If you have diabetes, it's essential to keep your blood sugar levels in check every day to avoid a spike. This doesn't mean, however, that every fast food treat should be off-limits.

Enjoying a trip to Wendy's with your family and friends is totally possible if you have diabetes. You just need to arm yourself with a little knowledge and planning so you can find low sugar and low carb options on Wendy's menu.

The best strategy to enjoy fast food such as Wendy's when you have type I or type II diabetes is to avoid blood sugar spiking carbs such as bread, sugar, rice, potatoes, fruit, juice, ice cream, soda, and baked goods. It's also important to try to pair carbs with protein for a balanced meal.

What can you have for breakfast at Wendy's?

The good news is that you can enjoy multiple items if you're visiting Wendy's for breakfast. These range from breakfast burritos to sandwiches and biscuits.

For example, the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Burrito has 24 g of carbs and 14 g of protein, which is a good balance for breakfast if you live with diabetes. Another option is the Classic Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich, which packs 24 g of carbs and 18 g of protein.

If you want to go for a biscuit for your breakfast at Wendy's, you should know that the Sausage Biscuit has 30 g of carbs and 13 grams of protein while the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit comes in a 30 g of carbs and 17 g of protein.

Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day when it comes to your blood sugar levels, it's especially important to be careful with the amount of carbohydrates you eat in the morning. Most of the options above come with an egg, which is a good choice if you want to get some protein for breakfast.

What are the best choices for lunch and dinner?

Just like with any other fast food, you can reduce the number of total carbs in your burger by discarding half of the bun. A junior hamburger has 25 g of carbs and 14 g of protein, which makes it one of the safest bets if you want to enjoy a burger on your trip to Wendy's.

Another good option is a grilled chicken wrap, which only has 26 g of carbs but packs a whopping 20 g of protein. You can also enjoy some chicken nuggets at Wendy's, with four of them clocking in at 10 g of carbs and 9 g of protein.

Remember that crispy chicken and sandwiches always have more carbs because they are breaded. Grilled chicken sandwiches are the healthier alternative because the chicken is grilled, not fried, which reduces the amount of fat, but as always, it's a good idea to toss half of the bun to reduce the number of carbs.

The salads at Wendy's are another good option for people who live with diabetes. They are pretty well balanced when it comes to carbs versus protein ratios, and they work well on their own or as a side for chicken nuggets, for example. If you want a drink with your meal at Wendy's, make sure you opt for a low-carb one, such as Diet Coke, iced tea, or a freshly brewed coffee.

What should you avoid at Wendy's if you have diabetes?

There are many items that you should avoid at Wendy's if you have diabetes. Particularly those that are very high in sugar or fat. Some of the items on the menu have more than 60 g of fat, which mostly comes from beef and bacon, and you should make sure you avoid them.

For example, the Pretzel Bacon Pub Double has no less than 79 g of fat, of which 32 g are saturated fat. The same burger has 53 g of carbohydrates, which is much more than a person with diabetes should have in a single meal.

Other items that you should avoid include fries, croissants, cookies, coffee with cream and sugar, and any non-diet beverages. If you want to enjoy an iced tea with your meal, you should make sure that you choose the unsweetened version, as the sweetened iced tea at Wendy's has no less than 66 g of sugar, and that's for the small serving.