Top 5 Diabetes Summer Snack Ideas | The Cooking Doc® Recipes

Hi everybody, I'm Dr. Blake. This is Change of Buds with The Cooking Doc, and this week we're gonna talk about some delicious summer snacks for people with diabetes, things that taste so good, but won't run your blood sugar up. Stay tuned for some great ideas. Before we get going, make sure you subscribe to my channel so you never miss a new recipe or a new health tip. I'm a kidney doctor, and I often see the end result of uncontrolled diabetes. Over time, high blood sugars can lead to kidney damage, and that can cause chronic kidney disease, and even in the worst case scenario, kidney failure. That's why it's so important for me that my patients and you learn to manage your diabetes before you get to the point where it's too late and it's already caused significant damage to these organs. Now, blood sugars are exactly tied to what you're eating, so it's important to know how to eat right to keep your blood sugars down. So this week, we're gonna talk about some delicious ideas for the summer, things that you can eat that won't shoot your blood sugar up but that taste so good that you can make them for people without diabetes, and they will love them as well. The first key to healthy summer diabetes snacks is to be prepared. If you're not prepared, then you're going to run into the fridge or the freezer or the pantry and get something that's not good for your blood sugars. Think about those cookies that you just grabbed off the shelf yesterday or that ice cream that you pulled right out of the freezer because it was there and because you didn't have anything else on hand to satisfy your needs. Making sure you have the right ingredients and the right foods in the house when you get into a pickle, when you get hungry, you need a snack, it's the summertime, it's hot, that's the first key. So with a little preparation, you can choose a nutritious and nutrient-dense snack that will fill you up, taste delicious, and maybe even keep you from eating so much at your next meal. Hummus with some freshly cut vegetables or steamed vegetables is the perfect diabetes-friendly snack. Start with the store-bought versions with some carrots and grape tomatoes, some broccoli or some celery. But when you really get exciting, go on to the next level, make your own hummus. There are lots of recipes on the web for how to make your own hummus at home, but my absolute favorite is the one by Chef Mike Solomonov. Check out the description for a link to his recipe and make sure you give me a comment. Let me know if you've tried it or if you try it, what you think. I guarantee you, you won't be disappointed. Serve it warm, it's amazing. If you're looking for something to replace your bagged chips, which aren't good for people with diabetes, try freshly popped popcorn with added spices. The good news is you can customize the spices to the popcorn in whatever way you want. And you can get as creative as you like. This Parmesan, rosemary and garlic combination is outstanding. Check out below to see a link to that recipe and comment, let me know what your favorite popcorn spice combination is. Does it involve chocolate? I just don't want it to involve too much salt. Okay, next one sounds real boring, but trust me, in the summertime, it's the perfect place to get some fresh fruit. There's nothing like a peach or some fresh berries to really satisfy your cravings, both sweet and refreshing, and get you through those hot summer days without making your blood sugar spike too high. Now, when choosing a snack food, make sure to pay attention to your drinks as well. So avoid the sodas and the sweet teas. Water is always a great option, but you can always spice it up a little bit and try one of my recipes, like this iced tea with mint and olive oil. If you're a fan of orange, this is a perfect replacement to your typical sweetened Southern tea. It's important to know that lower carbohydrate snacks are great choices for people with diabetes. Nuts and unsweetened trail mix are often a great way to quench that hunger without making your blood sugars uncontrolled. Try this low carb mix from verywellfit.com. There's a link to it down below. And let me know, what's your favorite trail mix? Do you make trail mix at home? Next, when you're craving a sweet summer snack, it's often easy to reach for something that's cold and unhealthy and high sugar, like ice cream or a milkshake or a sugar sweetened popsicle. That's a natural feeling. I want you instead to try something different. These chocolate covered banana pops from Ellie Krieger are absolutely fantastic. Yes, they have some carbohydrate in it and a little bit of sugar, but stick with a half a banana and it surely beats the cookies and candies and cupcakes that you might get from the store. Lastly, if you're having a barbecue, try grilled peaches. They're simple to make and I guarantee you won't be disappointed with the finished product. They are amazing. Down below, you'll see my favorite recipe for grilled peaches simple, easy, quick, delicious. Keeping your diabetes under control is key to protecting your kidneys, your heart, your legs, your eyes, and many organs in your body for the long term. Make sure you're choosing healthy snacks and watching what you eat in order to make that diabetes much easier to control. Thank you so much for watching today. I'm Dr. Blake, The Cooking Doc. This is Change Your Buds with The Cooking Doc. Make sure you subscribe to my channel. Make sure you sign up for my newsletter at thecookingdoc.co. I will direct new emails and messages and recipes and health tips directly to your inbox once a week. We'll see you next week. Thanks again.