Snacks can be very important in your meal plan if you have diabetes. But how many snacks you should eat each day? What should they compose? Read on to learn more about healthy snacks for diabetics.

1. Source : www.snacks-fordiabetics.com
Snacks According To Treatment
Snacks can be very important in your meal plan if you have diabetes.
But how many snacks you should eat each day? What should they
compose? Read on to learn more about healthy snacks for diabetics.
What is a snack?
IT is not a meal, let alone a snack. It is a small snack between meals taken.
It is not to eat but to split the daily ration. Take a snack or not is closely
related to the treatment. A good snack should be of high nutritional
density and controlled energy density. That is the ideal snack should be:
- Low in fat and calories
- High in fiber, vitamins, and minerals
- Easy to carry and consume

2. And above all it must have a glycémiante load and carbohydrate
appropriate to the situation and treatment. In order to manage, snacks
must be known food sources of carbohydrates and the amount of
carbohydrates in a snack to know its effect on blood sugar. It should also
publicize the work of the antidiabetic drug or insulin.
Treatment with oral antidiabetic agents
*To who advise a snack?
For years, we have been accustomed to the food splitting principle. We
must, however, face the facts with new treatments for diabetes; snacks
are not always essential for everyone.
In an obese individual, risk of hypoglycemia is low, a snack is not
necessary.
If a diabetic person has the habit of consuming a snack, we must move
towards a little snack or not hyperglycemic and low in calories.
I- Insulin-secreting:
1. Sulfonylureas: they stimulate the pancreas to secrete more insulin.
They took 20 to 30 minutes before meals. They induce hypoglycemia
because the duration of action goes beyond the meal.
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals + 3 snacks moderately hyperglycemic
and low in calories.
2. lines: they stimulate the pancreas to secrete more insulin. They taken
at mealtime and action lasts only meal times and its digestion. II there is a
risk of hypoglycemia if there is taking medication and no food, or if the
meal contains no carbohydrates.
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals and not snack or slightly
hyperglycemic and low calorie snack.

3. II- Insulin-sensitizing:
1. Biguanides: they increase tissue sensitivity to the action of insulin so
that it is more efficient; they decrease hepatic glucose production.It is
taken during or after meals.
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals and not snack or hyperglycemic little
snack and low in calories
2. Glitazones: they help the body better use the insulin it produces, they
reduce hepatic glucose production by improving its capture device.
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals and not snack or hyperglycemic little
snack and low in calories
III- Other:
Acarbose prevents the action of certain enzymes in the intestine and
decreases the amount of sugar absorbed by the body. There is little risk of
hypoglycemia.
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals and not snack or slightly
hyperglycemic and low calorie snack.
Treatment with insulin
*To who advise a snack?
Currently are emerging on the market insulins short duration; so we will
tend to no longer offer snacks at all or have to choose low-carbohydrate
and low-hyperglycemic. To find out how many and what kind of snacks
snack should be taken, you must:
 To consider glucose
 To consider physical activity.

4.  Must be known food sources of carbohydrates and the effect of
food on blood sugar.
I- Two injections of insulin mixed (morning and evening) & By separate
injections of insulin and intermediate: Actrapid and Insulatard, Humulin
Regular, NPH Humulin ...
Recommended Demeanor: 3 meals and three snacks moderately
hyperglycemic.
II- Treatment 2 insulin injections similar biphasic morning and evening.
Recommended attitude: do not take snack.
III- Treatment basal prandial based on one slow injection of insulin and
three insulin injections.
Recommended attitude: do not take snack. However, there may be a
superposition of the actions of insulin. In this case, a moderately
hyperglycemic snack can be helpful to avoid hypoglycemia (after
controlling -150mg / dl).
IV- Basal-prandial treatment: 1 analog insulin injection Sustained Action
used as basal insulin in combination with short or ultra-rapid acting insulin
at mealtimes (Lantus or Levemir with Humalog or NovoRapid)
Recommended attitude: do not take snack.
Notice of the dietitian
The snack food taken in a day of people with diabetes depends on the
treatment. Changing dietary advice in the area is influenced by new
treatments developed by doctors.

5. According to physical activity, according to the glycemic snack intake may
be required. According to the desires, consumer habits and even if the
treatment does not request, choosing a snack then turned to a little
hyperglycaemic snack. The goal is to aim for a more stable blood sugar
levels possible and taking into account the daily events: exercise,
hypoglycemia, modification treatment ...