Uncover the truth: Should Diabetics Eat Chicken Sausages? Clearing myths and facts in this essential guide for informed dietary choices.
While chicken sausages can fit into a diabetic-friendly diet, it depends on the brand and ingredients. Managing diabetes isn’t just about avoiding sweets-you’ve also got to watch your protein. As a diabetic, I’m always trying to find tasty, satisfying options that won’t spike my blood sugar.
But are store-bought chicken sausages really a good match? There’s more to this story than you might think. The truth is, not all chicken sausages are created equal when it comes to nutrition. Before assuming any are “diabetes-safe,” it pays to compare brands carefully. What really goes into these pre-packaged links could make or break your blood sugar control.
Key Takeaways
Chicken sausages can be a good choice for diabetics due to their leaner profile, but it’s crucial to monitor ingredients like added sugars and salt to maintain a healthy diet. Always check nutrition labels for optimal diabetes-friendly choices.
Understanding chicken sausage and how it impacts blood sugar
How does chicken sausage affect blood sugar?
Chicken sausage is a very popular food. If you are trying to manage your blood sugar, it is an excellent choice as it is rich in proteins. The digestion of protein takes longer than that of carbohydrates. So, it helps manage glucose levels and keeps you feeling full for a long time. All the essential amino acids are found in chicken. But, it might harm your blood sugar if you aren’t careful in its preparation.
What is chicken sausage?
Sausages come in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors, but in general they are made from ground meat that has been shaped into a cylindrical casing.
Pork, beef, and chicken are popular sausage meats.
Sausage flavors vary from spicy Cajun sausages, to sweet breakfast links, to savory German Bratwursts.
Beyond just flavor, there are so many types of sausages out there…smoked salami, Mexican chorizo, Polish Keilbassa, Italian sausage, and more.
How to optimally consume chicken sausages
- Try to pair the chicken sausage with a portion of salad. You can also include a small portion of complex carbs to make it a complete meal.
- Consider avoiding sausages with coatings and additives like sugar. This may lead to hyperglycemia.
- Try to avoid sausages with added salts. Such salts are usually stripped of important minerals required to maintain blood sugar.
When eating these foods, it is important to closely monitor your blood sugar levels to avoid complications. Sausages rolled out fresh are safe to consume, however, they actually fall under the processed meat category. This is because they’re high in salt and fat, both of which make it difficult to manage sugar levels (1).
Sausage Nutrition Facts
Sausage isn’t inherently bad for you, but the way many sausages are prepared makes them one of the less-healthy ways to consume meat.
Often cured with plenty of salt, sugar, and preservatives, most sausages are considered processed foods. The amount of processing that goes into each brand of sausage will vary, but most options found in a typical market won’t be too healthy.
But let’s break down the contents of a basic chicken sausage from a relatively clean grocery store brand.
In 100 grams of an Aidells brand smoked chicken breakfast sausage, you’ll find :
- Calories: 196
- Total carbs: 3.5g
- Sugar: 1.7g
- Total fat: 12.5g
- Saturated fat: 3.6g
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 19.6
- Sodium: 876mg
Like most sausages, this example is heavy in fat and protein and it doesn’t contain too many carbohydrates.
Because this specific sausage is from a pretty clean brand, it only contains 1.7g of actual sugar in the form of maple syrup for a touch of sweetness.
Ideally, you would choose a sausage with zero added sugars, but that isn’t always possible.
Sausages do contain some saturated fat as well, but this shouldn’t be your concern as long as you’re not scarfing down a dozen Bratwursts every day!
You really want to keep an eye on the hidden sugars that continue to sneak their way into oh-so-many meat products these days.
You’ll also want to watch out for all the salt in these processed foods. According to the FDA, we should be limiting our daily sodium intake to around 2,300mg (that’s only about 1 teaspoon of salt) but most people do go over the limit – it’s difficult to stay within with so many processed foods around us!
The main culprit that’s responsible for all this added salt? Once again, it comes down to food processing.
Considering that the sample sausage listed above contained almost 900mg of salt, you can see how easy it would be to blow right past that salt limit by indulging in a second or third helping.
It’s worth noting that not all salt is bad, in fact we need it to survive, but excess salt intake is something to keep in mind when you’re planning healthy meals (2).
The composition of chicken sausage
The most important thing you need to keep in mind is that diabetics have a lot of restrictions; hence giving them sausages with a lot of preservatives can raise the glucose level in the blood. Because of this, we suggest you get the chicken sausages homemade.
Rich Protein Source
The first and most important reason we think diabetics should consume a healthy dose of chicken sausage is that it is a rich source of high protein. We at Zorabian Foods use fresh ingredients while making chicken sausages. We use good quality chicken, a lean meat source, along with freshly procured spices to make sausages. Consequently, it ensures that your protein content is also very high. The protein content from sausages is very high; therefore, it is straightforward to incorporate the same into your meals.
Having such a high quantity of protein in your system is very rewarding for those with diabetes because it helps them fight the hassles. Diabetes makes you weak, and protein, on the other hand, allows you to have that strength to fight through. Not only that, when you are taking insulin regularly, you need to eat something every two hours, and this is where the protein becomes a very efficient snacking option for you to try on.
Helps With Your Immunity System
There are no two ways about the fact that the immunity condition of diabetics is heavily compromised. Therefore, it would help if you ensured that you keep having food items that can help you stay healthy, and this is where a chicken sausage is a great option. Not only can diabetics eat chicken sausage, but they should also incorporate this regularly.
When you have a robust immunity system, diabetes will not be able to cause many problems with your organs. Chicken, which is fresh and free from antibiotics, is excellent for your system, and hence sausages are an easy way of having the same regularly.
Low Carb Option
We have often seen doctors suggest diabetic or pre-diabetic people go for less-carb food options. Consequently, chicken sausages are low-carb food that you can consume. There are only 3.5 grams of carbs in each piece of sausage which is quite a healthy option. Instead of having the other heavy carb-loaded items, you can choose to have chicken sausages. The good thing is that healthy chicken sausages are nutritious and will keep you full for a long time.
Zorabian Foods is one of the top proponents in this field, and no matter what you choose, be it the spicy sausage or even the pepper sausage, each of these does not have high quantities of carbohydrates. The only thing that you need to do is pair it up with some healthy options like vegetables, and it will be a delicious meal in itself! In addition, from Zorabian Foods, the sausages you will get are extremely low in saturated fats and sugar, which further enhances the nutritional value of the sausages as well (3).
Enjoying Chicken Sausage as Part of a Diabetic Diet
Source : Beat Your Diabetes
Maintaining a diabetic-friendly diet doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. Discover how you can incorporate chicken sausage into your meals while keeping optimal blood sugar control in mind.
Preparing and Cooking Chicken Sausage for Optimal Blood Sugar Control
Learn about various ways to prepare and cook chicken sausage that minimize the glycemic impact. From grilling to baking, explore methods that preserve flavor without compromising on health.
Pairing Chicken Sausage with Low Glycemic Carbohydrates and Vegetables
Enhance the nutritional value of your meals by strategically pairing chicken sausage with low glycemic carbohydrates and an array of colorful vegetables. This combination adds variety to your diet while helping to manage blood sugar levels.
Lifestyle Factors for Blood Sugar Management
Effective blood sugar management extends beyond the kitchen. Understand the importance of portion control and moderation when including sausage in your meals. Discover the recommended serving size of chicken sausage and valuable tips for maintaining portion sizes.
Tips for Keeping Portions in Check
Learn practical tips for controlling portions to ensure a balanced and diabetes-friendly diet. By understanding serving sizes and implementing mindful eating practices, you can enjoy chicken sausage without compromising your health.
Incorporating Regular Exercise
- 30 minutes of walking daily after meals helps control blood sugar. Go for a brisk walk outside or use a treadmill.
- On non-walk days, try low-impact exercises like water aerobics, yoga or light strength training using body weight for 30 minutes.
- Pair exercise with balanced, protein-rich meals including chicken sausage to aid with blood sugar maintenance.
Delicious Recipes Featuring Chicken Sausage
Turn your diabetic-friendly meals into culinary delights with these flavorful recipes featuring chicken sausage.
- Chicken Sausage and Veggie Frittata
- Ingredients: 8 eggs, 1 cup diced chicken sausage, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup chopped peppers, 1/4 cup shredded cheese
- Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Cook sausage and veggies till softened. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Pour into a greased 8-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes until set. Cut into wedges to enjoy.
- Chicken Apple Sausage Stir Fry
- Ingredients: 1 lb chicken apple sausage slices, 1 bell pepper, 1 cup broccoli, 1 apple – diced, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Directions: Slice sausage and dice veggies. Heat oil in a pan and stir fry veggies for 5 minutes. Add sausage and apple, stir fry for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle soy sauce and vinegar. Serve hot over grains.
- Chicken Sausage Hash
- Ingredients: 1 lb diced chicken sausage, 1 potato – diced, 1/2 onion – diced, 2 eggs
- Directions: Sauté sausage, potato and onion in a pan until brown. Push to sides and scramble eggs in the middle. Mix everything and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Discover new ways to enjoy a flavorful chicken sausage in balanced, diabetes-friendly recipes. Make small changes for better blood sugar control.
Conclusion
Chicken sausage can absolutely be incorporated into a diabetic diet in a healthy way. The key is choosing lower sodium, nitrate-free varieties and pairing them with low glycemic index foods like vegetables and whole grains. Portion control is vital, sticking to 1-2 sausage links per meal.
Balancing chicken sausage with regular physical activity can also help optimize blood sugar management. With some smart strategies like those outlined here, diabetics can enjoy the savory flavor of chicken sausage without derailing their diet.
By preparing it in diabetic-friendly ways, using it in nutritious recipes, and viewing it as just one component of an overall balanced plate, chicken sausage can be a delicious part of a well-managed diabetic eating plan.
References
- https://www.zorabian.com/blogs/can-diabetics-eat-chicken-sausage/
- https://diabetesmealplans.com/16606/can-people-with-diabetes-eat-sausage/
- https://blog.ultrahuman.com/blog/from-farm-to-fork-how-chicken-sausage-impacts-your-blood-sugar-levels/
Related Articles
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/how-to-ground-chicken-sausage/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/best-veggie-chicken-sausage/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/chicken-sausage-stir-fry/
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