Should you be eating a bedtime snack?

This Week's Tip Should you be eating a bedtime snack? The number of snacks a person with diabetes should eat during the day depends largely on their eating preferences, weight-management goals, and timing of major meals. People with diabetes can eat snacks throughout the day for a number of reasons—like simply enjoying a mid-morning snack or planning them into their day for better blood glucose control. Exactly how many snacks you should eat—and when you eat them—is very individualized. A pre-bedtime snack is a common occurrence, but whether or not you should eat a snack at this time of night depends on one thing: Is your blood sugar low before bedtime? Is your blood sugar low before bedtime? For those looking to optimize blood sugar control, eating a snack 1 to 2 hours before bedtime can sometimes improve blood sugar control and prevent nighttime hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), though not everyone will experience this benefit, according to recent research. A 2003 study published in the journal Diabetes Care suggests that people with diabetes that have blood glucose levels over 180 mg/dL before bed should not eat a bedtime snack; but those with blood glucose levels below 126 mg/dL at bedtime should have a snack (roughly 15 grams of carbohydrates and 100 calories) to prevent late-night lows. Smart Snacking Tips for People with Diabetes More Tips for People with Diabetes   Diabetes Friendly Recipe Easy Zucchini Parmesan This quick and healthy side dish takes just minutes to prepare! And as a bonus, it's an easy way to get the kids to eat their vegetables. (And if you don't like using butter spray, you could melt a few pats of butter and brush the butter on with a pastry brush - whatever your preference!) Get the Recipe See More Lower-Carb Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 1  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 51.6 Total Fat: 1.6 g Cholesterol: 3.9 mg Sodium: 128.5 mg Total Carbs: 7.3 g   Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g Protein: 3.2 g View full nutritional breakdown of Easy Zucchini Parmesan by ingredient     From Our Diabetes Community Snacks under 100 calories (Secrets of Success) points, points , points (Team Forum) More Secrets of Success... More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy