Free Foods for People with Diabetes
When you have the munchies but no calories or carbohydrate grams to spare, get your fix with a free-food snack. A free food, as defined by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), is any food, drink, condiment, or seasoning that contains less than 20 calories and 5 grams or less of carb per serving.ADA guidelines suggest you can eat up to three free-food servings per day without counting them in your diabetes meal plan. Do spread them out through the day. The small amount of carb they contain should have little impact on your blood glucose.
Basil Tomatoes
If you're a tomato fan, the cherry-size orbs are perfect for guilt-free nibbling. You can enjoy a snack of 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes for just 13 calories and 2 grams of carb.Taste treat: For added flavor, sprinkle fresh minced basil or dried basil (a free seasoning) over cherry tomato halves.
Tip: Avoid storing unripe tomatoes in the refrigerator, as the cold temperature can prevent them from ripening.
Did you know: Tomatoes pack a bevy of antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, plus heart-healthy lycopene.
Cream Cheese Radishes
Radishes are about as guilt-free as food can get. Each medium-size radish has just 1 calorie and well under half a gram of carb. Nibble on a few when the aroma of dinner cooking is getting the best of you.Taste treat: Creamy meets crunchy when you spread 3 red radishes with 1 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese, then lightly sprinkle them with chives (also a free food). This simple snack has just 20 calories and 2 grams of carb, and it makes a pretty appetizer.
Tip: Opt for small or medium-size radishes, because larger radishes tend to be more fibrous and have a sharper flavor.
Did you know: A medium-size radish supplies 1 percent of your daily vitamin C. And 1 cup of sliced radishes provides 29 percent of your daily vitamin C -- but only 19 calories and 4 grams of carb.
Crunchy Salad
Salad greens are satisfying because you get a lot of crunch for very few calories. A 1-cup serving of lettuce has just 8 calories and 2 grams of carb. Pair the lettuce with up to 1 tablespoon fat-free salad dressing and your snack will still count as a free food.Taste treat: Toss lettuce with your choice of fresh herb leaves, such as basil, cilantro, dill, or parsley. They all count as free foods and won't affect your calorie or carb counts in the small quantities used to flavor foods.
Tip: Butterhead and leaf lettuces will keep in your refrigerator for about four days. Romaine lettuce can be refrigerated about 10 days. Iceberg lettuce will keep up to 2 weeks, but it's the least nutritious.
Did you know: Just 1 cup of butterhead lettuce (which includes Boston and Bibb lettuces) supplies 10 percent of your daily folate needs, a B vitamin important for heart health.
Turkey-Carrot Roll-Up
For a bit of protein between meals, try spreading mustard on a 1/2-ounce slice of turkey breast lunch meat, then roll it up to eat. You'll get 14 calories, 0 grams of carb, and 3 grams of protein in the turkey meat. A teaspoon of yellow mustard has just 3 calories and 1 grams of carb.Taste treat: For a bit of crunch, roll up a single carrot stick in the turkey lunchmeat. A typical 3-inch carrot stick has only 3 calories and less than 1 gram of carb.
Tip: Next time you roast a turkey or chicken, slice some of the breast meat extra thin (you may want to use an electric knife) and freeze the meat to use in place of high-sodium (and expensive) lunch meats.
Did you know: Although common yellow mustard is classified as a free condiment, honey mustard has 7 grams of carb per tablespoon.
Berry Blues
Pop blueberries in your mouth one by one for a fruity treat. They count as a free food when you limit your serving to 1/4 cup, which has 20 calories and 5 grams of carb.Taste treat: You'll get more blueberries per serving (for the same calories and carbs) when you choose wild blueberries. That's because they're a bit smaller than regular cultivated blueberries. If you don't live in an area that harvests wild blueberries, check for unsweetened wild blueberries in the freezer section of your grocery store.
Tip: Choose blueberries with a silvery-white sheen on the surface, which is a sign of freshness.
Did you know: Blueberries are rich in heart-healthy antioxidants called anthocyanins, which is what makes the blueberry skin blue. You get more blueberry skin -- and more anthocyanins -- per serving when you eat wild blueberries versus cultivated blueberries, but both are great sources.
Lemon-Pepper Cucumbers
When you need a refreshing low-calorie snack, nibble on 1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers for just 8 calories and 2 grams of carb.Taste treat: Drizzle a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper over the cucumber slices. Both count as free in the moderate amounts typically used for flavoring foods.
Tip: Cucumbers are often waxed to prevent moisture loss. If you plan to eat the peel, opt for cucumbers sealed in plastic in lieu of waxing (although the wax is edible, it's not tasty). During the summer months, shop for locally grown, unwaxed cucumbers.
Did you know: Cucumbers made into dill pickles lose some of their water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C, in the pickling process -- and gain sodium from added salt.
