What Should and Shouldn’t People with Diabetes Drink?

In the case of diabetes, we should choose our drinks carefully. We have to know how much carbohydrates we can take before it affects our blood sugar. So, regulating our blood sugar level is critical. The ADA recommends that people with diabetes focus on avoiding the side effects of diabetes and maintaining a healthy diet. Therefore, people should focus on drinks that have no or zero calories. Try avoiding sugars and sweeteners.

Should Drink a Lot of:

1. Tea

According to studies, green tea has a major effect on our overall health. Furthermore, it can reduce LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. This is the reason why green tea is perfect for those with diabetes. Other studies also show that green tea has the power to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 16% if we drink six/four cups per day. In any case, do not add sweeteners to your tea to get the desired effect. Tea contains a lot of antioxidants but no calories. According to Chinese research, black tea helps slow the absorption of sugar in the system because it contains the most polysaccharides than any other tea. Furthermore, it helps lower the risk of getting heart disease and stroke. However, if we like to change the taste a bit, we can use some lemon or fragrant tea. Plus, if we love caffeine, jasmine tea and Earl Grey are our best choices.

2. Milk

By drinking low-fat milk, we can add carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin D to our bodies. However, make sure that you get sugar-free milk instead of sweetened one, like coconut milk or fortified nut milk. Plus, one or two glasses of milk are enough for one day. There is even a study that shows 322 people with type 2 diabetes have lost weight by adding milk to their diet. They lost 12 ounces per day and consumed half a glass of milk. An expert, Angela Ginn from Baltimore, Maryland who has RD, CDE, LDN, and education as a nutrition coordinator at the University of Maryland, believes that there are 12 grams of carbohydrates in every 8-ounce glass.

3. Water

Water is the best source of hydration. Water helps those with diabetes because it doesn’t increase blood sugar. If the level of blood sugar is increased, then it can result in dehydration. If we drink as much water as our body needs, it will help us get rid of the excess glucose in the system. Men should drink around 10 glasses per day, whereas women around 8. But, if you don’t like plain water, try adding either lemon, orange, lime, basil, or other herbs to your drink. The journal Diabetes Care supports previous claims. According to their research, people who drank 16 ounces, or sometimes less water per day had a 30% chance to have increased problems with their blood sugar, unlike the people who drank more water than them. The hormone vasopressin helps control hydration. When a person dehydrates the level of vasopressin is increased; this causes the liver to have problems producing blood sugar.

Drink with Care:

4. Diet Soda

Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners which are famous for hurting the body, especially in the gut. Thus, insulin resistance increases and may worsen or cause diabetes. According to research, this type of soda is connected with metabolic syndrome. This syndrome, on the other hand, is closely related to gaining weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels. Therefore, people who drink diet soda have a 67% chance of developing diabetes. Some people believe the reason behind this is because after we consume diet soda, the drink makes the body eat more treats with a lot of calories. However, according to a study from Harvard, the researchers followed 40,000 men but weren’t able to find a connection between diabetes and diet drinks. They compared their findings with problems caused by genetics, body mass index, and diet. Therefore, researchers still believe that diet soda is a better supplement to regular soda for people with diabetes.

5. Coffee

According to research in 2012, people who drink 2-3 cups of Mushroom coffee per day have a lower chance of getting diabetes type 2; whether they drink coffee with or without caffeine. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid which helps the body absorb glucose in the system. However, if they mix coffee with tea, they must avoid sweeteners. If we consume cream, sugar, or milk with our coffee, it may affect our blood sugar. Therefore, it is important how coffee affects our health; it may or may not raise blood sugar.

Try to Avoid:

6. Fruit Drinks with Sugar

The typical fruit juices contain a lot of carbohydrates, so, they can be very problematic for our weight and blood sugar levels. Therefore we should replace it with fresh juice instead and add a little sparkling water to create a more interesting taste. If you want to consume fruit juices, make sure they are fresh and without any sweeteners. That is because, in a 4-ounce serving of 100% pure orange juice, there are 12g carbohydrates, 56 calories, and 0 fibers. Whereas, in a small orange juice there are 11g of carbohydrates, 2g of fiber that controls blood sugar, and 45 calories

7. Soda

The ADA claims that soda is the worst drink for people with diabetes. It contains a staggering 150 calories and 40g of carbohydrates. This drink can lead to tooth decay and weight gain.

8. Energy Drink

These drinks are full of carbohydrates and caffeine, as research suggests. As such, they can raise blood sugar and cause problems with insulin. Therefore, they pose a risk of developing diabetes type 2. Moreover, the energy drink may lead to insomnia and anxiety.

Source: Healthline | Reader's Digest | Diabetes.co.uk | Music Source: Healthline