Food Question for the Diabetic Members

As many of you know from my earlier postings that I've been diagnosed with Diabetes II.

I've made some drastic changes in my diet. Other than having cut out the sugary/chocolate/chips snacks, I'm essentially eating the foods I was, just in a smarter fashion rearranged to be geared more towards the way of eating diabetic. As a result I'm down 18 pounds since Mid September.

However, I'm having a real problem figuring out what to eat between meals for snacks:

Mid morning
Mid afternoon
Mid evening before bed

I took a jar of peanut butter and a box of unsalted soda crackers to work and have been having that in the morning and afternoon. Alternatively I have a small package of peanuts in the afternoon.

However, around the middle of September I developed a horrid itchy hive-like rash to my arms and fingers (no where else), and it's ruining my life! It's so itchy that I've used scotch bright pads, dry loofahs, even my cats wire brush to scratch. Benadryl isn't helping much. And they are hives. I've had a few doctors at work assess them, and they are hives. One gave me a prescription for a stronger hydrocortisone than the over the counter one I've been using.

I haven't changed anything in my laundry routine, or food routine other than the above, and the only thing I'm eating now that I rarely ate before is peanut butter and peanuts. So I'm thinking it's an allergy to peanuts.

Anyway, to get back on track. I now need to find sensible healthy mid meal snacks to eat, other than peanuts and peanut butter.

Any suggestions? I am not a picky eater and like most foods except Cilantro.

Oh another important thing to note is that I'm lactose intolerant and need to limit the amount of cow dairy that I consume. I can usually tolerate a small yogurt per day.

I love roasted almonds. I'll buy a bag of raw almonds, then spread them on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 15 min.

Or you could eat raw pecans, but they are higher in calories than almonds.

How about a hard boiled egg?

There are also protein shakes for diabetics - Glycerna?

The important thing to remember is that you must eat protein with your carbs. Carbs alone will spike and sink your blood sugar. Adding protein to the food will help maintain your BS without the spikes and sinks.

Hopefully you can eat other nuts (peanuts are a legume) because they are the perfect food snack for anybody! Also try pumpkin and sesame seeds, or make your own trail mix with dried fruit and your favorite nuts.

Other thoughts: hummus with falafel chips (they are made with chickpeas); guacamole with whole wheat or corn tortillas (or corn chips - there are good ones out there); vegetables sticks dipped in almond butter, egg or tuna salad, or ranch dressing (can buy healthy or make yourself); or cup of soup kept hot in a thermos.

Do you like fruit and orange juice? Or yogurt? I do a lot of cheese and crackers for my snack, though I know cheese isn't the best for a person. On very rare occasions, I get busy and don't get a chance to eat lunch until after 1500 or so. I get jittery and find myself pouring little packets of sugar down my throat. I know you're a nurse and am not trying to tell you something you already know, but I'd keep some of that nasty stuff in a tube meant to raise your blood sugar on hand. I've never had to use it, but we have it stored in a cabinet at work where I (or someone else if things go really wrong) could get to it easily. In nursing school, my instructor recommended cake icing in case for situations like that. (Sounds so much more pleasant than that icky stuff.) The medication I take will drop my sugar too low and it sneaks up on me in a bad way. Vibes for good luck and good health:

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

I love roasted almonds. I'll buy a bag of raw almonds, then spread them on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 15 min.

Or you could eat raw pecans, but they are higher in calories than almonds.

How about a hard boiled egg?

There are also protein shakes for diabetics - Glycerna?

The important thing to remember is that you must eat protein with your carbs. Carbs alone will spike and sink your blood sugar. Adding protein to the food will help maintain your BS without the spikes and sinks.

Click to expand...

I understand about the need for protein in the snacks, hence me doing the quick and easy peanut butter and crackers. It's something easy to keep in the drawer at work and I don't need to worry about preparing and lugging even more food with me each day. But the addition of peanut butter/peanuts to my diet on a daily basis is really the only thing I've changed, other than cutting out sugary/salty snacks like chocolate and chips etc. So I don't know what else to attribute my hives to.

I didn't think about eggs. I'm also trying to watch my cholesterol but I could do up a couple of egg whites into a plain omlette or with a few veggies in it.

I also bought some slivered almonds. I figure I can add it to the top of some apple sauce or a yogurt. I'm hoping it's the peanuts that are causing my hives, and if it is, that the nut allergy is only limited to peanuts.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Hopefully you can eat other nuts (peanuts are a legume) because they are the perfect food snack for anybody! Also try pumpkin and sesame seeds, or make your own trail mix with dried fruit and your favorite nuts.

Other thoughts: hummus with falafel chips (they are made with chickpeas); guacamole with whole wheat or corn tortillas (or corn chips - there are good ones out there); vegetables sticks dipped in almond butter, egg or tuna salad, or ranch dressing (can buy healthy or make yourself); or cup of soup kept hot in a thermos.

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Hummus. I love Hummus! I can take some of that with some carrot and celery sticks and use it as a dip, or maybe spread it on a few crackers and add some finely diced veggies like green pepper, red onion or tomato to the top. I've never made hummus but I'm thinking it's high in fat, so I guess only a few tablespoons?

I don't have good will power when it comes to corn chips etc. So I better not attempt that snack. I know I'll end up wanting more, so it's better if I just avoid the temptation.

Originally Posted by nurseangel

Do you like fruit and orange juice? Or yogurt? I do a lot of cheese and crackers for my snack, though I know cheese isn't the best for a person.

Click to expand...

I love fruit! In fact if I had to give up all foods except for one, I'd keep fruit! I could easily live on fruit and nothing else. Which is unfortunate because sugar is sugar, no matter what the source and fruit is high in sugars

I love fruit juice too, but I try to not drink it very often because for example it takes about 6 to 8 large oranges to make one glass of juice. Not only is that a whole lot of wasted calories, but I'd never consume 6 to 9 whole oranges in a single day if I was eathing the whole fruit.

I can't eat a great deal of cheese because of my lactose intolerance. However, I can eat 1 small yogurt most days without it affecting me. So I did buy some low fat yogurt today. I bought some blue cheese. It's one of the few cheeses that I can eat. I think because it's so aged that the sugars have broken down.

Thanks for all of the tips. Please keep them coming

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I understand about the need for protein in the snacks, hence me doing the quick and easy peanut butter and crackers. It's something easy to keep in the drawer at work and I don't need to worry about preparing and lugging even more food with me each day. But the addition of peanut butter/peanuts to my diet on a daily basis is really the only thing I've changed, other than cutting out sugary/salty snacks like chocolate and chips etc. So I don't know what else to attribute my hives to.

I didn't think about eggs. I'm also trying to watch my cholesterol but I could do up a couple of egg whites into a plain omlette or with a few veggies in it.

I also bought some slivered almonds. I figure I can add it to the top of some apple sauce or a yogurt. I'm hoping it's the peanuts that are causing my hives, and if it is, that the nut allergy is only limited to peanuts.




Hmmm. Hummus. I love Hummus! I can take some of that with some carrot and celery sticks and use it as a dip, or maybe spread it on a few crackers and add some finely diced veggies like green pepper, red onion or tomato to the top. I've never made hummus but I'm thinking it's high in fat, so I guess only a few tablespoons?

I don't have good will power when it comes to corn chips etc. So I better not attempt that snack. I know I'll end up wanting more, so it's better if I just avoid the temptation.



I love fruit! In fact if I had to give up all foods except for one, I'd keep fruit! I could easily live on fruit and nothing else. Which is unfortunate because sugar is sugar, no matter what the source and fruit is high in sugars

I love fruit juice too, but I try to not drink it very often because for example it takes about 6 to 8 large oranges to make one glass of juice. Not only is that a whole lot of wasted calories, but I'd never consume 6 to 9 whole oranges in a single day if I was eathing the whole fruit.

I can't eat a great deal of cheese because of my lactose intolerance. However, I can eat 1 small yogurt most days without it affecting me. So I did buy some low fat yogurt today. I bought some blue cheese. It's one of the few cheeses that I can eat. I think because it's so aged that the sugars have broken down.

Thanks for all of the tips. Please keep them coming

Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry about the cheese suggestion. I read your post but it didn't register. I was telling my mom the other day that I thought I could live off bread, cheese, and chocolate. Not necessarily an ideal diet...

I tend to have an apple and some sharp cheddar cheese for a snack. . .is it lactose you can't have, or just cow's milk in general? Because sharp cheddar has most of the lactose aged out of it, the sharper the better. I know apples are high in sugar but I hear the pectin makes them digest slower so your sugar doesn't spike, but I'm no expert (and I'm not diabetic, just trying to eat healthy).

They sell little individual packs of nuts that I like, too. It's called Planter's Nut-trition, I think. Or Nut-tritious mix? Anyway, something like that. I think they have a peanut-free blend. It's more expensive to buy the individual packs but it's so convenient. I guess you could buy the big container and make your own individual-serving packs, but I'm too lazy .

Hummus can be high in fat, but if you make it yourself you can control how much oil you put in. Plus it's healthy fat. . .your body needs it, in moderation. I don't like any of the store-bought kinds, but I have a great recipe so I make it frequently. I add too much garlic for it to be a suitable workplace snack, though!

I am diabetic as well and have found snacks to be some of the most difficult food items to sort out. Here is what has worked for me (I hope some of what I do can be helpful for you as well):

I do use a lot of peanut butter. In fact, I use so much that it gets tired and boring. So, I've tried instituting some other nut "butters." Almond butter has become a new favorite. It tastes good and it is a good substitute for peanut butter if peanuts have become an issue for you. Hopefully, you're not having reactions to other nuts -- they're an excellent source of protein (as you know) and are a mainstay of my diet due to their portability and ease.

When I'm nutted out , I sometimes eat half of a sandwich as a snack. Whole wheat bread or pita with some turkey and mustard (or another condiment) can be a great alternative. Another option would be to have some crackers with tuna on top. You can buy flavored tuna packets now that can cut out the need for mayo (or you can use mayo if you want) and they're great for an on-the-go snack. Canned chicken or salmon is also a good alternative.

Sometimes, I'll go for some pita or baked chips with either guacamole or a nice, veggie dip. And, if I'm in the mood for it, hummus works great as well. I'll also, occasionally, make a black bean dip to go with the pita or chips. It's a bit more work, but equally as tasty and a good option if you're looking for something different. I know all too well how boring the same snack day-in and day-out can be. Variety is important to me.

I know you said you're lactose intolerant, but can you have cottage cheese at all? I will sometimes have cottage cheese, grapes, and some crackers. I suppose you could sub out the cottage cheese for another kind of protein -- guacamole, a good salsa with lots of fresh veggies, or the like. Speaking of salsa, homemade salsa is also a good choice and can easily be paired with crackers or chips.

The biggest thing, when you're diabetic (like I am), is to have carbs (about 15g) that are fiber-full along with protein. That will help keep you full without raising your blood sugar. I have a huge issue with high blood sugar even while following a strict diet and taking insulin. In times where I just need to have something, but want to ensure I don't spike my sugar, I go with raw veggies, some popcorn with just some salt and garlic powder, or an egg. I know you said cheese was not an option, but I do use milk a lot as a quick add-on to a snack. Perhaps lactose-free milk would work?

There are a lot of options out there...the above were just a few of my go to snacks. I know how rough diabetes can be -- especially when you're new to the disease. So, if you ever need to talk, vent, or whatever, feel free to PM me or e-mail me. I'm more than happy to listen or share my experience. Good luck and keep us updated on how you're doing.

I hate cilantro, too!

I often eat low-fat thin pretzel sticks for my morning and afternoon snacks, even though I hate pretzels. Perhaps you could dip them in fat-free dip to jazz them up.

I eat low-fat mozarella cheese sticks, but since you're lactose-intolerant, that won't work for you!

How about reduced fat potato chips? They aren't as low in fat as other alternatives, though.

Is a piece of fresh fruit an option in your meal plan? I also love strips of fresh red bell pepper. Carrot sticks might be good, but are rather high on the glycemic index. How about celery sticks and fat-free dip?

Hummus is actually pretty low in fat and it contains no saturated fats at all. The fat in it comes from the tahini (sesame seeds), olive oil, and a bit from the chick peas but all these fats are necessary for good health, and they help us feel satiated so we don't overeat.

I'm not a diabetic but I eat like I am, trying to avoid it since the disease is rampant in my family.

Great suggestions everyone. Thanks