A lot of people struggle with energy crashes, cravings, or mood swings between meals. You can attribute all of that to food and beverage choices that you make during the day. These choices cause blood sugar to fluctuate more than you realize, but the good news is that you can implement certain snacking strategies to make a difference in your day.
Choosing the right snacks can help slow glucose absorption, reduce insulin spikes, and keep energy steady throughout the day. Research indicates that foods that are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and protein digest more slowly, leading to more stable blood sugar levels. Not to mention, you can avoid overeating when you eat foods rich in those nutrients, as they encourage satiety. Instead of fearing snacks, just find the healthiest ones to eat.
Build Balanced Snacks
Nutrient density is key when choosing the best snacks to balance blood sugar levels. High-protein foods (yogurt, nuts, and seeds) work to increase satiety hormones, including peptide YY and GLP-1. Fiber-rich foods (chia seeds, berries, and vegetables) help reduce glucose-spikes because fiber slows stomach emptying and makes you feel full. Healthy fats, such as those in avocados, nuts, and seeds, boost satiety. Together, protein, fiber, and healthy fats can help prevent rapid blood sugar spikes, maintain slower digestion, and keep glucose levels steady.
Avoid Refined Carbs And Added Sugars
This can be very difficult to do because traditional snack foods tend to contain these ingredients. Highly processed snacks (chips, cookies, and sugary bars) cause rapid glucose spikes followed by crashes. Steer clear of refined carbs, added sugars, and ultra-processed snack foods and prioritize the following:
- Whole Foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains)
- Complex carbohydrates
- Minimal added sugar
- Pair Carbs Strategically
If you eat carbs, such as fruit or crackers, make sure to combine them with protein or healthy fats. That will curb their effects and slow their absorption. Consider eating apple slices with almond butter, for example.
Choose Low Glycemic Foods
Glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods from 0-100. The rating is based on how quickly the foods raise blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index cause fast blood sugar spikes, whereas low glycemic foods produce gradual increases that support steady energy. Examples of low glycemic foods include:
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Berries
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes
Snack With Intention
Snack like you mean it, people! That’s not the intention of this point; rather, it is to explain that snacks should be eaten to prevent excessive hunger. You want to support energy between meals and not replace balanced meals.
Blood Sugar Friendly Snacks
Below, you will find a list of snacks that help support stable blood sugar levels. Happy snacking!
- Celery sticks with nut butter: The celery provides crunch and volume, while the nut butter offers healthy fats and protein.
- Edamame: Edamame is a type of soybean that delivers plant-based protein, fiber, and complex carbs, making it a great snack for sustained energy.
- Greek yogurt with berries: Berries are low glycemic fruits that are naturally rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Yogurt provides probiotics and protein for sustained energy.
- Apples with peanut or almond butter: A wonderful pairing that delivers fiber from the apple and healthy fats and protein from the nut butter. This snack helps slow how quickly the body absorbs sugar.
- Hummus with non-starchy vegetables: Hummus provides plant protein and fiber, while non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers and cucumbers offer additional fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Nuts and seeds: A small portion (a handful) of nuts and seeds supplies healthy fats and protein, making them a stabilizing snack for steady blood sugar levels.
- Roasted chickpeas: Make them in the oven or the air fryer! Roasted chickpeas are the perfect crunchy snack that’s rich in fiber, some protein, and a little bit of fat.
- Smoothie: You can build a healthy smoothie with fruits, vegetables, nut butters, and even plant-based protein power. A smoothie is rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats, provided you include nuts or nut butters.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
