October 21, 2024, 9:33 am | Read time: 10 minutes
Snacking incorrectly between main meals permanently activates the release of insulin. This is a problem for anyone who wants to lose weight – because it encourages fat storage. The solution: Cleverly chosen meal breaks and snacks that keep blood sugar levels down.
In order to lose weight successfully, a calorie deficit must be achieved first and foremost. However, fat burning can also be boosted by intelligent meal frequency and recipes that keep blood sugar levels down. FITBOOK has had a nutrition expert develop five simple recipes that anyone can make at home.
Overview
2 main meals and 1 snack
The continued popularity of intermittent fasting, a practical fasting method for daily life, is partly because limiting food intake to just a few hours a day can prime the metabolism for fat-burning. Additional benefit: Intermittent fasting does not have the dreaded yo-yo effect of classic fasting cures. The 16:8 fasting method, which extends the body’s natural overnight fasting period to 16 hours, is especially practical. Depending on personal preference, breakfast is eaten late or dinner early. What remains is a time window of 8 hours in which to eat.
Ideally, one should have two main meals and a snack with a low glycemic index. For example, if you eat your first meal of the day at lunchtime, you can treat yourself to a snack in the afternoon. The culinary phase ends with a healthy evening meal. Very important: The meals must provide an extra portion of micronutrients! This can be achieved by beginning both main meals with a salad.
Tip: If intermittent fasting doesn’t appeal to you and you prefer the classic three main meals and two snacks, keep a gap of two to three hours between the individual meals!
The ideal components of a snack
When you crave a nutrient-rich snack between meals, consider choosing one with a low glycemic index. This will prevent fat storage from being activated. To intensify the “glyx effect,” you should favor snacks that are low in sugar and high in fiber and protein, thus keeping blood sugar levels down.
A snack with a recipe rich in fiber and protein has another advantage: it provides lasting satiety. A high degree of satiety, in turn, increases the chance that you will lose weight permanently. Moreover, essential amino acids ensure that your muscles – in combination with strength training – are maintained while you lose weight. The key point is that a higher muscle mass increases the basal metabolic rate, leading to more energy being expended, even at rest.
Eating sweets and keeping blood sugar levels down – is that possible?
Due to their high glycemic index, high-sugar snacks are counterproductive when trying to melt away excess pounds. Sugar substitutes such as the alternative sweetener erythritol are suitable for alternative sweetening. This sugar alcohol occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment1 deems erythritol as safe for health. The decisive advantage is that erythritol is calorie-free, has a similar taste to sugar, is non-cariogenic, and metabolizes independently of insulin.
Erythritol is now also approved for organic products if it comes from organic raw materials. Despite its nutritional benefits, erythritol should be used sparingly as larger quantities have a laxative effect. In addition, the sense of taste – as with conventional sugar – is polarized to “sweet.” Therefore, the motto à la “Glyx” is: use erythritol sparingly and also use the natural sweetening power of fiber-rich fruit. This is also important to keep blood sugar levels down.
5 snacks that don’t spike blood sugar levels
FITBOOK presents five healthy snacks made from seasonal ingredients with an extra portion of fiber and protein that also keep blood sugar levels down. Depending on your preference, you can choose your favorites from the three sweet and two savory recipe inspirations.
Strawberry frozen yogurt
Unlike conventional ice cream, this refreshing frozen yogurt for hot summer days contains significantly less sugar and fat. Instead, the unsweetened vanilla yogurt contains essential amino acids for your muscles. Thanks to the figure-friendly recipe, you can treat yourself to two portions with a clear conscience.
The antioxidant vitamin C found in strawberries, which are low in sugar, aids the body’s collagen production, promoting firm connective tissue during weight loss. The potassium present in fiber-rich summer fruits can have a diuretic effect, particularly when combined with aspartic acid. Although this does not break down fat, the tissue water drained from the body defines the silhouette. Additionally, the sweet scent of genuine Bourbon vanilla may help diminish the desire for sugary treats.
Ingredients for 8 portions:
- 200 g strawberries
- 500 g low-fat yogurt
- Pulp of 1 vanilla pod
- 4 level tablespoons of erythritol
Preparation
First, rinse the strawberries, remove the green parts, and puree. Add vanilla pulp and erythritol to the yogurt. Mix 200 grams of this with a quarter of the strawberry puree. Now, fill the strawberry yogurt, fruit puree, and vanilla yogurt alternately into ice cream molds and place them in the freezer. Insert the wooden sticks into the frozen ice cream after about two hours. Leave to freeze for at least five hours before enjoying.
Vegan version
For a purely plant-based recipe, the yogurt can be replaced with a soy-based substitute, for example.
Calories per portion
One portion of strawberry frozen yogurt contains approx. 52 kilocalories, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fat.
Crispy sandwich with radish dip
If it is served in the high-fiber wholemeal version and crispy thin as crispbread, there is nothing to be said against bread when losing weight. It comes with a low-fat, high-protein dip, which also increases the fiber content thanks to radishes and rocket. The bitter substances in radishes and rocket also activate the digestive function, facilitate fat digestion, and can reduce cravings for sweets.
Ingredients for 1 portion:
- 5 small radishes
- 80 g low-fat quark
- Handful of rocket
- 1 tsp walnut oil
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 msp. chili flakes
- 3 thin rye crispbreads
Preparation
Wash the radishes, remove the greens, dice into bite-sized pieces, and mix with the protein-rich, low-fat quark. Rinse the rocket, cut it into small pieces, and add. Then, flavor the radish dip with the walnut oil and season with salt and chili flakes. Serve the radish dip with the high-fiber rye crisp.
Vegan version
For a vegan recipe, the low-fat quark can be replaced with a plant-based equivalent, such as a vegan soy-based quark.
Calories per portion
One portion of crispy strudel with radish dip contains approx. 170 kilocalories, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fat.
Skyr blueberry strudel
Skyr, an Icelandic alternative to quark, boasts a creamy texture and an impressive ten grams of protein per 100 grams. When mixed with fiber-rich blueberries, this snack is intensely filling and can still keep blood sugar levels down.
The vitamin C in the berries boosts collagen synthesis and supports connective tissue. Maintaining tight connective tissue is crucial during weight loss, especially from a higher starting weight, to ensure that stretched skin can regain firmness (alongside muscle training, which is also vital). The nutrient spectrum is rounded off with cell-protecting anthocyanins (secondary plant substances), which give the popular summer fruit an intense blue color.
Ingredients for 1 portion:
- 100 g blueberries
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 150 g skyr
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 msp. vanilla pulp
- 1 to 2 tsp erythritol
- 1 tbsp mint leaves
Preparation
Rinse and puree the blueberries and add the cinnamon. Mix the skyr with water until smooth, then add the vanilla pulp and erythritol. Layer the protein-rich vanilla cream alternately with the blueberries in a glass and garnish with the mint.
Vegan version
For a purely plant-based recipe, the skyr can also be replaced with a vegan equivalent – especially soy-based quark.
Calories per portion
One portion of skyr blueberry strudel contains approx. 130 kilocalories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 16 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fat.
Golden milk “on the rocks”
The low-fat milk provides valuable protein, which, in combination with the high water content, is filling. For an extra portion of protein, you can also enrich the golden milk with some protein powder. Curcumin, the active compound in the superfood turmeric, exhibits antioxidant properties. This ingredient, responsible for the drink’s signature golden hue, can also stimulate digestive functions when combined with ginger. The highlight: when turmeric and pepper are combined, the bioavailability of curcumin is significantly increased.
Additionally, the secondary plant compounds in the cinnamon found in golden milk may help reduce blood sugar levels and aid in fat loss. Regular consumption of cinnamon also has a positive effect on blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity in diabetes.
Ingredients for 1 portion:
- 1⁄4 vanilla pod
- 250 ml low-fat milk
- 1 thin slice of ginger
- 1⁄2 tsp turmeric
- 1 msp. cinnamon
- 1 msp cardamom
- 1 pinch of pepper
- 1 to 2 tsp erythritol
- a few ice cubes
Preparation
Scrape out the vanilla seeds and bring to a boil in a small pan together with the vanilla pod and the low-fat milk, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and flavor with a slice of ginger. Add the spices and leave to infuse for approx. 30 minutes. Pour the golden milk through a fine sieve into a tall mug.
Chill the golden milk in the fridge for at least 2 hours and add erythritol to taste. Then froth up with a blender or a milk frother (without heating function!) and serve “on the rocks.”
Vegan version
For a purely plant-based recipe, the low-fat milk can be replaced with an unsweetened plant-based drink – for example, protein-rich soy milk.
Calories per portion
One portion of golden milk “on the rocks” contains approx. 120 kilocalories, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fat.
Baked chickpeas
Legumes like chickpeas offer a beneficial combination of fiber and protein, which promote satiety and have a low glycemic index. This means they can also keep blood sugar levels down. Another plus point is that the protein quality is high thanks to essential amino acids. This means that dietary protein can be ideally converted into body protein (muscle tissue).
In contrast to potato chips and other industrial snacks, oven-baked chickpeas are also significantly lower in fat and contain no artificial flavor enhancers.
Ingredients for 2 portions:
- 300 g chickpeas (can)
- 2 tsp rapeseed oil
- 1 msp. turmeric
- 1 msp. chili flakes
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees top and bottom heat. In the meantime, rinse the chickpeas and drain thoroughly on kitchen paper. Mix the rapeseed oil with the turmeric and chili flakes and season with salt to taste. Add the chickpeas, mix everything together, and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Bake the marinated chickpeas in the oven for approx. 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how brown you like them, then mix with the fresh coriander leaves and serve.
Calories per portion
One portion of baked chickpeas contains approx. 230 kilocalories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat.
Nutrition Expert Explains How the Portfolio Diet Works – and Who it is Suitable for
Expert explains Nutritional recommendations for strength athletes – what and when you should eat to build muscle
Expert Clarifies Granola Versus Muesli – Which is Healthier?
Which foods keep blood sugar levels down
In conclusion, it can be said which foods can keep blood sugar levels stable. Whole grain products such as oatmeal, quinoa, and barley are recommended. Pulses also have a positive effect. Vegetables also play a key role. In addition, fruits with a low glycemic index (e.g., berries and apples) should be eaten regularly. Nuts and healthy fats are also very important.