Tasty snack before bed could help keep your blood sugar levels in check

25 February 2024 , 14:28

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One tasty snack could keep your blood sugar levels down before bed (stock photo) (Image: Getty)

If you feel the urge to snack before bed, make sure you're eating the right foods.

Keeping your blood sugar levels stable is a key part of staying healthy. High blood sugar mainly impacts people with diabetes, and it can also be a risk factor that leads to people developing the condition as part of a condition known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, or pre-diabetes. People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but the risk can be reduced with lifestyle changes.

Fortunately, a pharmacist has revealed there is one way you can help keep your blood sugar levels in check, and it's all to do with the foods you eat before you go to bed.

Many of us like a quick nighttime snack, but Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist from Chemist Click, explained we should turn to things like nuts and berries instead of sugary snacks, and there are some drinks we should avoid too.

Speaking to The Express, he said: "If you want to snack before bed, you should stick to healthy foods and stay clear of any foods that could cause a spike in your blood sugar levels. You could snack on nuts, berries, carrot sticks or whole wheat crackers and you should avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and sugary drinks too."

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All of these snacks have one key thing in common - they are all good sources of dietary fibre. Fibre is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested, so it helps in slowing the rise in your blood sugar following a meal. According to the NHS, eating plenty of fibre is associated with "a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer".

It's recommended that you eat around 30g of fibre every day as part of a healthy, balanced diet, and most adults only eat around 20g a day - so we could all benefit from upping our fibre intake. The NHS website also has information on how to increase the fibre in your diet, including suggesting you eat more wholemeal bread and wholewheat pasta, and add pulses like beans and chickpeas to your meals where possible.

Getting your five a day is also important when it comes to fibre intake, and you can also get more fibre into your diet by eating potatoes with their skins on, such as jacket potatoes or boiled new potatoes.

If you're struggling with your blood sugar levels or with diabetes, Diabetes UK can help. You can talk to them on the phone at 0345 123 2399, or visit their website.

Zahna Eklund