If you live with diabetes, you probably deserve a gold star for tracking what you eat with the tenacity of an Olympic athlete. But in addition to monitoring your protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake at each meal, don’t forget that what you drink matters, too. That afternoon latte could be causing a glucose spike rather than perking you up.
Here’s a look at the best drinks for (almost) every occasion if you have diabetes. Oh, yeah, and recipe alternatives for some of your favorite treats, courtesy of best au online casino.
Water
Your body relies on water to function, and it’s essential for maintaining overall health — whether you have diabetes or not. It’s recommended that men consume about 125 ounces of water per day and women consume about 91 ounces.
A few benefits of drinking water:
Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping you alive, here are some other things water does for you:
Helps you maintain a healthy body temperature
Lubricates your joints
Eliminates excess glucose through your urine
Improves your cognitive function
Sugar-free sparkling water
Another great choice is sparkling water that has zero calories and no added sweeteners.
Aside from its short and innocent ingredient list of water and natural fruit essences, sparkling water has been shown to improve swallowing ability, keep you full for longer, and help relieve constipation.
Some popular brands include Waterloo, La Croix, and Bubly. Best flavors? Try lime, peach-pear, mango, or coconut!
Going through the cans too fast and want to make your own? Get a sparkling water maker online.
Coffee
Caffeine affects everyone differently, so you’ll want to check your blood sugar to know if caffeinated coffee is a good choice for you. Otherwise, try decaf.
In any case, the Mayo Clinic recommends limiting coffee intake to four cups per day. Remember to consider the carbohydrate content of dairy or creamers and to choose no-calorie sweeteners.
Tea
Herbal, black, or green; caffeinated or decaf — drink it unsweetened and with a squeeze of lemon for added flavor. (Added cream and nutritive sweeteners like honey will increase calorie and carb content, affecting your blood sugar.)
Try it iced for a refreshing treat or hot to help you relax before bed. Research suggests green tea may help reduce blood pressure and lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels. You can drink them while playing games at real money casino.
Sugar-free sodas
Most sugar-free sodas are 99 percent water and can be counted as part of your water intake for the day. There are many caffeine-free options, too. As with all aspects of living with diabetes, moderation is key.
Low-sugar cranberry juice cocktail
Regular unsweetened fruit juices contain a lot of natural sugars — 15 grams of sugar or more in only 4 ounces.
If you’re craving some fruity refreshment without the extra sugar, try the Diet Ocean Spray flavors like Cran-Mango and Cran-Pineapple. They have only 2 grams of carbs and 10 calories per 8-ounce serving, and they provide 100 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin C.
Other low-sugar juice options
Another great lower-carb juice option is Diet V8 Splash or V8 vegetable juice. The Diet V8 Splash flavors are tasty and have only 10 calories and 2 grams of carbs in an 8-ounce serving. Plus, they contain the antioxidant vitamins A and C.
An 8-ounce glass of regular or low-sodium V8 vegetable juice provides two servings of vegetables and has only 45 calories and 9 grams of carbs and no added sugars.
