From eu.coshoctontribune.com
By Emily Marrison
It was so good this week to be back visiting with seniors at the Coshocton Senior Centre. On Thursday, I taught a lesson about healthy eating with diabetes and focused on snacks. We talked about the advantages of choosing snacks that combine carbohydrates with fibre, protein or healthy fats.
What is the advantage of that? It helps in a few ways. The first is a more gradual release of sugar into the bloodstream avoiding spikes to blood sugar levels. Another benefit is feeling fuller longer. These combinations also help us to get more nutrients that our bodies need.
According to University of Illinois Extension, “it is now known that snacks are not needed to regulate blood glucose levels and may cause weight gain or increased blood glucose levels when excessive.” It is important to talk with your physician or dietitian about the best meal plan and approach for you if you are living with diabetes.
Sometimes we can get into a rut with our food choices. Thankfully, the American Diabetes Association has created the Diabetes Food Hub (diabetesfoodhub.org) with food information and lots of great recipes. These are all available from nutrition professionals who specialize in diabetes nutrition.
Here are a few great combinations to try, whether you have diabetes or not, to give you a more balanced approach to snacking.
Snacks with veggies and fruit:
- Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches: Sandwich 1 tsp of cream cheese between two cucumber slices (makes six sandwiches total). (80 calories, 1 g carb)
- Apple slices and nut butter: Slice half of a medium apple and dip in 1 tbsp peanut or other nut butter. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor. (150 calories, 15 g carb)
- Guacamole and raw veggies: dip raw veggie sticks (like cucumber, red bell pepper or radishes) in ¼ cup guacamole. (120 calories, 5 g carb)
- Fruit and cheese: Have one small piece of fruit (like a plum or clementine) with a string cheese. (110 calories, 9 g carb)
- Sweet cottage cheese: ½ cup cottage cheese topped with ¼ cup fruit such as berries, chopped pineapple or peaches. (100 calories, 8 g carb)
Snacks with protein:
- Hard-boiled egg: Prepare several hard-boiled eggs and store unpeeled in the fridge for a quick protein-packed snack. Optional: season with salt and pepper or hot sauce. (80 calories, 0 g carb)
- Hummus and raw veggies: Dip raw veggie sticks (like cucumber, red bell pepper or radishes) in ¼ cup hummus. (140 calories, 15 g carb)
- Savory yogurt parfait: Top ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup chopped cucumber. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (120 calories, 5 g carb)
- Cucumber boats: Slice a small cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Fill one cucumber half with ½ cup tuna or chicken salad. (160 calories, 9 g carb)
Snacks with healthy fats:
- Avocado bowl: Top half an avocado with 1 to 2 tbsp salsa and 1 tsp shredded cheese — eat it right out of the avocado skin. (125 calories, 7 g carb)
- Green wrap: Spread ¼ of an avocado over a small (6-inch) whole-wheat tortilla. Top with a handful of fresh greens such as spinach or arugula and wrap tightly. (160 calories, 18 g carb)
- Celery and peanut butter: fill a few celery sticks with 1 tsp of peanut butter each.
- Trail mix: combine 1 tbsp each of pumpkin or sunflower seeds, chopped nuts and raisins or other dried fruit. (125 calories, 10 g carb)
Today I will leave you with this quote from Walt Whitman: "Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you."
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