Did you know that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), India had 69.2 million people living with diabetes in 2015?
Diabetes can no longer be just dismissed as a lifestyle disease, it has now become a full-blown epidemic as WHO estimates that nearly 98 million people in India may have Type-2 diabetes by 2030. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
For all those people out there who are suffering from diabetes, this is not the end of the road. Living with diabetes may not be easy but it’s not that difficult, either. All you need to do is to manage your diet and switch to a healthier and active lifestyle.
So, the rules of dealing with diabetes are simple, with proper care and the right nutrition, you can still live your life to the fullest. Here’s a little something to cheer you up this World Diabetes Day as Keeros brings to you a list of the top 10 Healthy Snacks for Diabetics:
Hey! Yoghurt lovers, it’s time to chop up some fruits to make a healthier version of your favourite yoghurt with a new twist.
Yoghurt (Dahi) with fruits is an excellent diabetes-friendly snack for a variety of reasons. First, the antioxidant-rich fruits may reduce inflammation and prevent damage to the cells of the pancreas, the organ responsible for releasing hormones that lower blood sugar levels.
Additionally, fruits are also a great source of fibre, and yoghurt is also known for its ability to lower blood sugar levels. This is partly due to the probiotics it contains, which improve your body’s ability to metabolize foods that contain sugar.
Furthermore, yoghurt is rich in protein, which is well-known for helping keep blood sugar levels under control. Add fruits like apples, bananas, grapes, oranges and local berries (shahtoot, jamun) that taste great together as a snack to your bowl of yoghurt as the sweetness of the fruit helps balance out the tartness (khattapan) of the yoghurt.
You can simply mix them together. Here you get a two-minute easy to-go snack with minimal efforts. It is advised to smoothen the yoghurt before mixing with the fruits for an enjoyable experience.
2.Dry Fruits and Nuts:
There are times when you absolutely want to do nothing but munch on something really healthy and hassle-free.
So, whenever you are struck by the urge to munch, just grab a handful of dry fruits, as they are very nutritious and convenient to snack on for eg. almonds (badam), walnuts (akhrot), cashews (kaju), pistachios (pista), peanuts (moongphali).
The ability of dry fruits to help stabilize blood sugar is likely due to the combination of fibre, protein and healthy fats they contain, all of which are known to have an important role in diabetes management. Dry fruits have also been shown to benefit heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and may also promote weight management, both of which are major factors in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.
Since dry fruits are quite high in calories, it is best to limit your portion size to about a handful when eating them as a snack. People with diabetes should also avoid salted varieties.
3.Boiled Eggs:
If you love healthy breakfasts, then you can’t do anything better or simpler or even healthier than the classic boiled egg.
Boiled eggs are a super healthy snack for people with diabetes. Their high protein content makes them a power-packed supersnack. One large boiled egg provides 6 grams of protein, which is helpful for diabetes because it keeps your blood sugar from rising too high after you eat. You can enjoy a boiled egg or two for a snack on their own, or you can garnish them with a pinch of salt some sliced green chillies and mint (Pudina) chutney.
A pro tip straight from the moms’ corner is to sprinkle some chat masala and freshly chopped onions (pyaaz) with some coriander leaves on top. Happy munching!
4.Popcorn:
Craving for those packs of salty, delicious chips? Well, they may seem tasty but on the contrary, they are super unhealthy and packed with additives. So to satisfy those mid-meal or late-night cravings we have some puffy and even healthier snack for you, pop pop…popcorn.
Popcorn is a very popular and healthy whole-grain snack food that can help you feel as light as itself. It has been deemed one of the best snack foods for people with diabetes, partly because of its low-calorie count.
Snacking on low-calorie foods may aid weight control, which is known to promote decreased blood sugar levels and better overall management of type 2 diabetes.
Since most prepackaged popcorn is full of salt, trans fats, and other unhealthy ingredients, it is healthiest to air-pop your own.
5.Sliced Apples with Peanut Butter:
Things can become quite difficult to manage when you have a sweet tooth and are also diabetic. However, worry not, you can still go for something healthier and sweet at the same time, sliced apples paired with peanut butter make for a delicious and healthy snack that’s great for people with diabetes.
Apples are rich in several nutrients, including the B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium, while peanut butter provides significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and manganese, all of which are known to help manage diabetes. Both apples and peanut butter are also very high in fibre.
Apples have been studied specifically for their potential role in diabetes management. The polyphenol antioxidants they contain are thought to protect pancreatic cells from damage that often worsens diabetes
You can also try pairing other types of fruit with peanut butter, such as bananas or pears, for similar health benefits. Just keep tabs on the amount of peanut butter you imbibe.
6.Vegetables and Hummus:
Hummus is a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas (chane), lemon juice, and garlic; that tastes delicious and is especially popular as a dip or creamy spread. It tastes great when paired with raw veggies or pita bread (arbee roti), and in fact, is one of the most beloved dishes in the Middle East.
Both vegetables and hummus are good sources of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, hummus provides lots of protein, with 3 grams per tablespoon (15 grams). All of these properties may benefit blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
You can experiment with dipping several types of vegetables in hummus, such as broccoli, cauliflower (phool gobhi), carrots, and bell peppers (shimla mirch).
There are various other ways you can pair hummus with other healthy options like brown bread toast, crunchy roasted papad or just a selection of chopped, ready-to-eat vegetables like cucumber, carrots and baked veg kebabs.
7.Roasted Grams:
Chickpeas (chane), also known as garbanzo beans, are an incredibly healthy legume (phaliya).
There are close to 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fibre in a 1-cup (164-grams) serving of chickpeas, making them an excellent snack for people with diabetes. Research has shown that consuming chickpeas on a regular basis may play a role in preventing the progression of diabetes, thanks to their potential to help manage blood sugar levels. Apart from helping you regulate your diabetes, roasted grams also have multiple health benefits like aiding weight management, boosting your bone health, and even lowering your cholesterol levels naturally to keep your heart healthy. Additionally, it also reduces inflammation and improves digestion. Can you really expect this superfood to do more?
One way to make chickpeas easy to snack on is by roasting them in a wok (kadhai) with salt, which makes them crunchy and delicious. They taste great when roasted with olive oil and enhanced with seasonings (salt, herbs, or spices added to food to enhance the flavour) of your choice.
A small recipe for those who love that bhune hue chane you get from the market you can easily prepare them at home:
You’ll need:
- 250gm of kacche chane
- 1½ cup of salt.
Step 1 – Heat the wok (kadhai).
Step 2 – Put that 1½ cup of salt in the kadhai and heat it (keep stirring)
Step 3 – Now gradually keep putting a handful of grams at once and keep stirring them, as you hear the crackling sound made by them, it implies they are going to be soft and crunchy.
Clean them and shake off all the excess salt before you dive in. The salt can be reused for cooking as per your wish. Happy Munching!!!
8.Keeros Multigrain Roasted Supersnack (Salty):
Something extremely tasty and healthy awaits you with our superyummy Multigrain Roasted Supersnack. A lightly salted roasted supersnack, our multigrain supersnack contains a delightfully healthy combination of 6 supergrains; white wheat, rice flakes, dew beans, soybeans, pearl millets, and green grams with a pinch of rock salt, Himalayan pink salt, relevant spices and oil.
It packs a punch of iron, protein and lots of fibre. It is 100% vegetarian and in addition, it is low on the GI (Glycemic index), it is completely free from trans-fats and contains zero cholesterol.
Keep it within reach and just stretch out your hand whenever your belly and your taste buds crave something crispy and tasty to munch on. That sounds like a tasty snack already.
9.Keeros Multiseed Roasted Supersnack (Sweet):
If you suffer from a classic case of sweet addiction and are unable to control your mid-meal cravings, then we have the perfect snack for you. Our multiseed roasted supersnack contains the loving warmth of dry dates and a delightfully healthy combination of 4 super seeds. flax seeds (alsi), watermelon seeds, sesame seeds (til), and green pumpkin seeds.
Dry dates are extremely rich in omega 3, protein, calcium, vitamin A, and no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours are used. Our slightly sweet multiseed supersnack is also low on the Glycemic Index(GI) which is the relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods. It is absolutely free from trans-fats and contains zero cholesterol.
Satisfy your sweet cravings with a slightly sweet roasted supersnack. Have it on-the-go; with your meals or in-between.
10.QuinoaGrain Roasted Supersnack (Spicy):
The mother of all, here comes the top-notch in its class ‘The Quinoa’. Hold on, we know some of you might have a question in your mind, “Now, what’s this?” Quinoa is a flowering plant with edible seeds that are rich in protein, dietary fibre, B vitamins, and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains.
A lightly spiced roasted supersnack, containing a delightfully healthy combination of the mother of grains-Quinoa and 4 super grains, our quinoa grain roasted supersnack contains – dew beans (oas ki phali), soybeans, pearl millets (motee bajra), and green grams (hare chane). It’s healthy for all, completely safe for diabetics and is also rich in protein, iron, magnesium, and fibre.
Free from trans-fats and cholesterol, it can be our supersnack is super yummy and superfun. Keep it close by at all times or just carry it in your everyday bag and just pop out whenever you get the urge to munch.
Since snacking is an inevitable part of life, you can easily switch to healthy snacking, especially if the snacks are as nutritious as they are delicious. At Keeros, we have your back with our supersnacks that are healthy for all, safe for diabetics.