Diabetes-friendly beverage options with steps on how to make them

When it comes to managing diabetes, what you drink in your routine is just as important as what you eat. A single glass of sugary drink can impact your blood sugar levels. This is because anything that’s liquid and that has carbohydrates will digest faster than something you chew. This results in a quicker spike in blood sugar.

If you have type 2 diabetes, then all sugary drinks such as soda, soft drinks, energy drinks, sweet tea, and even fruit juice are off the table. You need to replace them with low-sugar, sugar-free, zero or low-calorie drinks options. Choosing the right drinks can help you manage your symptoms and maintain a healthy weight.

Here are some refreshing and healthy, diabetes-friendly beverage options which you can try. Keep in mind that even these low sugar options should be consumed in moderation.

You can quickly prepare your own sugar-free lemonade at home to quench your thirst, especially to beat the summer heat. Using just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up this refreshing and delicious low carb beverage.

To prepare this simple drink, combine chilled water with some freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can add some ice and have the drink without any sugar or opt for a sugar-free sweetener. Instead of white sugar, opt for some brown sugar or jaggery powder.

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If you are a tea lover, then you can consume unsweetened tea in moderate quantities. You can choose from green, black, white, or oolong tea. Research has shown that green tea has a positive effect on health. A large 2021 cohort study of more than a half million people has found that daily consumption of green tea may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

For a refreshing twist, you can make your own iced tea and add a few slices of lemon. Herbal tea options like chamomile, hibiscus, ginger, and peppermint tea are all excellent options for people with diabetes. Unsweetened herbal tea is free of carbs, calories, sugar, and is rich in antioxidant compounds which boost the immune system.

According to a 2019 review of studies, drinking coffee might help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by improving sugar metabolism. It’s important that your coffee has no sugar and prefer having it black. Adding milk, cream, or sugar to your coffee will increase the calorie count of the beverage and this can affect your blood sugar levels. If you want to add some sweetness, there are many no or low-calorie sweeteners which you can use in limited quantities.

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Since fruit juices are high on sugar, if you wish to have juice, you can opt for vegetable juices in moderation instead. Try to make fresh juice at home in a blender, instead of drinking it from outside or consuming packaged juices.

You can blend together vegetables like broccoli and cucumber as these will not have a big impact on your blood sugar. Tomato juice is also a healthy option. As per a research published in the British Journal of Nutrition, drinking 1½ cups of tomato juice a day for a month reduced inflammation in obese women.