What Can I Eat When My Blood Sugar is Out of Range?
Snacking can be an important part of diabetes management, but it's important to match your snack to your blood sugar level.
Welcome to DiabetesEveryDay, I’m registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, Toby Smithson. Please hit the subscribe button, like and comment below. This helps youtube recognize that my channel is helpful.
What Can I Eat If My Blood Sugar is Above or Below Target?
I hear this question a lot…what can I eat if my blood sugar is above target…… or below target?
You’ve come to the right youtube channel! First, let’s review target ranges so we are all on the same page with the numbers. According the the ADA guidelines, before a meal or at fasting, your blood sugar should be between 80-130 and two hours after the start of eating, your blood sugar should be between 80-180.
Blood Sugar Too High
Sooo, if your blood sugar is above 180 and you want a snack you should try to stick with lower carb at that time…. some food choices would be:
- Cheese slices or cheese sticks
- Cottage cheese
- Tuna or tuna salad
- Eggs-hard boiled, scrambled, poached or made into an omelet with vegetables
- Roasted or baked chicken or beef
- Jerky
Blood Sugar Too Low
If your blood sugar is below target, which is 70 or below, you MUST eat or drink a fast acting carbohydrate that is equivalent to 15 grams of carbohydrate. Examples are:
- ½ c juice
- 1 T sugar
- 1T honey
- 2 packs or sleeves of smarties candy
- 5 lifesavers or 3 peppermints
Notice I didn’t place cookies or chocolate or peanut butter on this list of fast acting carbs. Cookies, chocolate, and peanut butter will not raise your blood sugar quickly to a safe target range due to the fat content in these types of foods.
Be sure to check out: A Simple Trick To Better Manage Blood Sugar
"Feelings" Are Not Accurate
I also want to mention that you may not always be able to go by a “feeling” about your blood sugar levels…. checking your blood sugar with a blood glucose meter or continuous glucose monitor is the best way to find out where your blood sugar is.
Please comment below and let me know any of your diabetes management questions or share what you like to snack on. Until next time, cheers to your health.
Don't forget to take a look at our most frequently asked questions.
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