Last Updated on by San San

Can diabetics eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are an absolute treat that everybody seems to enjoy, especially for breakfast or a quick afternoon snack. A diabetes diagnosis can start to make you question whether diabetics can eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, though, and it’s important to know if it will be good for you or not.

People living with diabetes are advised to lower their carb, sugar, fat, and calorie intake and increase their protein and fibre intake. Diabetics are advised to balance out carbs with meals heavy with fibre and protein. If the diabetic doesn’t follow through with this diet, carbohydrates don’t burn out fast and get into the bloodstream in high amounts causing an insulin and blood sugar spike.

The traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich are filled with calories and carbohydrates, dangerous for a diabetic. It is also filled with sugar which isn’t healthy for a diabetic at all. Being a diabetic, sugar or glucose is not an ingredient that is welcome to the diet because it is a threat to their overall health. Diabetics shouldn’t eat this snack regularly; once a week is enough, even in a smaller portion than most people who have no diabetes consume. Diabetics should strive to have an all-inclusive diet that includes fruit and fresh veggies. However, there are healthier choices of peanut butter and jelly sandwich that are safer for a diabetic, and they’re usually recipes that can work better done at home by yourself.

Is A Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Healthy for Diabetics?

Peanut butter has a low glycemic index score of 14. Diabetics are advised to steer clear of foods with high glycemic indexes because they cause blood sugar spikes and even pancreas malfunction. These foods are the cause of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Peanut is a safe food for diabetics to consume; in fact, they are advised on taking it. It has been proved to protect the body against diabetes and prevent diabetes. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich consist of proteins, vitamins, and a fit amount of carbohydrates. This snack provides healthy carbohydrates, balanced with fibre and protein which tends to have a positive impact on blood sugar.

Fibre is good for diabetics because it tends to take long during digestion and does not add any calories to the bloodstream. Fibre is known to reduce cholesterol, reduce sugar bloodstream intake and support certain bacteria.

So back to the question, can diabetics eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Yes! This snack seems harmless to take once in a while. One peanut butter and jelly sandwich contains 12.6g of sugar. However, eating this snack regularly will increase your risk of gaining weight!

When it comes to jelly, there are many kinds of sugar-free jelly for diabetics on the market. Normal jelly has a lot of calories (sugar) therefore as a diabetic you should steer clear. People with type 1 diabetes can use jelly beans to restore their blood sugars when low.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a healthy snack for diabetics to consume. Other than the benefits above, it also has folic acid and niacin which are helpful in the conversion of food into energy. The carb, protein, and fibre content in this snack makes it good for diabetes because energy is released slowly and maintained throughout the day.

The traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich are not good for diabetes. When you use whole wheat bread, and 2 spoonfuls of jelly the sandwich contains 540 calories. That’s a lot!

Healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe

healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe

As a diabetic, you cant be eating around 540 calories in one sandwich. Remember you have to account for your carb intake throughout the day! Therefore, here is a healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe that produces the snack that a diabetic should eat.

Traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich ingredients:

  • 2 slices of white bread that consist of 24 carbs and 120 calories
  • 2 spoonfuls of peanut butter that consist of about 9 carbs and 190 calories.
  • 2 spoonfuls of jelly that consists of 120 calories and 26 carbs.

That totals up to 59 carbs and 430 calories. Yikes!

Now here’s is healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich with reduced carbs and calories;

  • Whole wheat sugarless bread, approximately 100 calories, and 18 carbs.
  • 2 spoonfuls of powdered peanut butter approximately 5 carbs, 45 calories
  • 2 spoonfuls of sugarless jelly 10 carbs and 20 calories.

That amounts to 33 carbs, 165 calories. Diabetics can comfortably enjoy this healthy snack without worrying about their blood sugar. The whole wheat bread introduces fibre into the mix, making it a great snack for diabetes.

You can take your sandwich with sugar-free juice, greek yoghurt, or oats. You should consider adding fruits.

How does peanut butter affect diabetics?

Peanut butter has a low glycemic index however, as a diabetic you are advised to take it in moderation. This is because it has calories. When making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ensure that you use saltless, sugar-free, and fat-free peanut butter.

So how does peanut butter affect diabetics?

Peanut butter gives a sense of satisfaction for longer periods. However, if eaten in excess it can make you gain weight very fast!

The best peanut butter for a diabetic can be made at home with just peanuts it is hard to find a peanut butter that consists of only peanuts in the market. You can make homemade peanut butter by grinding the peanuts into a fine paste. When getting your peanut butter from the local supermarket, choose the one with the least ingredients.

There is unhealthy peanut butter that contains sugar, and hydrogenated vegetable oils which add calories to it. The added sugar and oils are also likely to cause weight gain and increase your chances of getting heart disease.

There is a better option for diabetics called powdered peanut butter. Natural oils are extracted from this peanut butter in a process known as defatting. The remaining substance is ground into a powder. You can water it down to make it into a paste then apply it to your bread. Powdered peanut butter contains fewer carbs, fats, and calories.

When it comes to the question, can diabetics eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Here are the key takeaways:

  • Use sugar-free jelly
  • Use whole-wheat sugarless bread instead of white bread
  • Go for powdered peanut butter
  • Don’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches often

There you have it! You can grab a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich but remember to watch your carb and calorie count. Try the diabetic peanut butter and jelly recipe when you can, it’s the best way to improve your health without having to give up what you like to snack on. Enjoy!

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