Diabetes (diabetes) is classified into two main types, type 1 and type 2. Both types characterize high blood sugar. One of the first things to consider in patients is nutrition, which is why a good healthy meal plan is crucial to managing the disease. In making a healthy meal plan, you should also take into consideration the drinks that you include in your diet. So what is the best drink for diabetes? Given that certain drinks can cause a spike in blood sugar, which drinks may diabetics include in their diet?
Here’s a list.
The Best Drink for Diabetes Patients
Water
Should diabetics drink water? There is no doubt about it, water is always preferred. It is zero-calorie, containing no sugar or starch. Staying hydrated also affects mental and physical health as every system in our body needs water to function.
You can also sometimes confuse thirst with hunger or cravings for sweets. This often prompts you to reach for soft drinks or juices. If you have a sweet tooth, try drinking a glass of water first to see how your body reacts.
Milk
Sometimes the body wants more than just water. Milk can be a good choice. Skim or soy milk, rice milk, or unsweetened varieties can provide calories, vitamins, and minerals. It is important that you choose unsweetened milk.
Herbal tea
Herbal tea is another great drink for diabetes patients, especially if you want to change the taste of your drink. By brewing herbs with boiled water, you have a delicious and healthy drink. You can use licorice root for a subtly sweet flavor that doesn’t spike your blood sugar.
Some studies have even suggested that licorice extract may help lower blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Fruit juice
What should diabetics drink? Pure fruit juices are very suitable for people with diabetes. However, because juice provides the sugars from the fruit, not the fiber, you also need to limit your intake.
Portion control is key to managing carbohydrate intake when drinking juice with meals. Drinking juice can lead to an increase in blood sugar, but a combination of drinking juice and eating other foods can help prevent this.
Coffee and tea in moderation
There is a lot of debate about whether or not people with diabetes should drink coffee. Coffee consumption may have short-term undesirable effects, but long-term coffee consumption has shown some benefits.
In moderation, caffeine-containing coffee and tea can provide energy without causing blood sugar spikes like other beverages. However, you should avoid sugary coffees and teas.
The Worst Drink for Diabetes
Soda and energy drinks
What should diabetics not drink? Soft drinks and other sugary drinks can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
For people who already have diabetes, this drink provides a large amount of sugar without the need for much digestion. If you drink soda without combining it with a healthy diet, it will raise your blood sugar. The best way to evenly distribute carbohydrates to your body is to avoid sugary sodas and energy drinks.
Fruit cocktails
These drinks are sugary and taste like fruit juice, but they are often high in sugar or corn syrup. These ingredients can cause blood sugar spikes just like when you drink soda.
They provide a lot of carbohydrates but less nutritional value than pure fruit juices. You can drink fruit juices in moderation and cocktails should be avoided.
Alcoholic drinks
People with diabetes should only consume very small amounts of alcohol. Alcohol can cause a drop in blood sugar. This can be a problem for people who are taking medications that increase the body’s insulin levels. Alcohol should be consumed with meals as drinking on an empty stomach will make your blood sugar drop even more.
If you can control your blood sugar, you can enjoy some light alcoholic beverages. Diabetes is a chronic disease. It is very difficult to answer the question of what to drink for diabetes. But if you know how to incorporate good diabetic drinks into your daily diet, you will easily control the disease.
Learn more about Type 2 Diabetes here.
