Best Bedtime Snacks for People with Diabetes

Holly Smidt, RD, LDN, is a Clinical Dietitian at The Center for Endocrinology at Mercy. She evaluates the nutritional needs of her patients and helps them make healthy and manageable lifestyle changes to obtain their optimal health and wellness. She recently responded to request for information about the “best bedtime snacks for people with diabetes”.

Diabetics need to be careful with choosing nighttime snacks to avoid overnight hyperglycemia. Snack items should always be balanced, meaning they include a carbohydrate and protein. Night time snacks with a high sugar content can cause hyperglycemia leading to frequent urination and thirst overnight continuing through the morning. Consuming simple carbohydrates before bed can also lead to overnight hyperglycemia.

As carbohydrates are processed, they break down into sugar which then enters into the bloodstream. Occasionally, simple carbohydrates can cause low blood sugar. This occurs when the body processes carbohydrates at a rapid pace, causing a drop in sugar levels. This is called reactive hypoglycemia. Protein is processed much slower which helps maintain blood sugar levels. For best results overnight, protein should be paired with a carbohydrate source to keep sugar levels within an appropriate range.

As a general rule of thumb, diabetic snacks should be no more than 10-15 grams of carbohydrates. Balanced snacks include; peanut butter crackers, milk and graham crackers, low sugar yogurt, ½ turkey sandwich, or cottage cheese and ½ cup of fresh fruit.

5- 8 Crackers, 2-4 graham cracker squares, 1- 5oz container of low sugar yogurt, 1 slice of bread and a ½ cup of fresh fruit all fall within the recommended carbohydrate range for snacks. Two tablespoons peanut butter, 8 ounces milk, one 5-ounce container of low sugar yogurt, turkey, and cottage cheese all provide protein for overnight blood sugar maintenance.

-- Holly Smidt, RD, LDN

Holly develops nutritional care plans for patients suffering from a variety of chronic diseases, including lipid and gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension and diabetes. She also works with patients who are participants in or have completed weight loss management programs. She counsels, offers nutrition education and evaluates patients with autism and other intellectual developmental disabilities. Holly completed her Dietetic Internship with Priority Nutrition Care in Baltimore, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Food, Dietetics, at the University of Maryland, College Park.