Healthy Snacks for Diabetic Children

Understanding diabetes is the first step in planning healthy snacks for diabetic children. There are 2 types of diabetes that children can be diagnosed with – type I and type 2. With type I the child’s pancreas stops producing insulin usually due to a combination of genetic and environmental issues.

With type 2 the child has sensitivity to carbohydrates. A diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates combined with inactivity and a family history of diabetes can cause the insulin the child makes to become “sluggish” and eventually lead to high blood sugars. So type I is an absence of insulin, and type 2 is a resistance to the insulin that is there.

Both types need to monitor amounts of carbohydrates and choosing healthy carbohydrates from real whole food sources paves the way to choosing healthy snacks.

Healthy sources of carbohydrate include:

• fruits and vegetables
• low fat plain dairy products
• nuts, seeds and nut butters
• whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa
• beans/legumes
• buckwheat

How do we translate these choices to healthy snacks for those with compromised blood sugars? Sticking to foods that are in their whole form, rather than packaged foods is the first step. Following are a few ideas to get you started:

1. 2 tablespoons of natural peanut or cashew butter with cut up apple or celery
2. 2 slices of hard cheese melted on a whole wheat tortilla
3. “Healthy Nut Mix” – recipe from blog 4/1/09
4. Mixing a fresh ricotta cheese with berries, cinnamon and a little honey
5. A miniature relish plate for kids with pickles, olives, hard cheese and grapes
6. Homemade Hummus (recipe below) with carrot and celery sticks
7. Ricotta Buckwheat pancakes (see blog 7/14/09) with Apple Blueberry Compote (recipe and picture in this blog)

Use your imagination and even take your child shopping to get them involved in picking our wholesome healthy food at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Their involvement in the process of healthy eating encourages healthy consumption!

Apple Blueberry Compote

Servings: 6 ½ cup servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 medium apples, peeled and diced

(mix of Golden Ginger, Gala, Pink Lady, and Fuji)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon butter, cut in little pieces

Preparation:

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Mix apples, blueberries and spices in glass dish. Dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and then stir. Mixture will turn purple with stirring.

Per Serving

Calories 85

Protein 0 grams

Total Carbohydrates 18 grams

Total Fat 2 grams

Fiber 4 grams

Sodium 0 mg.

Low-Carb High-Protein Pancakes?

Let’s take a break from the research today and focus on eating. The recipes in my upcoming book: A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian focus on unprocessed “clean” foods that are balanced with respect to protein, healthy forms of carbohydrate and fat. In creating a breakfast recipe that fit these criteria I wanted a pancake high in protein and could be enjoyed by people with insulin resistance, diabetes and wheat and gluten in tolerances.

Although the name is deceptive, Buckwheat contains no wheat, and is from the beet family, making it technically a fruit and not a grain. Besides being high in protein and calcium, this recipe is a great way for carb lovers to feel spoiled. It is very light compared to regular pancakes and can be used as a wrap for sandwiches at other meals. Top with unsweetened applesauce and fruit.

Ricotta Buckwheat Pancakes

Serves: 20 medium sized pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 1 hour refrigeration)
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
½ cup buckwheat flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ cup 1% milk

Preparation:
Separate egg whites in a small bowl and yolks in a medium bowl. Set egg whites aside. Mix yolks and ricotta cheese until thoroughly combined. Add the flour, salt and sugar into yolk mixture. Stir the milk.

Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into yolk mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.

Heat griddle with a small amount of butter. Measure batter in approximately ¼ cup increments and pour on hot griddle. Once bubbles start appearing (about 2-3 minutes), gently flip pancake until the other side becomes golden brown (an additional 1-2 minutes). Top with fruit or applesauce.

Tip: Recipe can be halved.

Per Pancake:

Calories 66

Protein 5 grams

Total Carbohydrates 3.7 grams

Total Fat 3 grams

Fiber .5 grams

Sodium 74 mg.