We all know that convenience foods aren’t the best route to go especially if you’re on a low carb diet. Some of us just don’t have the luxury of being able to cook all the time, which makes it difficult to stay on-track with any diet.
Below is our top 10, quick & easy ready to eat snacks found at most convenient stores – no preparation required!
1. Almonds
There are approximately 7 grams of carbs per quarter cup of raw almonds.
“Research has shown that almonds may reduce the rise in glucose (blood sugar) and insulin levels after meals,” says Peggy O’Shea Kochenbach, MBA, RDN, LDN, a dietitian and consultant in Boston.
2. Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds
Another great choice are seeds which contains 2 to 3 grams of carbohydrate per ounce. Dry roasted sunflower seeds (without salt) have about 1.9g of carbs per serving. Make sure you read the labels since some flavored brand of sunflower seeds contains sugars and unhealthy trans fats.
3. Packets or Cans of Tuna
Tuna is a great source of protein, contains zero carbohydrates, and is also a source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Sugar-Free Gelatin
Yearning for something sweet and fruity? Sugar-free gelatin will satisfy your craving for almost no calories and zero carbs.
5. Pistachios
Eating a handful of pistachios makes a great tasty snack and is also healthy because it lowers the blood sugar level by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates in the body. Read more about the health benefits of pistachios.
6. Carrot sticks
Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene. Carrots makes a great snacks for diabetics as their carotenoid and vitamin A content helps protect your eyes from diabetic retinopathy or damage to the blood vessels in the eye from long-term diabetes.
7. Peanut butter
Eating peanut butter may be effective for preventing obesity, losing weight, and even lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes according to multiple studies. Read more about the health benefits of peanut butter.
8. Cottage Cheese
The American Diabetes Association lists cottage cheese as one of the best cheese choices you can make. Two ounces of low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese provides 7 grams of protein, about 2 grams or less of carbohydrates and about 1 gram or less of fat.
9. Part-Skim String Cheese
Great for on-the-go snacking. One stick of part-skim string cheese is packed with protein and calcium. The best part is there’s minimal carbohydrate so this snack hardly impacts your blood sugar.
10. Yogurt with Flaxseed or Nuts
Yogurt is an excellent source of lean protein, which plays an important role in weight loss and managing blood sugar for type 2 diabetes. We recommend artificially sweetened yogurt for diabetics rather than regular sweetened yogurt to keep carb intake to a minimum.