We all know how important it is to eat the right kind of food to control diabetes. However, it is equally important to drink healthy fluids and avoid unhealthy ones. This is because like foods, drinks also have a huge effect on your calorie intake and blood sugar levels. Your body will fail to properly perform all its functions without enough fluids. In diabetics, inadequate water consumption can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Elevated sugar levels will in turn cause a loss of plenty of water through the urine. Therefore, it is increasingly important for diabetics to have healthy fluids and stay hydrated. Some of the best and safest drinks for diabetics are listed below.
Water is obviously the safest and the best drink for not only diabetics, but everyone. You cannot find a drink that is healthier than fresh and plain water. Vasopressin is the hormone that acts as a connection between water and blood sugar levels. During dehydration, vasopressin signals the liver to produce more blood sugar. Hence, diabetics who drink less water are at a much higher risk of having high blood sugar when compared to people who drink about sixteen ounces of water daily.
If you find it challenging to sip on plain water throughout the day, you can form a refreshing drink by adding in some lemon juice. Although many vegetables and fruits contain high amount of water, there is no better of satisfying your daily water requirement than having regular water itself.
Milk, as well all know, is an excellent source of calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Diabetics who drink milk on a regular basis are able to lose weight faster than those who have low-dairy intake. You should, however, make sure that you have skimmed milk that is low in fat. Also avoid adding sugar to it. Both whole milk and sugar increase calorie consumption and blood sugar levels.
Unsweetened tea made with skimmed milk or low-fat milk is a good drink for diabetics. Green tea and herbal tea are also excellent choices. Both black tea and green tea can prove to be beneficial for diabetics. Green tea is full of antioxidants that are beneficial for the entire body. The high levels of polysaccharides present in black tea have shown to slow down the rate at which sugar gets absorbed in the blood.
Black Coffee made at home with Skimmed Milk and no Sugar
Since black coffee is free of calories and carbs, drinking it in moderation won’t be a problem for diabetics. Chlorogenic that it contains has shown to reduce the absorption of sugar. It is very important to make sure that you use skimmed milk, avoid adding sugar, and drink black coffee only in moderation.
Diabetics are always advised to stay away from alcohol, as it contains carbohydrate and sugar. However, if you really can’t do without it, you should drink moderate amount of natural, low-carb, and light beer. It is highly recommended to have this drink only along with food. This is because having light beer on an empty stomach can cause complications.
People who like to have fizzy drinks should opt for diet soda. It is important to read the contents of the soda first so as to make sure that it is the non-sugary version. However, even sugar-free version of soda should be consumed in moderation.