Amazing Smoothies For Diabetics

If you current are diagnosed with diabetes, don’t worry, you can still eat some of the same foods you’re accustomed to without worrying about it impacting your health.  You have to make healthy choices, yes, and monitor the portions but you don’t have to have a special diet.  You also don’t have to deprive yourself.  There are many great options available to you including healthy servings of vegetables or even fruit.

With any diet, you need to be aware of the exact foods that are okay for you to eat and which ones you should avoid altogether.  It is important that the foods you eat won’t impact your blood sugar.  Foods that keep your blood sugar stable are usually in the low-glycemic index.
You also want to get enough vitamins and minerals.  Things like vitamin-D and calcium are great for your diet when you have diabetes.  Think of yogurts and low-fat milk as an option here.

So, the options mentioned above are critical if you want to incorporate healthy foods into your diet when you have diabetes.  The great thing is that you can mix it up a little bit.  You can get a lot of great vitamins and nutrients in a smoothie, for example.

Always be aware of the amount of fruit you’re using and be sure to count them towards your diet.  You want to be careful of the amount of carbohydrates you’re ingesting.

Check out some of our favorite smoothie recipes for diabetics below!

• Antioxidant Super Smoothie – blend together berries or even avocado to get a power packed smoothie full of antioxidants. Be sure to use berries known for their healthy qualities, you can even use berry flavored yogurt but try the no-sugar or low-sugar option.  Protein powders can also work great in this shake.
• Low Carb Strawberry Explosion Smoothie – created by someone with diabetes, this recipe stands the test of time. For one, it is amazing!  You wouldn’t even know it was a healthy option.  Made with soymilk and Greek yogurt with frozen strawberries.  You can’t beat it!
• Very Berry Smoothie – a mix of healthy berries, this shake takes advantage of the antioxidants found in berries naturally. If you like a little sour punch, sour berries are a great way to get your fix without boosting the sugar.  Add flax seeds or chia seeds with plain yogurt and you’ll be amazed how good it tastes.
• Just Peachy Smoothie – a great smoothie for a summer’s day, this smoothie is guaranteed to relax and refresh you. Add a little peach and some chia seeds to a yogurt blend with a little extra fiber.  This smoothie is amazing and really packs a nice fruity flavor on a hot day.
• Mega-Green Smoothie – a great way to get your vegetables and feel like you’re cheating all at the same time. The Mega Greens smooth sneaks in green vegetables like spinach and kale, packed with healthy vitamins and minerals.  Chia seeds are a great way to add fiber and get more bang for your buck in this smoothie.
• Lean, Mean & Green Smoothie – a smoothie is one of the best way to get everything you need in terms of nutrition and this includes your daily serving of vegetables. This recipe also uses kale and/or spinach then adds the sweetness of a piece of fruit.  You can choose something like an apple – either sweet or sour.  Squeeze some fresh citrus in there to finish it off and bam!
• Decadent Smoothie – a truly luscious smoothie that reminds you more of a dessert than a health shake. The Decadent Smoothie is a blend sugar-free caramel and chocolate protein with just a touch of peanut butter.  If you really want to do it healthy, try the powdered peanut butter.  It’s half the fat and all the taste.  Use plain yogurt to thicken and blend!
• Island Escape Smoothie – using a blend of chia seeds and coconut milk, this smoothie will transport you away to that island getaway. If you need more sweetness, try an artificial sweetener like Stevia.  Blend with yogurt and you almost have a pina colada.
• Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie – blend oatmeal and banana with plain yogurt, you can add whatever supplements your heart desires to this one but the result is somewhere between oatmeal cookie and banana bread.
• Fruit and Nut Smoothie – combining nuts into a smooth is a great way to get a lot of benefits and nutrition. This particular smoothie uses almonds and walnuts with a touch of greens (kale or spinach).  Choose a fresh or frozen berry and then add yogurt.

Can I Really Drink Smoothies If I Have Diabetes?

The short answer is yes!  You can drink smoothies if you have diabetes but you want to be sure you drink ones with the right ingredients.  Smoothies will combine a mixture of fruit, vegetables, supplements and yogurt into a delicious drink combination that is sure to please.

Why Should I Drink Smoothies?

If you have a busy schedule or have trouble getting all the nutrients you need through the food you eat, a smoothie may be a good choice for you.  Drinking a smoothie for breakfast is the perfect way to supercharge your day and get your daily requirements.  You may also drink a smoothie if you’re exercising or have a post-workout routine.  You can even use smoothies as a diet or meal replacement, if you use them properly and mix the right ingredients.  Smoothies are a great option to fill you up and keep you going all day long.  They’re also perfect to get additional servings of vegetables that you might not normally eat otherwise.

Is it ok to drink smoothies if I have diabetes?

A smoothie can be a great alternative to a regular meal, even if you have diabetes.  They can really round out and create a nutritional option too.  The best thing to do before adding a smoothie to your diet is to check with your doctor.  Tell them about the ingredients and what you want to do.  Are you just trying to get more nutrition or do you want to use smoothies as a meal replacement?  All of these are great questions to ask your personal physician or nutritionist.  You always want to be aware of the calories and carbohydrate content when replacing a meal with a smoothie.  Also, be sure to drink them in moderation, you don’t want to go overboard with them and that is true for any food in your diet.  If you’re really concerned about how they may affect your blood sugar, check your levels before consuming, then check again later.  With this trial and method you can figure out if smoothies are ok for you.

What should I put in my smoothie?  What are the healthiest ingredients?

One of the best things about adding smoothies to your diet?  You can put almost anything in them.  There is an unlimited amount of mixes and that means you’ll always have something new to try.  You can mix or match too and find your favorite.

To get the most out of your smoothies, it is best to follow these steps:

• Decide on a “base” – this is what you’ll be building your smoothie on, so, if it’s a green drink you’ll use veg, if you like berries, go for those. Maybe you want something fruity, build on a base of fruit!  There are no limits really.  It doesn’t matter if its spinach or mango, they can be great starting ingredients for your smoothie.
• Bring on the liquid – in smoothies you need to add a little bit of hydration to the mix to get things going. You can do that in the form of just plain old water or even juice or milk.  Be aware of the carbohydrate levels of milk though.  You can opt from some of the non-dairy milk if you really want to.  Yogurt can also be a great option to make your smoothie “thick”.  Again, use your imagination and experiment to find the right combination for you.
• Protein – maybe you want to get more protein in your diet and if that is the case, you can add protein powder to your smoothie. Protein powders come in a variety of forms but you should be aware of the nutritional facts found in each.  Protein powders will also add calories to your smoothie.  Just read the label of each or research protein powders for diabetics.
• Add other ingredients like seeds – at the end of your smoothie recipe you can choose to add whatever ingredients you like to top it off. This can include items with fiber like chia or flax seeds.  You can even add psyllium or other supplements.  Whatever you think will make a healthy and tasty smoothie, you can add.  It is all part of the experimentation process.

If you find something you like, be sure to remember what ingredients you used.  It is all part of the process.  You may find that keeping a small notebook in the kitchen will help too!