Pretzels are a popular food in the United States and across Europe and are loved for their chewy feel and sweet taste. Its origin is credited to Germany, where it was a household and staple food. However, Italy, Austria, and France seem to have had their pretzels variations around that time.
In current times, these snacks abound in different varieties all over the globe.
Pretzels are typically a bread variation but are sweeter than normal bread due to their high sugar content. It’s made with yeast and wheat flour and has a twisted knot shape that makes it easy to hold.
Before I knew about my own high carb sensitivity and what food/ingredients to look for, I frequently enjoyed pretzels as a healthy snack alternative - or what I thought was a healthy snack alternative. However, what I discovered:
A pretzel isn’t entirely a healthy snack and isn’t a choice snack for a person trying to keep a healthy diet. The snack contains ingredients that aren’t exactly in line with the goal of people that want to lose weight, lower blood sugar levels, and avoid cardiovascular complications. (All of which I am at risk for with a family history or diabetes and heart disease.)
- Pretzels have basic simple carbs as ingredients, making diabetics and people with underlying conditions vulnerable to blood sugar rise.
- Pretzels are made of wheat flour which comprises bad carbs that increase blood glucose levels.
- Wheat is more of simple carbs with high glycemic indexes, they’re rapidly converted to sugar, leaving the body with more glucose than it needs.
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These trigger spikes in blood glucose levels, worsening the condition and causing vulnerability to worse complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and other cardiovascular conditions.
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Fiber generally improves blood sugar regulation and can help reduce the effect of bad carbs. It also helps improve gut health and relieve constipation pains. However, these effects are non-existent in pretzels as their supposed fiber content is almost negligible compared to their total carb content.
In closing: The pretzel is a popular snack that’s won the heart of many in the United States and worldwide. However, the pretzel can pose a risk to people with diabetes.
The major goal: Cut off as many carbohydrates that cause blood sugar spikes and adopt important lifestyle changes. This doesn’t imply that you should eliminate carbs from your diet. There are good carbs that can actually help you manage your risks better.
Knowing the right food to eat can help with certain diet-modifying suggestions. If you want to know about your carb sensitivities, I encourage you to contact me for HIPAA Compliant DNA testing.
Source: Klinio; DNA Testing Molecular Labs