If you’re living with a health condition like diabetes, it’s important to make sure that you follow a balanced diet rich in whole foods that provides your body with vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients it needs to function properly. This also means you need to take care of what you drink because beverages can affect your blood sugar levels in many ways. The fact is, many drinks contain extra sugars and carbohydrates that can spike blood sugar or lead to high levels of glucose in the blood suddenly, which can be harmful for diabetics.
Water is, undoubtedly, the healthiest drink, but there are a number of diabetes-friendly beverages that can fit into your diet and satisfy your sweet cravings too. Here are three delicious and nutritious drinks that can help you manage blood sugar levels as well as satisfy your sugar cravings.
Healthy drinks for people with diabetes that fight sugar cravings
Flavour-infused water
Infusing your water with whole fruits, particularly citrus fruits such as lime, lemon, or orange, not only increases your daily water intake, it is also a healthy way to fight your sweet cravings. Adding fruits and vegetables to water can actually add some healthy flavour, which can be beneficial for people with diabetes. For instance, one study suggests that adding aloe vera pulp to water may benefit diabetics, resulting in a reduction of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).
Coffee
Research suggests that drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day may help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But, keep in mind that your coffee needs to remain unsweetened, as with tea. You can replace sugar with no- or low-calorie sweeteners to reduce your overall calorie count, which may affect your blood sugar levels.
Herbal tea
This is another healthful option to flavour your water. The fact is that leaves of certain plants while boiling can add both flavour and health benefits to your water. For instance, licorice gives a sweet subtly sweet flavour without affecting or raising blood sugar levels. A 2007 study reported that blood sugar levels fell in rats with diabetes after they took licorice extract. This indicates that licorice may be used as a treatment or as a dietary sweetener for diabetic patients in clinical procedures.
The bottom line is, diabetics can enjoy a wide range of foods and drinks without affecting their blood sugar levels by making smart choices. A nutritious diet combined with regular physical activity and other lifestyle choices can help improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of complications linked to diabetes.