National Diabetes Awareness Month – Plus Bonus Recipe

According to the CDC, 1 in 10 (37.3 million) Americans have diabetes and about 1 in 5 people with diabetes aren’t aware they have it. Additionally, 1 in 3 (96 million) American adults are prediabetic and more than 8 in 10 of those adults with prediabetes aren’t aware.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the hormone insulin, which carries glucose (sugar) from the foods you eat into your bloodstream. When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or it doesn’t use insulin well, causing your blood glucose to rise. Over time, high blood glucose, or hyperglycemia, can damage nerves, blood vessels, tissues, and organs. A healthy lifestyle that includes making nutritious food choices, maintaining a healthy body weight, controlling portion sizes, and getting regular activity can help with diabetes prevention and diabetes management.

For most Americans, snacking is a favorite pastime; 97% report snacking each day. Snacks can provide energy and nutrients, but excessive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to poor nutrition and weight gain. Making healthy, balanced snack choices is important for everyone, but especially for those with prediabetes and diabetes.

The Perfect Snack: 

• Provides energy & nutrients.
• Includes colors of the rainbow with fruits & vegetables.
• Less white, more brown colors like whole grains.
• Combine protein, healthy fats & carbohydrates to help maintain stable blood sugar.
• Eat snacks when hungry, not when you are: bored, craving “something”, tired, or thirsty.

Snack ideas:

• Cucumber “crackers” with avocado & tomato
• Celery with nut or seed butter
• Apple with almond butter
• Almonds with an orange
• Cheese sticks with whole grain crackers
• Unsweetened yogurt with berries and slivered almonds
• Carrots with hummus

Try this recipe for a snack with a great balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. 

Roasted Chickpeas

adapted from loveandlemons.com

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt
• Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
3. Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt.
4. Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
5. Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
6. Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.