili peppers, orange juice, cilantro. Now season the mixture with the salt, pepper, and cumin. Cover the salsa and allow it to chill in the refrigerator before serving.

 

Baked Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

  • 1 package corn tortillas
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt

 

Instructions:

To begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tortillas so that each makes 8 chip sized wedges. Arrange these on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Using a mister, combine the oil and lime juice, and then spray each tortilla wedge so that they are all slightly moist.  Use a small bowl to combine the cumin, chili powder, and salt, and then sprinkle the mixture onto the chips. Put the pan into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, rotate the pan, and then bake for an additional 8 minutes, or until the chips are crisp.