Juicing for Diabetics: Guide + Recipes

Some people define diabetes as a chronic disease. 

However, you shouldn’t feel as if you are helpless if your doctor diagnoses you with diabetes. Granted, you’ll be scared or even shocked when given such news, but the thing is you are not alone. 

Many people have been living with diabetes. And guess what? They don’t necessarily deny themselves of all their favorite foods. Once you learn how to make healthy food choices, you’ll be able to manage your condition easily. 

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to get the nutrition you need. The trick is, you have to watch out for and avoid anything that will spike your blood sugar. In technical terms, the produce has to have a low glycemic index.

Juices and smoothies are perfect for boosting your fruit and vegetable intake. They are more than just some passing health and wellness trends. 

What are the benefits of smoothies and juicing for diabetics?

• Smoothies help preserve fiber, which helps in lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
• Since they have fruit skins and pith, they contain a lot of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. 
• Smoothies are also great for weight loss because they make you feel fuller and can even help control your cravings. 
• The juices give you full control over your body’s nutrient and calorie intake. People with diabetes can easily balance their sugar levels thanks to this. 

Remember, you can’t go wrong as long as you lower your calorie intake and take produce that is rich in nutrients. 

Let’s look at some fresh juice recipes for diabetics that you can comfortably make at home.

Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

​Adding oats to your breakfast routine is a great way of stabilizing your blood sugar. They are high in dietary fiber and contain several minerals and vitamins. Oatmeal is also an excellent food choice because it is sodium-free, cholesterol-free, and fat-free. 

You will need: 

• 1 cup of oats (uncooked) 

You can grind the oats using a food processor, coffee grinder, or spice grinder. 

• 2 frozen bananas cut into small chunks
• 3 cups of skim milk
• 2 tbsp. of ground flax seed
• Sugar substitute 
• 2 tbsp. of instant coffee (optional) 

To prepare the smoothie:

1. Prepare all the ingredients and put them in a blender. 
2. Blend until it’s smooth.
3. Pour the oatmeal into a glass and enjoy your breakfast smoothie. 

Nutrition:

Fiber dense whole grains, vitamin c, potassium

Mango Mania Smoothie

 If you love mangos, this smoothie will probably be one of your favorite breakfast choices.

You will need: 

• 4 or 5 ice cubes
• ½ fresh or frozen mango
• A 4-ounce banana (fresh or frozen) 
• 1 cup of skim milk 
• 6 ounces of plain yogurt (low-fat)
• 4 ounces of silken tofu 

To prepare the smoothie:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender. 
2. Make sure you blend it until it’s smooth and then serve.

Nutrition: 

405 calories, 54g carbohydrates

Strawberry-Banana Protein Smoothie

​This smoothie is perfect for people who want a ​protein shake that they can enjoy after a workout. It’s very easy to make because it has a few ingredients. Each serving also contains about 25g of proteins. 

You will need: 

• Some water
• A tsp. of flaxseed
• 4 ounces of strawberries
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder 
• 1-ounce banana

To prepare the smoothie:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender. 
2. Blend until its fully mixed
3. Slowly add some water until you get the consistency you want.
4. Serve and add frozen berries to get a thicker consistency. You could also serve over ice to get a slush-ice kind of feel. 

Nutrition:

195 calories, 25g proteins, 4g fat, 18g carbs

Green Keto Smoothie

​This green juice for diabetes is mostly vegetable-based. All the vegetables are low-carb, and the rest of the ingredients consist of healthy, delicious fat. 

People with diabetes who have tried out the Ketogenic diet can vouch for its effectiveness. The smoothie has a creamy texture and is perfect for breakfast or post-workout. 

You will need: 

• 1 ounce of Kale leaves
• ½ peeled avocado
• 1 chopped celery stick
• 2 ounces of peeled cucumber
• 1 cup of regular milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp. of nut butter (preferably peanut butter)
• 2 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice

To prepare the smoothie:

1. Take all the ingredients and put them in a high-speed blender. 
2. Mix everything and stop to scrape down the sides (if necessary). 
3. If you want it sweeter, you can add a few drops of liquid stevia to the blend. 
4. Serve and garnish with fresh mint. If you don’t plan on taking it right away, you can refrigerate it and save it for later. 

Nutrition: 

141 calories, 9g carbs, 4g protein, 11g fat

Blueberry Almond Smoothie

The ingredients in this smoothie make it an excellent detox option. It also has a high amount of antioxidants and fiber. Last but not least, the smoothie will also help stimulate your senses and boost your digestion. 

You will need: 

• 1 cup of ice
• 2 tsp. of honey
• 2 lime juice
• 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 ½ cups of unsweetened almond milk or nut milk
• 2 tbsp. of almond flour
• 3 tbsp. of ground flax seed
• 1 tbsp. of fresh mint leaves

To prepare the smoothie: 

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until its smooth.
3. Serve the smoothie and store some for later since the recipe allows for three servings. 

Nutrition:

160 calories, 8g fat, 21g carbohydrates, 5g protein

Smoothie Tips: 

What nutrients should you prioritize? 

Ingredients rich in fiber will help in glucose control. Fats and proteins are also important. They are a longer-lasting energy source, and they also slow down the amount of glucose entering the bloodstream. Some of the readily available sources of healthy fat include seeds, nuts, and nut butter. 

What should you avoid? 

• While adapting to your diabetic condition, it’s possible that you might accidentally overload on fruit sugar. To prevent this, you need to limit your fruit to less than two servings. 
• You have to stop taking any fruit juice drinks that you haven’t prepared by yourself. That includes fruit punch as well. Focus on healthy, recommended juicing for diabetics.
• Avoid canned fruits, especially those with heavy sugar syrup. Always use fresh or frozen fruits as per the given recipe. 
• Limit your carb intake. Make sure you prepare low carb smoothies to prevent your blood sugar from spiking. 
• Do not add any sugar. Trust the recipes and the fact that they have been tried and tested by people with diabetes. They are well-balanced and delicious. 

What you need to consume?

We can all agree that fruits are healthy. 

However, some are lower in glycemic index than others. You want to consume more of these fruits because they are also rich in micronutrients. Some of the top recommended fruits for the best juice for diabetics include: 

• Cherries
• Peaches
• Pears
• Kiwi
• Berries
• Apples
• Oranges
• Guavas
• Starfruit

Wrap Up

There are tons of other diabetic juice recipes that you could try out at home. Now that you know what you need to look out for, you can stop being so hard on yourself and look forward to a world of exciting flavors.