People with diabetes need healthy snacks. In fact, snacks are essential throughout the day to help balance blood sugar and curb hunger. Unique Pretzel Bakery now offers diabetic friendly pretzels that will help diabetics fit another helping of healthy whole grains into the day!
Unique Pretzel Bakery is a family-owned business founded in Reading, PA, during the late 1890s which has continued to grow for 120 years. We are the original bakers of the famous split-open pretzel, called Unique “Splits”, the only one of their kind. Our Unique Shells are bite-size hollow pockets that have all of the delightful crunch of the outside pretzel shell but no filling.
We recently introduced the only 100% whole grain sprouted flour pretzels in the industry, called Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells. We make them with a revolutionary new sprouted wheat flour from Essential Eating® Sprouted Foods that is USDA Certified organic, diabetic-friendly, kosher, vegan, and designed to help you add more wholesome whole grains to your diet.
Diabetic Diets
Carbohydrates are known to increase blood glucose faster than any other food, but, contrary to popular opinion, sugar is not the only carbohydrate that has to be controlled. The body converts all carbohydrates to glucose, so eating foods like rice, pasta, bread and fruit will cause blood sugar to rise. It’s important to spread them consistently throughout the day.
While carbs get most of the attention, fats are another concern. Many people with diabetes have problems with high blood fats and/or cholesterol levels, so it’s important to choose the right kinds of fat.
Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart disease. Trans fat also increases blood cholesterol levels and may be worse than saturated fat. According to the American Diabetes Association, healthy fats are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
Healthy Pretzels for Everyone
According to the USDA, we should all eat more healthy whole grains, whether or not we’re diabetic, to reap the benefits of their fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. But why are our sprouted whole grain pretzels a great choice for diabetics and everyone else?
Digestion
Sprouted whole grains are digested more easily than their un-sprouted counterparts because the sprouting process breaks down the starches in the grain into “simple” sugars. The body uses them for energy instead of storing them as fat.
Living food
Sprouting of grains returns the dormant seed to its plant state, which the body recognizes and metabolizes as a vegetable. Sprouted whole grains are packed with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that can now be digested by the body with the help of vegetable enzymes instead of pancreatic enzymes.
Healthy fiber
Fiber can improve blood sugar levels in diabetics. The inclusion of insoluble fiber (such as from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains) in the diet may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For healthy adults, the USDA recommends 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we eat. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, aim for 28 grams of fiber daily. Unique Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells are the only pretzels to naturally provide 4 grams of dietary fiber per serving!
Low fat
Nutrition experts say that we should consume no more than 10% of our calories from saturated fat. Fortunately, our Sprouted Pretzels and Sprouted Shells contain no saturated fats or trans fats. They are the only pretzels made with olive oil.
It’s always important to talk with your dietitian or health care provider about adding healthy snacks to your diet. Diabetic friendly Sprouted “Splits” and Sprouted Shells from Unique Pretzel Bakery are available online or from your local Wegmans, Whole Foods, Giant and Fresh Market stores.