- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She is a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an assistant professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor for the Web site's diabetes content and the book "Mayo Clinic on Managing Diabetes." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
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Question
Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
Are late-night snacks a no-no for people who have diabetes?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
If you have diabetes, late-night snacks aren't necessarily off-limits — but it's important to make wise choices.
Late-night snacks add extra calories to your daily intake, which can lead to weight gain. And if you snack after your evening meal — especially if the foods contain carbohydrates — you may wake up the next morning with a high blood sugar level.
If you're hungry after dinner, choose a "free" food — such as a can of diet soda, a serving of sugar-free gelatin, five baby carrots, two saltine crackers or one vanilla wafer. Or swap the snack for a piece of gum or hard candy. These "free" foods have few, if any, carbohydrates and calories, so they won't contribute to weight gain or increased blood sugar.
If you take insulin or other diabetes medications and must snack before bedtime to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during the night, talk to your doctor. He or she may adjust the dose of your medications to prevent the need for a late-night snack.
Next questionAir pollution and exercise: Is outdoor exercise risky?
- Morse SA, et al. Isn't this just bedtime snacking? Diabetes Care. 2006;29:1800.
- Food nutrient data for Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes, 2007. American Diabetes Association. http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/Free_Foods.pdf. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
