DIABETIC SMOOTHIES

If you’re diabetic, you need to get your doctor’s permission before drinking smoothies, because even though they’re full of nutrients, some of them are still high in sugar. You’re probably a fair hand at picking out the low-glycemic fruits and veggies, but you still need to be careful. Avoid fruits if you can, or at least use only low-glycemic ones, and stick to mostly fiber-rich smoothies rather than juices to avoid insulin spikes.

Now that you understand what to keep away from, let’s talk about how beneficial smoothies can be for a diabetic. Especially if you’re adding savory smoothies to your diet instead of fruity ones, you’re truly doing great things for yourself. Because you’re going to drink the smoothie slowly instead of eating it, you’re going to reap the benefits of longer, more sustained energy without worrying about insulin spikes.

About 85 percent of diabetics are overweight, and if you’re one of them, smoothies may just help you get back on track. Especially if you’re a diet-controlled diabetic, you can really benefit from adding a smoothie or two into your daily diet. Get in the habit of having one for breakfast, then another at some other point during the day. They’re great as afternoon snacks to tide you over until dinner. Because they help you feel full and provide a ton of nutrients, you’ll most likely find yourself losing weight.

Since weight loss is an essential step on your road back to wellness, smoothies can be a valuable addition to your diet. Read on to find some diabetic-friendly smoothie recipes to get you started.

Taste of Italy

A bit reminiscent of spaghetti sauce, this tastes great and has amazing benefits for your health as well. You’re gonna love it!

• 2 tomatoes • 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed • 4 basil leaves

• 2 cloves garlic • 2 green onions • 3 oregano leaves

Blend all ingredients together. If you’d like, add some black or cayenne pepper to really snazz it up!

Yield: About 2 cups.

Super Popeye

This smoothie is packed with antioxidants, detoxifiers, and low-glycemic foods that help reverse insulin resistance. Plus the fiber will slow sugar absorption down even further. It tastes green and delicious, but if this flavor is too “green” for you, just add another cucumber or substitute a banana for the artichoke.

• 2 cups spinach • 1 cup broccoli florets • 1 artichoke heart

• 1 carrot • 1 cucumber, quartered

Blend the spinach and broccoli first, then the artichoke, carrot, and cucumber. This is a richly flavored juice and absolutely incredible from a health and diabetic point of view.

Yield: About 3 cups.

Skinny Margarita Smoothie

For those margarita nights with the girls, don’t feel left out! You’ll find this is a pretty good substitution. If you prefer, feel free to juice it instead of blending.

• 4 celery stalks • 2 apples, cored and quartered

• 2 limes, peeled • 1 cup water

Pulse the celery first, and then blend in the apples and the limes. Stir gently and enjoy!

Yield: About 3 cups.

Citrus Serum

This high-fiber, citrus smoothie allows you to get all that juicy, morning flavor you may ordinarily be missing since juice alone may be off the table due to its sugar content. This is low glycemic and packed with healing vitamins.

• 1 orange, peeled • 1 lemon, peeled

• 1 grapefruit, peeled

Blend all three fruits, and stir. Enjoy.

Yield: About 2 cups.

Slender Sauce

A combination of a low glycemic load, high fiber, and a large quantity of antioxidants and blood sugar stabilizers make this the near-perfect diabetic smoothie. Better still, it’s low calorie. It even tastes like a decadent Bloody Mary. The citrus helps prevent oxidation, so feel free to take this one with you for lunch.

• 2 stalks celery • 1 tomato • 1 teaspoon horseradish

• 1 lemon wedge, peeled • 1/4 lime, peeled • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pulse the celery, tomato, and horseradish. Next, add the lemon, lime, and pepper. Enjoy.

Yield: About 2 cups.

Diabetic Energy Smoothie

The phytonutrients and antioxidants in this smoothie will send your energy levels through the roof without danger of an insulin spike. This one’s citrusy and just a bit earthy.

• 1/2 sweet potato • 1 handful wheatgrass • 1/2 lemon, peeled

• 1/2 cup cranberries • 1/2 inch slice ginger • 1/2 cup water

Cut the sweet potato into 1-inch pieces.

Blend all ingredients together. The lemon protects it from oxidation, so prepare it in the morning, and bring it along to work.

Yield: About 3 cups.

Slow Burn

This yummy twist on traditional, vegetable juice flavor is delicious, and the capsaicin in the pepper gives some extra love to those trying to reverse insulin resistance.

• 1 celery stalk • 1 tomato • 1 lemon, peeled

• 2 carrots • 1/2 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed

Blend all of your ingredients together. If you can tolerate it, feel free to add more than 1/2 the pepper, as it’s one of the main healthpromoting ingredients.

Yield: About 2 cups.

The Dish on Celery

The Good: In addition to all of the great antioxidants and nutrients in celery, it’s a great diet food, because it’s what’s known as a “negative-calorie food.” This means when you eat (or drink) celery, your body actually uses more calories digesting it than the celery contains. In other words, you lose weight eating it! Pretty cool, huh?

The Bad: There really isn’t a downside to celery. It’s a great ingredient to lighten up your juice, and the flavor isn’t unpleasant.

Spicy Lemonade

A zesty spin on lemonade, including a surprise kick of jalapeño. The capsaicin in the jalapeño has actually been shown to cure diabetes in mice.

• 3 lemons, peeled • 1/2 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed

• 1 cucumber, quartered • 2 cup water

Blend all ingredients together. As with many of the others, you can take this one to work with you because the citric acid slows down the oxidation.

Yield: About 3 cups.

Slow Down the Sugar Juice

Deliciously green and filling, the apple and cucumber lend a light sweetness that makes this smoothie satisfying. The chlorophyll and flavonoids, along with other nutrients, make this a tasty, low-glycemic meal replacement or snack.

• 1 apple, cored and quartered • 1/2 cucumber, quartered • 1/4 lemon, peeled

• 2 kale leaves • 1 cup spinach • 1 stalk celery • 1/4 bulb fennel

Blend all ingredients together.

Yield: About 3 cups.

Gingered Pear

This is a really nice drink that’s cool and refreshing. If you’d like to add some cayenne or jalapeño pepper to give it some spice, feel free.

• 1/2 inch slice ginger • 1 pear, cored and quartered

• 1 apple, cored and quartered • 1 cucumber, quartered • 1 stick cinnamon (optional)

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!

Yield: About 2 cups.

The Dish on Cinnamon

The Good: Cinnamon is an amazing spice that helps fight wrinkles, promotes clotting, contributes to regulating blood sugar levels, and boosts cognitive function and memory. It’s also an antibacterial and tastes delicious!

The Bad: Cinnamon has a very distinct flavor that may taste good to you only with very specific foods or other spices.