Food and eating aren’t the same when you have diabetes. If you’re living with Type 1, Type 2, or gestational diabetes, mealtime can be a cause of stress; but another source of worry is what to drink when you have diabetes.
If you’re controlling your diabetes and blood sugar by diet and exercise or with medications and insulin, you still need to be cautious of the food and drinks that enter your body.
Alcohol is another beverage that diabetics should be wary of. Alcohol is a contributing factor to hypoglycemia. You will first experience an increase in your blood sugar levels due to the sugar content, then a reactive drop in blood sugar, resulting in cravings, headaches, dizziness, fainting, and more. Avoid alcohol altogether, or minimize to one low-sugar drink once or twice a week.
Drinks for Optimal Blood Sugar
While the above are drinks to be avoided, what follows are drinks to indulge in.- Water: An obvious option, and not much of an indulgence, but a very important beverage. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times, and you'll find you won’t be tempted to pick up a sugary drink. Purchasing a good quality water filter is also a good idea to avoid any unwanted chemicals in your water.
- Herbal teas: You can find an herbal tea to suit any taste. If you prefer, add a spoonful of stevia to sweeten it. Herbal teas are excellent warm or chilled with half a lemon squeezed in.
- Unsweetened almond or coconut milk: With only 2 grams of carbohydrates per cup of unsweetened almond milk, or 1 gram per cup of unsweetened coconut milk, these are good options for diabetics. The fat content will also slow down any rise in blood sugars. I add these milk alternatives to smoothies, cereal, or drink them on their own.
High Fiber Chocolate Berry Shake
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 cup frozen berries of choice
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- stevia, to sweeten to your liking
- filtered water (add as your blending to desired consistency—less liquid will make it more of a pudding, add more for a more smoothie-like consistency)