It’s crucial to remember that proper diabetes management involves both diet and beverage choices. Actually, you might be shocked at how much of an impact just one drink can have on your blood sugar.
Drinks high in sugar (carbs) will have a greater effect on blood sugar levels than low-sugar, zero-carb beverages like water. “Any liquid containing carbohydrates will digest more quickly than something you would have to chew,” says Los Angeles-based registered dietitian Lori Zanini, RD, CDCES. The outcome was a sharp rise in blood sugar.
Consume Water Alone, as It Has No Effect on Blood Sugar
One of the few drinks you can have throughout the day without worrying about getting sick is water. “Water has no bias,” claims Zanini. Water therefore has no effect on blood sugar levels, either rising or falling.
Another excellent method to stay hydrated is to drink water. This will help you control your blood sugar levels. According to Zanini, “water helps dilute your blood, which lowers your blood sugar levels.”
Consume cow’s milk, which is high in calcium and protein.
“Another healthy beverage option is skim or low-fat milk, but it needs to be factored into your daily carb intake for that specific meal or snack,” advises Basbaum.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that 310 mg, or roughly 24% of the daily value, of calcium can be found in a cup of 1 percent milk, or low-fat milk
Be mindful that nondairy milk substitutes, like almond milk, might contain additional flavourings and sweeteners. They frequently lack the protein from cow’s milk that stabilises blood sugar.
Avoid consuming teas and sodas with added sugar.
Frequent intake of sugar-sweetened drinks, such as soda and tea in a bottle, causes havoc on your body in a number of ways.
For instance, middle-aged adults who drank more than three sugar-sweetened beverages per week had a 46 percent increased risk of prediabetes compared to those who abstained from sugary drinks, according to a study. Comparably, a previous study found that persons who drank just two sugar-sweetened juice or sodas a week were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, especially if they had gained more than six pounds over a five-year period.
Artificially Sweetened Drinks — Perhaps Artificial sweetened beverages, like diet sodas, continue to be a contentious issue.
Drinks made with artificial sweeteners can, on the one hand, be a lower-calorie option than beverages with added sugar. “I do support artificially sweetened beverages as a means of managing blood sugar levels and weight,” states Basbaum.
According to the Mayo Clinic, artificially sweetened drinks could be a healthy substitute for soda and juice that are sweetened with regular sugar because they are low in calories and have no carbs. However, some research—including a 2019 review—takes a different tack and contends that the risk of diabetes can rise even in beverages with artificial sweeteners.
Also read: 5 Foods that can help with Clogged Arteries Condition
Tomato Juice Rather Than Sweet Fruit Juice
If you like to drink juice and are sick of drinking water all the time, Zanini suggests eschewing sugary fruit juices in favour of a small amount of vegetable juice, such as tomato juice. Additionally, if you limit yourself to pure tomato juice without any added sugar or salt, it may offer you some positive health effects in general.
For example, studies have shown that consuming 1.5 cups of tomato juice daily for a month reduced some measures of inflammation in women who are obese. You will need to account for the fact that tomato juice contains approximately 10 grammes (g) of carbohydrates per cup, according to the USDA.
