{"id":15501,"date":"2016-03-30T15:46:03","date_gmt":"2016-03-30T19:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/diabetes-myth-busting-snacks-are-a-must-2\/"},"modified":"2018-01-09T16:29:28","modified_gmt":"2018-01-09T21:29:28","slug":"diabetes-myth-busting-snacks-are-a-must","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/diabetes-myth-busting-snacks-are-a-must\/","title":{"rendered":"Diabetes Myth Busting: Snacks are a Must"},"content":{"rendered":"
By: Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND —<\/em> <\/strong><\/div>\n
Myth:<\/em><\/strong> People with diabetes must eat snacks two or three times daily.<\/div>\n

Real deal:<\/em><\/strong> Snacks are optional for most people with diabetes.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s crush some snack-related anxiety. Snacks are not<\/em> required for most people, even those with diabetes. If you like them and they help you, snack on. Just choose wisely. If you don\u2019t want to snack, you may not need to.<\/p>\n

This snacking myth likely got its start many years ago when there were few diabetes medications on the market, and they all had the side effect of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). People who took diabetes medications were at risk for developing blood sugar levels too low if they went too long without eating. Thus, healthcare professionals wisely encouraged people with diabetes to eat small snacks between meals.<\/p>\n

But today, we have a plethora of diabetes medications, and many do not cause hypoglycemia. Even insulin regimens can now be adjusted to match the amount of carbohydrate in a given meal or snack. This gives the person with diabetes so much more flexibility. If you\u2019re not sure if your medication has the side effect of low blood sugar, ask your pharmacist or prescribing healthcare provider. If you fear hypoglycemia or have it often, talk to your healthcare provider about changing your medications. You may need less medication or a different medication. However, do NOT alter your treatment before discussing it with your medical team.<\/p>\n

Another misguided reason many people snack is \u201ckeep their metabolism humming.\u201d While it\u2019s true that metabolic rate jumps slightly from eating, that jump is related to the amount of food eaten, not to the frequency of eating. In other words, if you eat the same foods and amounts of foods over three or six occasions, the boost in metabolic rate will be similar over the course of a day.[i]<\/sup><\/p>\n

Good Reasons to Snack<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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