Unfortunately for people with type 2 diabetes, smoothies are notorious for their proclivity to spike blood sugar. (Did you know the small Mega Mango smoothie at Jamba Juice contains 57 grams of carbs?) But if you use the right ingredients, a quick, filling, and nutritious sip has never been so easy to whip up.

Why Smoothies Can Make a Great Snack or Breakfast for People With Diabetes

Not only can you pack them with delicious, diabetes-friendly fruit but, when prepared tactfully and enjoyed in moderation, smoothies can also help you drop excess weight. Maintaining a healthy waistline is critical for people with diabetes because too much body weight is linked with insulin resistance. That’s why losing even just a few pounds counts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that dropping a mere 5 to 7 percent of your body weight can help prevent prediabetes from progressing to full-blown type 2 diabetes. But it is important to note that not all smoothies are healthy. Some may be processed with added sugar, meaning they may have the opposite desired effect on your weight and blood sugar. The best way to take control of what goes into your drink is by measuring out portions at home to help keep calorie and carbohydrate counts down. If you’re a newbie to making smoothies, here are a couple of tips:

Add about 1 cup liquid (water, low-fat milk, unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened coconut milk) as a base.When adding nonstarchy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, be generous with portions (this will provide bulk and fiber).Fruit should be portioned to about a single serving, such as 1 cup frozen berries or half of a banana.Additional ingredients, such as avocados, seeds, and nut butters, should be measured to about a serving, too. For example, use a quarter of an avocado, 2 to 3 tablespoons (tbsp) ground seeds, or 1 to 2 tbsp almond butter.

One of the most alluring aspects of making smoothies is that the variations are limitless, but don’t forget about these staples. Next time you’re looking for an easy breakfast or snack that won’t spike your blood sugar, add some of these ingredients to enhance a smoothie’s flavor, appearance, and texture while also adding essential nutrients.

  1. Avocados According to the California Avocado Commission, this smooth, creamy fruit is low in sugar and rich in fiber, and contains monounsaturated fat —  aka “good” fat. The fiber and fat combination is a recipe for a healthy heart because good fats can improve your HDL (“good”) cholesterol level while fiber increases satiety, thus improving weight loss, according to an article published in May 2013 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. In addition, avocados are rich in lutein, a vitamin important for eye health, the article says. Try adding a quarter of a medium-size avocado to a smoothie. To reduce waste and prevent overeating, cut a whole avocado into quarters and put single servings in freezer bags. Pro tip: Avocados are super tasty in green smoothies, and they go great with dark cacao, too!
  2. Flaxseed Meal Make sure you use ground flaxseed meal as opposed to the whole seed to receive the full health benefits, notes a review published in April 2015 in the Journal of Food Science and Technology. The body is unable to break down the whole flaxseed so it can’t access all of the omega-3-containing oil and fiber. You’ll enjoy the mild, nutty flavor, and because it is fine in texture, flaxseed meal blends well.
  3. Tofu
  4. Hempseed To make the texture smoother, purchase hempseed that has already been shelled. The delicate texture incorporates well into recipes and yields a mild, nutty taste. 5. Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt Avoid added sugar by purchasing plain Greek yogurt — you can always sweeten a smoothie with a serving of frozen fruit, such as blueberries, strawberries, or peaches.
  5. Chia Seeds Simply sprinkle 1 tbsp chia seeds in or on top of a prepared smoothie to give you a nutrition boost. If you’d prefer to blend the seeds into the smoothie, make a chia gel, by soaking the seeds in water first.
  6. Almond Butter So when adding almond butter to smoothies, make sure to keep the portions in check. Although the spread is nutrient dense, the calories in almond butter can add up quickly. It’s best to keep it to 1 to 2 tbsp per serving.