Chai (tea)-biscuit is perhaps the first inseparable couple we Indians know of. Begin and end your day with a cup of steaming tea and biscuits. Biscuit—this crunchy, tasty, and easy-available snack is an on-the-go for all. Mrs. Sheela has had her fan-girl moments with biscuits from her childhood. She could mindlessly pop in packets of these in no time, be it sweet, salty, or cream biscuits. 

Things changed with her recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Selecting suitable snacks is a challenge with diabetes. Selecting types of biscuits is especially harrowsome. Today’s market is flooded with zero-sugar, diabetes-friendly, whole-grain and salty biscuits. Are they really okay for diabetics, or are they just a gimmick? 

As proponents of Functional Medicine, Wellfinity intends to empower you to understand how different foods affect blood sugar levels, and we say that whatever the type, salty or sugar-free, biscuits are a NO in case of diabetes.  

Understanding Diabetes and Snack Choices

Snacking is addictive and adds to lifestyle disorders over time. Plus, mindless snacking is a NO-NO for diabetics. People with diabetes must exercise caution when eating typical snacks like biscuits. 

Diabetes is essentially a metabolic disorder related to high blood sugar levels. Broadly classified as Type 1 (in which the body does not create enough insulin) and Type 2 (in which the body does not use insulin effectively), the best way to tackle diabetes is by eating the right category of foods at the right time and sequence. The carbs you eat matter significantly as they directly impact blood sugar levels. It’s best practice to select foods with a low glycemic index (GI) to avoid a sudden blood sugar spike. 

Nutritional Profile of Biscuits

No matter the type, this famous, crispy, ready-to-eat bread has these essential ingredients: refined flour, inflammatory oils, baking agent, salts, sugars and milk or water. According to the USDA, the nutrient profile of plain biscuits per 100 grams is here.

This nutritional profile details the composition of a food item containing 353 kcal (1480 kJ) of energy and 28.9 g of water. It provides 7 g of protein, 16.3 g of fat, and 44.6 g of carbohydrates, with 1.5 g of dietary fiber and 2.18 g of total sugars.  Apart from this, there is a meager amount of minerals and vitamins to offer. 

Refined flours, added sweeteners and milk solids are not only not advisable for people with diabetes but for all of us.  These ingredients digest to form glucose, which contributes to high blood sugar levels. In the long run, they may exacerbate insulin resistance and blood sugar levels. 

Brands today manufacture different varieties of biscuits to mash them as diabetes-friendly. For example, whole grain (digestive biscuits) biscuits. The so-called multigrain biscuits may not be as healthy as they say. Whole grains are not gut-friendly—they are heavy on the stomach and digest slowly. This occurs because the lectins in the grains have the potential to inflame the gut and raise blood sugar levels.

Sugar-free biscuits for diabetes are artificially sweetened with corn sugar, etc. Recent research has found that non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) can change gut bacteria, leading to gut issues, worsening of blood sugar levels, skin issues, and more. 

A study of 381 people showed that NAS use is linked to increased blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar levels, and a rise in harmful gut bacteria, including Clostridial species, Enterobacterials, and Actinobacteria. An imbalanced gut microbiome leads to glucose intolerance over time, worsening diabetes. 

Thus, whether it’s oatmeal biscuits, almond flour biscuits, or flaxseed crackers, the store-bought, so-called diabetes-friendly ones may also need your immediate attention.

Pros and Cons of Including Biscuits in a Diabetic Diet

Conventional biscuits are baked savories that are harmful as a part of the diabetic diet:

• Refined flour: processed and refined flours lack fiber and essential nutrients from grains. 
• Sugars: Regular, hidden sugar content or so-claimed ‘sugar-free’ sugars cause immediate sugar spikes. For example, 1 teaspoon of sugar has about 15 grams of carbohydrates and 60 calories, which can impact blood sugar levels significantly. 
• Refined vegetable oils: Partially hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fats, are harmful to health. These fats can increase bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and damage heart health. These are known risk factors for premature heart disease. 
• Additives, preservatives, etc., add to the unhealthy bulk of biscuits.

If you are meticulous and choose alternative biscuit options in the market, certain ingredient substitutes may be a little more beneficial than conventional ones. Don’t rely solely on the label claiming “diabetic” cookies on the front of the package. Be sure to check the ingredients and nutrition information on the back. High-quality, natural options with simple, diabetes-friendly ingredients may help. 

Healthier Alternatives to Traditional Biscuits

Grain free flours such as, nut flours, including almonds, seeds, and nuts, are low in carbs but rich in texture. Coconut flour is high in fibre, which helps slow down sugar absorption. Multigrain biscuits using high-protein defatted soy flour, low-GI foxtail millet, flax seeds (good fats), and other nutritious components may improve nutrition.

Baking biscuits at home may also be a good alternative to store-bought biscuits. For example, sweet potato biscuits can be made with vitamin A, B-complex, and C-rich vegetables: mashed sweet potatoes, gluten-free oatmeal flour, with or without buttermilk, and grass-fed butter. 

Another alternative is homemade paleo biscuits. These include almond flour, coconut flour, eggs, and coconut oil, which has healthy fats. 

Other snacks for diabetics include soaking nuts, roasted makhana (lotus stem seeds), roasted chana, vegetable salad, homemade soups, seasonal fruits, sautéed vegetables, and cooked sprouts. 

Functional Medicine Insights on Biscuits for Diabetics

As proponents of Functional Medicine, we recommend avoiding any form of market bought biscuits for diabetes management. However, given our daily lifestyles, if we don’t quit, we should eat biscuits responsibly containing the right ingredients or best made at home. 

Understanding what to eat and what to avoid isn’t enough. Simply checking foods’ Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) doesn’t cut it either. Functional medicine goes beyond that. Managing chronic metabolic illnesses such as diabetes requires careful consideration of the form of carbs/proteins/fats, timings, and sequencing. It also highlights the value of exercise, stress management, and good sleep as additional factors.

We believe that diabetes management is about a well-rounded nutrition, and not based on isolated snacks you eat or cut back on. It is essential to have a balanced, diabetes-friendly nutrition with the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and micronutrients. They should be eaten in the right combinations and at the correct times of the day, customized to your body type. 

We focus on three essential points:

1. Highlight your body’s physiology & type to identify the root causes of diabetes that are unique to you. 
2. We reject the idea of lifelong medications to correct the symptoms of diabetes and instead focus on natural, well-researched nutrition to boost the body’s ability to maintain blood sugar levels naturally.

Snacks, like store-bought diabetic-friendly biscuits, can be substituted by homemade wholesome bread and eaten with adequate lean proteins and good fats, with portion control. 

Functional Medicine creates personalised diet plans tailored to your body type, using the latest medical and nutritional information.

Functional Medicine Tips for Enjoying Biscuits Responsibly

If you wish to enjoy a biscuit or two, it’s okay to have them once in a while, but only to satisfy the soul, not as a habit or addiction. Do not make it a regular habit for mid-morning and evening snacks. 

Homemade biscuits with complete control of the ingredients, such as almond flour, coconut flour, and whole wheat, and no additives, are better.

Always remember to combine biscuits with some lean protein & unsaturated fats, not tea/coffee. This helps reduce sudden fluctuations in blood sugar after eating carbs, slowing digestion and nutrient absorption into the bloodstream. Feel free to bite on a cracker with a bowl of boiled chickpeas, homemade hummus sauce, homemade 100% peanut butter, or fresh-made cottage cheese.  

With that in mind, working closely with your physician and dietitian cannot substitute for any other form of treatment. Customized diet plans based on your unique body type needs are integral to a functional medicine approach to diabetes management. 

We all love biscuits. Whether in different shapes, sizes, tastes, and forms, biscuits can be binge-worthy round-the-clock. However, things change with diabetes. As Functional Medicine practitioners, we helped Mrs. Sheela with her personalized diet plan for type 2 diabetes. While biscuits are essentially a NO for blood sugar control, eating a suitable variety of homemade biscuits in the correct amounts and pairing them with suitable protein sources will prevent biscuits from spiking blood sugar abruptly and maintain the GL.

At Wellfinity, the key to successful diabetes management is holistic nutrition, lifestyle changes, and eating meals correctly in the recommended pattern and form. We are all ready to help you, too. Feel free to reach out for a consultation with our experts to ace the diabetes management game.