Diabetics have to avoid a lot of things to maintain their health. Therefore, they need to find beverages and additives that will keep their blood sugar balanced. Some good examples are decaf coffee and date seed coffee, a great natural energizer and alternative to coffee.
But once they find these coffee alternatives, what do they use as creamers? Before we answer that question, let’s find out why Diabetics should be careful when choosing creamers.
Importance of Choosing the Right Creamer for Diabetics
Creamer, just like sweeteners, is one of the coffee additives that diabetics have to be careful about. Most of the creamers in the market contain too much sugar, and the low-sugar ones taste horrible.
Good creamer is essential for any beverage, be it tea or coffee. Therefore, many diabetics are looking for a creamer to enhance their cup of joe without endangering their health.
Dieticians recommend no sugar creamer for Diabetics with less than a gram of carbs. They work for Diabetics and anyone on a diet, such as Vegans, Vegetarians, and lactose-intolerant individuals.
It’s important to give diabetics a creamer they can enjoy. Having to cut out sugar and lots of carbs from their diet makes things bland for them.
Therefore, any Diabetics-friendly creamer you choose must be flavorful, nutritional, thick, and froth-friendly, especially if you love to brew Lattes.
Some of the ingredients to look out for in diabetic-friendly creamer are MCT oil, oat milk, and coconut oil.
MCT contains lots of healthy fats and is known to enhance the taste and texture of coffee by making it creamy
Oat creamer made using oats is an excellent substitute for half and half in coffee. It gives it a pleasant consistency and texture cutting out the need for sweeteners. Coconut oil enhances blood sugar sensitivity helping Diabetics to balance their sugar.
These ingredients cater to the taste buds and health needs of a diabetic. They are the most important considerations for most Diabetics when it comes to choosing creamers.
However, there are many diabetic -friendly creamers in the market that meet these criteria. How do you choose the right ones? Here are some factors to consider.
Things to Consider When Choosing Creamers for Diabetics
Now that you know the importance of finding a Diabetic -friendly creamers, you should know how to pick the right one. There are many creamers for Diabetics on the market, but most of them do not taste good or give coffee an appealing texture. Therefore start by finding a good tasting creamer that will give your coffee a pleasant texture.
You’ll also find some creamers for diabetics contain too much sugar, which can endanger the health of a diabetic. It’s essential that you pick a creamer with very little or no sugar for your coffee.
There are two types of creamers in the market. These are liquid and powder coffee creamers for Diabetics.
The powder creamers have a much lighter texture than liquid ones, which means they enhance the texture of coffee less than liquid ones.
You may find yourself adding more powder creamer to your coffee to give it a pleasant consistency and taste. It also takes longer for powdered creamer to dissolve in coffee, especially when added to cold brew coffee. That may lead to excessive consumption of calories that most diabetics try to avoid.
Liquid creamer mixes into coffee more easily, no matter what temperature of water you use to brew your coffee. Therefore, always go for a diabetic liquid creamer whenever possible.
The shelf life of coffee creamer also matters. If you keep your creamer on the shelves most of the time, buy powdered creamer which has a longer shelf life than liquid creamer.However, liquid creamer will do if you prefer to store your creamer in the fridge.
If you travel a lot, choose creamer that comes in portable packages. Having a diabetic creamer at hand will save you from using the creamer at the office or in a restaurant when away from home. Single-use coffee creamer cups are an excellent option, especially if they are recyclable.
Remember to check the information on a pack of coffee creamer before buying it. Look out for details such as the calorie count per serving. The higher the calories in your creamer, the higher your blood sugar levels will get. Always go for creamers with no more than 15 calories per serving to preserve your health.
You should also avoid coffee creamers that contain saturated fats and trans fats. These fats can increase your risk of suffering from heart ailments even if they do not trigger diabetic attacks. The best creamers for Diabetics are those with 2 grams of saturated fats or less and no trans fats.
It goes without saying that you must avoid creamers with a high carb content. The best options are those with zero carbs. They will enable you to manage your blood sugar without struggling.
Certifications such as Kosher certifications, Gluten-free certifications are important too. Diabetic creamers that receive these certifications are usually of better quality than those that don’t. They assure consumers of the authenticity of a product.
People who suffer from allergies such as lactose intolerance, Gluten allergies require such certifications when choosing a creamer. Look out for these kinds of brands to ensure you are using a quality product.
Once you keep these factors in mind it will be easy to pick a creamer from the many available in grocery stores. Here are 5 options.
5 Types of Coffee Creamers for Diabetics You Should Try
Now that you know the ingredients to look out for in a coffee creamer for diabetics, here are four options you can try.
1. Dairy-Free Creamer
Dairy-free creamer is a popular choice for diabetics. That’s because dairy products contain a lot of sugar, making them unsuitable for people with blood sugar issues.
Many dairy-free creamers preferred by diabetics are flavored sugar-free creamers. They are commonly made using nut milk such as Almond milk and coconut milk. A good example is Laird Superfood Unsweetened Coffee Creamer
2. Diet-Friendly Creamer
Diet-friendly creamers are usually plant-based creamers that contain no carbs and no sugar. They are ideal for diabetics who follow diets such as the Ketogenic diet, Paleo diet, or Vegan diet.
Most of these creamers are made using pods of coconuts or almonds. Therefore, they may not be suitable for people allergic to nuts. Some examples of diet-friendly creamers for Diabetics are Splenda creamer cups, Catching Ketones creamer Keto coffee, and Nutpods almond and coconut creamer.
3. Flavored Sugar-Free Creamer
Part of what makes diabetics struggle with the creamers in the market is their lack of flavor. The good news is that there are good quality unsweetened creamers with flavors such as Vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut in grocery stores.
These creamers don’t have a funny aftertaste, nor do they overpower the natural taste of coffee. You can even add them to other foods such as smoothies or breakfast oatmeal.
A good example is Nestle’s Coffee-Mate coffee creamer, available in flavors such as French Vanilla, chocolate, and Hazelnut among others.
4. Organic Creamer for Diabetics
Some creamers are free of chemicals and additives such as GMOs and BPAs. These creamers, also referred to as organic creamers, do not contain allergens such as gluten. Many of them are made using milk alternatives such as coconut milk and almond milk.
Organic creamers give coffee a subtle yet pleasant milk flavor with a little bit of a creamy texture. A good example is Califia Farms Unsweetened coffee creamer. It is affordable, low in calories, and is made using healthy plant-based ingredients.
Conclusion
Those are examples of coffee creamers for Diabetics that you can try. Most dieticians insist creamer is not bad for diabetics when taken in moderation. Therefore, feel free to experiment and find the best option for you.
Ensure you read the labels on any creamer before consuming any creamer to avoid taking those high in sugar and carbs.
Many of the creamers for Diabetics online or in stores come in portable sizes. Therefore they are convenient for diabetics who spend a lot of time on the go. You will enjoy adding them to your coffee whether you are at home, work, or in a restaurant.
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