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As a person with diabetes, do you struggle to maintain blood glucose levels in the morning? The secret to low fasting glucose levels lies in choosing the right bedtime snacks. Good snacks for diabetics should keep nighttime hunger pangs at bay while regulating blood sugar levels and not causing dangerous spikes. So, what are the best bedtime snacks to control diabetes? What and how much should a diabetic eat before going to bed? Let’s find out!
Contents:
10 Best Bedtime Snacks For Diabetes
The below-listed snacks are low in glycemic index (GI) and high in essential nutrients. This will prevent blood sugar spikes and keep blood sugar levels in control.
1. A Handful of Nuts
Nutritional Profile: Nuts are rich in vitamin E, minerals like magnesium and phosphorus, fiber, and healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids.
Peanuts, almonds, and walnuts are among the best snacks for diabetics. Their fiber content keeps you fuller for a long time. Magnesium regulates blood sugar levels and promotes sleep.
2. Popcorn
Nutritional Profile: Air-popped popcorn is low in calories: safe for managing high blood sugar levels.
Air-popped popcorn is a good snack for diabetics. Its low-calorie levels and essential fiber content help control weight gain. However, avoid pre-packaged or flavored popcorn containing unhealthy trans fats and preservatives.
3. Hard-Boiled Eggs
Nutritional Profile: Rich in protein, hard-boiled eggs are great for maintaining glucose levels. Eggs are also low in calories, carbs, and GI, making them ideal for people with diabetes.
Hard-boiled eggs manage glucose levels and keep you fuller for longer. Hence, they are nutritious, heart-healthy, and sugar-free snacks for diabetics.
4. Apple
Nutritional Profile: Apples are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. It contains natural sugars, which don’t affect glucose levels.
Apples are good bedtime snacks. Their high fiber content keeps you full for longer periods, ensuring peaceful sleep and low fasting sugar levels. They also help reduce insulin resistance, thus controlling sugar levels in people with diabetes.
5. Carrot and Cucumber Slices
Nutritional Profile: These non-starchy vegetables are low in fats, calories, and carbohydrates and high in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The high fiber content keeps you fuller for longer, aids digestion, and promotes gut health. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the slices for a tangy flavor.
6. Roasted Chana
Nutritional Profile: Chickpeas (chana) are rich in proteins and fibers.
Roasted chana for diabetics is an excellent bedtime snack, as their fiber and protein content helps maintain fasting glucose levels. Regular consumption can considerably lower glucose levels.
7. Peanut Butter With Multigrain Bread
Nutritional Profile: Peanut butter is rich in proteins, healthy fats, fiber, and nutrients. Multigrain bread, made from different flours instead of refined flour, has a low GI and high fiber.
Peanut butter without sugar and hydrogenated oils is a good evening snack. Spread it on a toasted slice of multigrain bread to keep nighttime hunger at bay.
8. Avocado
Nutritional Profile: Avocados are high in fiber and monounsaturated fatty acids. They are a great source of proteins, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Its high fiber content may prevent blood sugar spikes in the morning. However, stick to smaller portions, as avocados are high in calories.
9. Yogurt And Berries
Nutritional Profile: Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber. Yogurt is high in protein, vitamin B12, calcium, and phosphorus.
Yogurt and berries are tasty high-protein evening snacks. The fiber in berries slows digestion, while the probiotics in yogurt maintain low glucose levels.
10. A Handful of Assorted Seeds
Nutritional Profile: Sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds are high in healthy fats, proteins, fiber, and vitamins.
These seeds are great sugar-free snacks for people with diabetes. The nutrients, fiber, and plant compounds in these seeds control glucose levels and reduce the risk of inflammation. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids provide healthy fats.
Importance of Bedtime Snacks And Meal Timings For Diabetics
Managing blood sugar and diabetes go hand in hand. Following a routine for taking meals and insulin ensures your blood glucose levels don’t spike or flatten randomly. Everyone faces hunger pangs and blood sugar fluctuations during the night.
But for type 1 and 2 diabetics, these spikes can cause hyperglycemia in the morning. Low glucose levels aren’t an option either. Maintaining steady sugar levels is of utmost importance, and eating sugar at night is not the solution.
Healthy and/or high-protein evening snacks like carrot and cucumber, peanut butter, roasted chana, hard-boiled eggs, and nuts and seeds can keep you fuller for longer and ensure you wake up with steady sugar levels in the morning.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Foods with low GI and high protein and fiber content are great bedtime snacks.
- Nuts and seeds are high in healthy fats and maintain healthy sugar levels.
- Popcorn and roasted chana are low-calorie sugar-free snacks for diabetics.
- Fruits and non-starchy vegetables are good for gut health and digestion.
- People with diabetes can eat boiled eggs, yogurt and berries, and peanut butter with toasted multigrain bread as evening snacks.
- Due to its high-calorie content, eat avocados in small portions at bedtime.
- Maintaining healthy blood glucose levels is important for people with diabetes.
- Healthy, high-protein evening snacks keep you full for longer periods and ensure steady sugar levels in the morning.
- Use Phable Care App to consult India’s leading diabetologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate Accu-Chek instant and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Let’s treat diabetes together.
Friendly Asked Questions
Nuts, seeds, apples, berries and yogurt, popcorn, peanut butter with multigrain bread, avocado, roasted chana, carrot and cucumber slices, and hard-boiled eggs are some of the best snacks for people with diabetes.
Snacks high in proteins, fibers, vitamins, and minerals and low in GI and carbohydrates are among the best things a diabetes patient can eat before bed. Fruits, nuts, seeds, and raw vegetables, such as carrots and cucumbers, are ideal bedtime snacks.
High-fiber snacks like nuts, chana, and avocado lower blood sugar, as they keep you fuller for longer periods due to slow digestion.
Consider hard-boiled eggs for this, as they are high in protein and low in GI, which help manage sugar levels. Assorted seeds or yogurt with berries are also good alternatives.
Warm turmeric milk with a pinch of cinnamon is a good bedtime drink to lower blood sugar levels. Milk also helps you sleep better as it contains tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino acid.