Snacks can be a part of a healthy diet and have many benefits.
Snacks can help keep your energy up and hunger down between mealtimes. They can provide your body with nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Balanced snacks can help you manage your blood sugar as well.
Snacking and diabetes - things to keep in mind
It is important to listen to your body’s hunger cues and monitor your blood sugar when deciding to snack. Some things to keep in mind when choosing a snack include:
- Is there a long stretch of time between your meals?
- Will the snack help you manage your blood sugar?
- Are you going to be physically active?
If the answer to any of these questions is 'yes', you may benefit from including a healthy snack into your day.
Healthy and delicious ideas for snacks
When building your healthy snack, aim for 15-30 grams of carbohydrate plus some protein. Pairing carbohydrate and protein helps to fill you up, keeps you full longer and slows down the rate of digestion of carbohydrates, helping to manage your blood sugar.
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup berries
- 1/3 cup hummus + 1/2 cup of vegetables
- 1 slice of whole-grain toast + 2 Tbsp nut butter
- 1 orange + 1/4 cup of walnuts
- 1/4 cup egg salad + 1/2 whole wheat English muffin
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese + 4 whole grain crackers
- 3 cups air popped popcorn + 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup steamed edamame
| Mix and match a carbohydrate with a protein choice to create a variety of snacks. | |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate [15 g] | Protein [7 g] |
| Whole wheat bread (1 slice), naan (6”), tortilla (6”), pita (1/2), Bannock (1.5x2.5 in) | Peanut or nut butter (2 Tbsp) |
| Air popped popcorn (2 1/2 cups) | Hemp seeds (2 Tbsp) |
| Berries (blueberries 1 cup, strawberries 2 cups) | Egg (1 large) |
| Baby Carrots (16) | Cheese (1 oz/30 g) |
| Whole wheat bagel (1/2) | Edamame (1/2 cup) |
| Whole grain crackers (melba toast, rye crisp, rice cracker) 4 | 1% Cottage cheese (1/4 cup) |
| Apple, orange or pear (1 small) | Pumpkin seeds (2 Tbsp) |
| Tortilla wrap, whole wheat (6”) | Hummus (about 1/3 cup) |
| Low-fat milk (1 cup) | Nuts, peanuts (1/4 cup) |
| Tortilla chips (8 chips/25 g) | Plain Greek yogurt (1/2 cup) |
| Dried fruit (2 Tbsp) | Cooked meat, fish or poultry (1oz/30 g) |
| Chickpeas, lentils, pulses (1/2 cup) | |
Visit www.diabetes.ca for more healthy eating tips and recipes!