Diabetes is one disease where the kind of food one consumes has a huge impact on health. When traveling, one needs to be extra cautious as there is an increased probability of consuming fries and beverages. Presented in this article are some excellent travel snacks for diabetics.
A diabetic diet is generally rich in proteins, nutrients, fibers and good fats, and low on glucose levels and fats. The right kind of food is very important for a diabetic patient, and so there are many restrictions like avoidance of fatty and high carbohydrate food, chocolates, oily food, sodium containing food, etc. A healthy choice of food will help you maintain the desired glucose level in the blood. Snacks as such play a very important role in diabetes, as the general advice is consuming something at short intervals, to maintain the glucose levels. Given below are some diabetic snack ideas for traveling. Hope the ideas are useful to you.
Snack Diabetics can Carry while Traveling
- Nuts: Nuts are small, dry, and packing them also doesn’t require much effort! Above all, they are tasty and healthy. Nuts serve as a good snack option for diabetics, as they are loaded with proteins and nutrients. But it doesn’t mean that you should consume them in any amount. Anything in moderation is safe and desired. Stick to just 1 oz of nuts everyday. Not only during travel, but you should always carry some nuts with you. Almonds, pecans, peanuts, cashews and walnuts are best for diabetics.
- Fruits: Fruits come second in the list. Fruits are the best thing in the world. They are healthy and free from fats. But there is some restriction as far as fruits are concerned, as they are good sources of sugar which is a no-no for diabetics. The choice of fruits is thus limited, and the fruits diabetics can carry with them are, apple with skin, blueberries, apricots. Fruits like dates and grapes, watermelons, mango, etc should be completely avoided.
- Popcorn: This is the best snack option. Popcorns are light and tasty, and work well for diabetics too. But it is best to pop these corns at home, as the packaged ones at stores are loaded with harmful sodium and artificial ingredients. Popcorn thus serves the purpose and makes a good travel snacks.
- Sandwiches: These are another food option which can be packed well and are also very filling. For your sandwiches, make use of brown wheat bread or multi-grain bread, as white bread is very high on fats and carbohydrates. Make use of various vegetables as a filling for the sandwich, which will increase the health quotient of the sandwich. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can opt for chicken, tuna or some low-fat meat sandwich.
- Cracker Biscuits: Cracker biscuits with peanut butter is another good travel snack option for diabetics. There are many diabetes special biscuits available, and the variety of these biscuits is huge. ‘Whole grain’ crackers are one them, and with peanut butter, they make a fantastic combination, which is satiating and healthy.
- Veggies: Not desired and preferred by majority, but veggies like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli and cauliflower make a healthy snack option. Eating raw vegetables has its own benefits, and they are great snack options if you are looking for weight loss. These vegetables also stay fresh for a long time, so opt for this snack option if you are a vegetable lover.
Other Options
Given above were the best options for travel snacks, but apart from the above ones, you can have many other combinations. Listed below are the same.
- Low fat cottage cheese and multi-grain bread
- Low fat tortilla fries
- Black beans with tortillas
- Celery sticks with cucumber
- Feta Cheese with Tomatoes
- Low fat cottage cheese sandwich
- Carrots and hummus
- Granola bars
- Brown bread with garlic sauce
These were some of the best travel snack options you can have for diabetes. Remember, in diabetes, neither should you starve yourself nor should you overeat. It is advised that you should eat something every 2 hours in small proportions. Diabetic snacks foods thus play a huge role in maintaining good health. As such, you are free to eat anything (in moderation) if your sugar is under control, but the diet recommendations for diabetes suggested by your doctor should be followed for a better life.