Avoid Drinking This If You Have Diabetes

Learning to manage your diabetes is a crucial step in reducing your risk of developing other health complications, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One way to do that is to count the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Your body needs carbs for energy, and it turns any kind of carb you eat into glucose (via Healthline), so it is important to understand how they affect your body.

Some carbs are better than others, and sources of carbs include fiber, starches, and sugar. Fiber is the only type of carbohydrate that does not raise your blood sugar levels. Starches and sugar do, however, and they are often present in highly processed foods. These foods are not good for your body because they raise your blood sugar levels quickly while offering little nutritional value, according to Medical News Today. Most junk foods and packaged snacks fall under this category.

It's easy to focus on the foods you're eating when it comes to watching your diet, but you also need to pay attention to the drinks you're consuming. If you have diabetes, sugary drinks are the worst type of beverage for you to put in your body, according to Healthline. Examples include sodas, energy drinks, fruit juices, sweetened tea, and flavored coconut water, per Health. These kinds of drinks contain high amounts of carbs — sometimes as much as 38 grams.

Drinks that you can safely consume include water, milk, and sugar-free tea and coffee, according to Diabetes UK. But you don't have to stick with just those options. Try adding cucumber or lemon slices to water to jazz it up. Look for sugar-free carbonated water and different kinds of flavored or herbal teas. Always check the label of any drink to be certain that there are no other hidden sources of sugar hiding behind another name. These include dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, glucose, lactose, and sucrose (via Eating Well).