Sandwich diabetic breakfast
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We love to snack. Even after having a sumptuous meal, we look for the biscuits jar or something to munch. Are you guilty of doing this? If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, then frequent snacking becomes a real concern. So what are the ideal Indian snacks for diabetes? You need a snack that will not mess up your blood glucose level. Right? Here are the 22 simple yet best Indian snack ideas for diabetic patients. You may try these as mid-morning or evening or late-night snacks depending on how the day is going for you.

Best Indian snack ideas for diabetes –

The sugar content of the food is your prime concern. However snack quality, quantity, frequency, and timing do matter too. Diabetic patients must follow these basic tips while snacking –

  • Focus on the snack quality – if packaged, check the ingredients first, if containing sugar or any form of sugar at the 2nd or 3 rd position of the ingredient list, avoid it. (1)
  • Consume homemade snacks as much as possible
  • Go for smaller portion size (2)
  • Eat slow to enjoy the snack
  • Don’t snack more than 2-3 times in a day – midmorning, evening and may be before bed.
  • Snack one item at a time.
  • Don’t add more than 1-2 tsp of sugar/jaggery/honey in food in a day.

 We will classify all the snack ideas into two categories –

  1. Best drink ideas as Indian snack for diabetes
  2. Best food ideas as Indian snack for diabetes

8 Best drink ideas as Indian snack for diabetes –

1. Sattu drink

Indian snack for diabetes- sattu drink

If you are from Bengal or Bihar, you are aware of the power of sattu. Sattu is roasted Bengal gram flour. It has 22.5 g of protein. Sattu water is a kind of desi protein drink for bodybuilders, physical laborers. Since its high in protein and fiber, it is one of the best drink options for diabetes also.

How to make sattu drink?

  • Take 1 glass of water or milk as per your preference.
  • Add 2 tablespoon full of sattu in it.
  • In sattu water , consider adding few drops lemon juice, pinch of jeera powder and rock salt, few chopped coriander leaves as per your choice
  • In sattu milk , you may add nuts or seeds powder
  • Stir well and the drink is ready
  • It’s a perfect drink for summer as mid morning or evening snack

Planning to buy sattu online? Check this link –

https://amzn.to/34nuozM

2. Ragi drink

Ragi is one of the most popular millets in India. It is very popular in the southeast and southwest parts of India. Ragi is rich in fiber, thus showing a better insulin response. (3)

How to make ragi drink?

  • Boil  2 glasses of water
  • Add 2 table spoon of ragi flour
  • Stir constantly to avoid forming any lump
  • Remove the mixture from heat and allow to cool down
  • Take 2 table spoon of mixture in a glass
  • Add buttermilk to it
  • Whisk well
  • Add salt, cumin powder and hing to taste
  • You may add more water
  • The ragi drink is ready
  • Try this as evening snack

Planning to buy ragi flour online? Check this link –

https://amzn.to/3sqoJ3F

3. Oats smoothie

Oat smoothie

Oats smoothie is one of the easy and filling snacks for diabetic patients. Rolled oats contain a decent amount of fiber and protein which makes them perfect for a diabetic patient.

How to make oats smoothie?

  • Take 2 tablespoon of oats in a mixer
  • Add 1 cup of milk or water as per your choice
  • Add 1 tsp of cinnamon, ½ banana in the mixer
  • You may add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and/or unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
  • Mix it well
  • The oats smoothie is ready to drink
  • Try this as evening snack

4. Buttermilk

These traditional Indian drinks have no introduction.  Buttermilk is nothing but a diluted version of curd. Take home set curd to prepare buttermilk. It’s rich in protein, micronutrients, and also a rich source of probiotics. Regular consumption of buttermilk will help to fix your gut health.

How to make buttermilk?

  • Take 2 tablespoon of homeset curd in a glass
  • Add little water to it
  • Whisk it well
  • Add pinch of salt, jeera powder, hing
  • Add more water and stir well
  • The drink is ready
  • Try this as evening snack

5. Turmeric milk

Turmeric milk

If you are a milk lover but can’t drink milk as it is, then turmeric milk or haldi doodh is the recipe you may try. No, you don’t have to wait for getting injured or sick to drink this. Turmeric has excellent antioxidant properties. Try this drink as an Indian snack for diabetes.

How to make turmeric milk?

  • Heat a glass of milk
  • Add pinch of turmeric, and black pepper to it
  • Allow the mixture to boil
  • Stir well
  • Try this drink as late night snack

6. Hot cocoa milk

You may love milk by adding some healthy drink powder. You will be surprised to know that most of these health drink powders are nothing but a mixture of sugar. Being a diabetic, you can’t afford to drink sugar solutions as snacks. Therefore having milk with unsweetened hot chocolate is a far better option for you. Milk is generally sweet in taste. Try to start appreciating this subtle sweetness.

How to make hot cocoa milk?

  • Heat a glass of milk
  • Add a tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Allow the mixture to boil
  • Stir well
  • Try this drink as late night snack

Planning to buy unsweetened cocoa powder online? Check this link –

https://amzn.to/34nuRSy

7. Harbal tea

There are times when you are not really hungry but you need to have something. For those times, herbal tea is the best and safe option. Get any type of herbal tea- hibiscus tea, blue tea, camomile tea, and Indian karha – whatever you prefer. These are very low in calories and mostly have no sugar. However, try to keep yourself within 1-2 cups of herbal tea on a daily basis but certainly not more than that to avoid any unwanted health hazards.

8. Vegetable – fruit smoothie

Vegetable smoothie

We generally eat vegetables in cooked form and most of us love having fruit juice. Raw vegetables have their own goodness, active enzymes. Therefore a part of your vegetable should be consumed raw on a daily basis. Let me tell you, it is not going to be very tasty. However, if you add fruit to it, the taste improves with the fruity sweetness.

Try having vegetable- fruit smoothie daily for numerous health benefits. Don’t discard the pulp after straining the juice. Rather bring back at least 50% of the pulp in the juice to improve the fiber content of the smoothie. If possible don’t strain it at all. A good amount of fiber, active bioavailable properties, micronutrients make this smoothie a game-changer in your daily diet.

Planning to buy beetroot powder online? Check the link –

https://amzn.to/364AG7X

You may try having –

https://wellnessmunch.com/step-by-step-indian-diet-guide-for-diabetes/

13 Best food ideas as Indian snack for diabetes –

1. Fruits

fruits for diabetes

Diabetes and fruits – is that allowed? Relax, you will be happy to know that even if you have diabetes, you can still enjoy sweet fruits. Fruit is naturally sweet and one of the best natural food which is tasty, loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, and many more. Don’t go by the glycemic index of fruits. But you must remember these points while snacking on fruits –

  • Eat fruit as snack; don’t have fruits with any other carbohydrate rich food.
  • Eat whole fruit, don’t have fruit juice
  • If having sweet fruit like mango, chiko etc , try to have only few pieces of it.
  • Eat nothing atleast 1 hr before and after having fruit
  • You may have peanut butter with apple or may have cucumber with hummus if you like
  • Vegetable- fruit smoothie is fine as long as you are bringing back the pulp in the smoothie
  • Best time to have fruit is as midmorning or evening snack

2. Nuts and seeds

Most of us know that nuts and seeds are great for health reasons. However, we often forget to have it on our daily diet. It’s like developing a habit of having it for a snack. Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, micronutrients, fiber as well as good fat. Nuts and seeds help to fix the ratio of omega 3: 6  which is crucial to protect heart and blood pressure. However, you must remember a few tips before adding nuts and seeds in daily life –

  • Don’t have more than a fistful of nuts and seeds on a daily basis.
  • Always soak it before eating, if possible soak overnight, discard the water and then have it
  • You may also think of roasting it in low flame for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Add walnut, almond, flaxseed, cashew, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seed in diet (5)
  • You may make laddu/ barfi with nuts and seed mixture, adding a bit of jaggery or date and coconut with it and have only one piece of it daily.
  • You may start your day with it or may have it as evening snack or even as late night snack

3. Upma/ Poha

Poha  or upma are two famous Indian dishes mainly for breakfast. However, on days you are very hungry in the evening, you may again consider these dishes as snacks. You may prepare poha/ upma with oats or, millet or, quinoa or, dalia . Bring a variety of grains in a daily diet to get its goodness avoiding the side effects.

Tips to follow while making poha/ upma for a diabetic patient –

  • Bring variety in choice of grain as mentioned before
  • Use 1 – 2 handful of grains but 2-4 handful of chopped veggies depending on the hunger level
  • Add peanut, ghee in the preparation to make the food little heavy on stomach to get digest. This will give steady rise in blood glucose leve

4. Chilla / Pancake

Chila - diabetes Indian Breakfast

Do not restrict yourself to only besan chilla or maida pancake. Try the same recipe with other grain flour. Ragi flour, atta, oats flour, sattu are a few great options you must try. Add finely chopped veggies in the batter to make the food more filling. It is good for an evening snack.

5. Roasted rice flakes (Roasted chirwa)

It is tasty. It is crunchy. If you are bored of having poha, try this. You will be surprised to know that roasted flaked rice(poha/ chirwa) contains a good amount of iron and other micronutrients. The oil and peanut added in this preparation help to delay the rise in blood sugar levels after consumption. Have this in a small katori as an evening snack.

How to make roasted chirwa?

  • Take little oil in pan and heat
  • Add peanut and roast it well and keep it aside
  • Take little oil in the pan again
  • Add chirwa and start roasting
  • Stir well to avoid burning
  • Once the chirwa turn crispy, keep it aside
  • Again heat little oil in the pan
  • Add curry leaves, chopped green chilli to it
  • Roast it well by stirring
  • Mix the roasted peanut, roasted chirwa along with the curryleaves and chilli
  • Let it cool and store in a dry glass jar
  • Consider this as evening snack

6. Jhal moori

Jhalmoori - Indian diabetic snack

If you are from Bengal or Bihar, you know what I mean. Jhal moori is savory puffed rice mixed with nuts, chopped onion, green chili, and tomato. It is very tasty and easy to make. If you are taking 4 handfuls of puffed rice, use 4 handfuls of chopped veggies, roasted peanut, roasted chana, etc. This will help to keep the blood glucose level in check.

How to make Jhal moori?

  • Roast murmura in a dry pan to make it more crispy
  • Add little mustard oil from top and mix well
  • Roast peanut and Bengal gram (chana)
  • Chop onion, green chilli, tomato
  • Mix everything together
  • Sprinkle little rock salt, chat masala, lemon juice from top
  • Toss it well
  • Have it as evening snack

7. Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the best Indian snacks for diabetes that you can have regularly. However, it doesn’t mean you can have instant popcorn or fancy flavored popcorn. Please note, instant popcorn or fancy popcorn is loaded with salt, sodium, preservatives which are definitely not good for your blood pressure and heart health.

Consider having homemade non-fancy popcorn for health reasons. You may have 6-8 handfuls of popcorn as an evening snack. Consider sprinkling salt, black pepper, or chat masala for taste purposes.

You can have it as an evening or as a late-night snack.

8. Makhana/ Wheat puff/ Popped rice

If you are bored having popcorn so far, try having makhana, wheat puff, or popped rice. You will get these items in your nearby grocery shop or online.

How to have makhana/ popped rice or wheat puff?

  • Heat little ghee on a pan
  • Add makhana/ popped rice/ wheat puff to it (6)
  • Roast it well on low temperature and avoid burning
  • Sprinkle salt, black pepper , chat masala etc as per your preference
  • Have 5-7 handful of it as evening snack
  • You may have it as evening or late night snack

9. Roasted chana or sprout chat

Roasted chana or sprouts are a good source of protein and fiber along with micronutrients. Consider having it in a form of chat making it tangy and savory. A small katori of chat is a good choice as an evening snack. Use roasted chana and chopped veggies in a 1:1 ratio for better blood glucose control. Try this Indian snack for diabetes.

How to make roasted chana or sprout chat?

  • Chop cucumber, tomato, onion, chilli
  • Add a handful of roasted chana or sprouts
  • Sprinkle some rock salt, black pepper, lemon juice, chat masala as per taste
  • Mix everything well and the chat is ready to eat

10. Sandwich

Sandwich diabetic breakfast

Instead of having white bread and jam, start having sandwiches as an evening snack. Use whole-wheat bread and put fresh cucumber, tomato, onion, lettuce, capsicum, etc as filling as per the availability. You may use boiled egg or minced chicken as filling too.

Bread has a high glycemic index which can shoot your blood glucose level very fast. But when you add veggies or egg or chicken or butter or any fat-based spread to it, the rate of blood sugar spike comes under control. Therefore you may consider having a proper sandwich once a week as an evening snack.

11. Milk murmura

If you love having milk then milk and murmura are some of the instant snack ideas for you. You need no cooking, no fancy arrangement, or no one’s help to have it.

Instead of having processed sugar-loaded cornflakes or muesli with milk, consider having murmura. You can add a few nuts and seeds along with it.  

Avoid adding any fruit to it eg- mango or banana to avoid the excess sugar load. You may have those sweet fruits as an individual snack but try to avoid combining them with any cereal or cereal products like – murmura or poha.

12. Curd – chirwa

If you are not a milk fan, then you may consider having this instant evening snack idea  –  curd and chirwa. All you need is curd, chirwa, and some nuts and seed powder for better taste. Again you need no cooking or no help to prepare this item.

13. Boiled egg

Indian snack for diabetes - boiled egg

Diabetic patients should take their protein intake seriously. Having a whole egg per day is absolutely safe even if you have blood pressure or any heart issue. An egg has a high satiety value and is very nutritious containing first-class protein. Therefore an egg can be almost an instant snack option for evening snacks or for late-night snacking.

https://youtu.be/tnCWBjvOt6U

Bottomline

Bring variety to your snack choices. Try to plan your evening snack for 7 days. This will help you to guide to pick the nutritious wholesome food for snack. No matter what, stop consuming instant, processed, and packaged foods available in the market. Do not believe in the “sugar-free” advertisement in the media. Try these 21 simple homemade Indian snacks for diabetes. Stay happily healthy.


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administrator
Dr. Soma Chakrabarty is based in Hyderabad. She has 15 yrs of working experience in nutrition. She guides people to modify eating behavior and achieve goals for wellness. She believes in a practical diet that helps people to live rather than survive.

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