It may seem contradictory, but when you have diabetes, you must always be aware of the risk of developing hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Although diabetes is a disorder where your blood sugar is higher than normal, sudden drops in blood sugar also can occur, especially if you take insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications. Planned snacks help keep your blood sugars stable and also help you manage your weight by warding off hunger.
Preventing Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level of less than 70 mg/dL, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, usually occurs because of one of two conditions. Either you've taken too much insulin, or you haven't eaten enough. Because insulin helps cells absorb glucose from your blood, taking too much insulin removes too much glucose from the blood. Eating too little food means that there's not enough glucose in your blood, and if you take insulin, more glucose is removed and your blood sugar plummets. Eating snack between meals keeps your blood sugar high enough to prevent hypoglycemia.
Snack Types
If you're diabetic, you don't want to eat snacks that will raise your blood sugar too high or too fast. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, causes the serious complications of diabetes, such as damage to the blood vessels throughout your body. Choose snacks with a low-glycemic index such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Conventional thinking states that adding protein to snacks allows food to digest more slowly, keeping your blood sugar more stable. However, registered dietitian Marion Franz reports in the 2000 issue of "Diabetes Spectrum" that studies have not proven that adding protein to carbohydrate slows the absorption or affects glucose levels after eating. Follow your doctor's or dietitian's advice on what types of snacks to eat.
Hypogylcemia Signs
At the first sign of hypoglycemia, eat the right type of snack. When the symptoms of hypoglycemia, which include shakiness, tremors, difficulty concentrating, headache and hunger develop, you need refined carbohydrates to raise your blood sugar quickly. Refined sugar, a drink of orange juice, or other food containing simple sugars will raise your blood sugar.
Controlling Weight Gain
Snacks help you control weight gain by controlling hunger. If you don't eat planned snacks, you may overeat at your next meal or eat unplanned and unhealthy snacks. Weight control is an important part of keeping diabetes under control. If you have type 2 diabetes and are overweight, losing 10 to 15 lbs. could reduce your medication requirements and improve your blood sugars and cholesterol levels, according to the American Diabetes Association.
