Recipes for Managing Chronic Diseases: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (low calorie, low glycemic index), Renal Disease (non-dialysis)
Nutritional Content and Health Benefits
This sweet and crunchy dessert provides all the nostalgia of a carnival candy apple without the blood sugar spike. Perfect for diabetes management, this recipe is low in calories and relatively low in carbohydrates (26 grams of carbs per serving). In addition, apples contain fiber, which can help slow down the absorption of sugar, lowering the impact on your blood sugar. Fruit is naturally sweet and doesn’t have to be avoided when managing diabetes! Choose your favorite apple (we like Granny Smith) or combine different types of apples. This crowd-pleasing dessert is perfect for a party!
Ingredient Highlights
Apples – Apples come in many types and sizes but every one of them contains nutrients that promote good health! Apples have a high antioxidant activity and contain a variety of phytochemicals. This fall favorite snack has been shown to lower cholesterol and might even reduce the risk of chronic disease [i]. That “apple a day” saying has stuck around for a reason.
Recipe
“Not Your Carnival” Caramel Apple
Recipe adapted from DaVita Kidney Care
Serves: 6
Serving Size: ½ cup
Ingredients:
- 8 oz Cool Whip frozen dessert topping
- 2 medium apples (Granny Smith, Macintosh, Fuji, or Honeycrisp)
- 2 Balance Bar Gold Caramel Nut Blast Bars
Instructions:
1. Remove Cool Whip from freezer to defrost.
2. Cut apples into small pieces, discarding the core.
3. Cut caramel Balance bars into small pieces.
4. Combine the chopped apple with the caramel bar chunks in a bowl.
5. Fold in the defrosted Cool Whip and chill for 1 hour in the fridge before serving.
Reference:
[i] Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutr J. 2004;3:5. Published 2004 May 12. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-3-5
[ii] Apple caramel dessert. Retrieved from https://www.davita.com/diet-nutrition/recipes/desserts/apple-caramel-dessert