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Diabetes nutrition: Including sweets in your meal plan

Consider sugar substitutes

As part of diabetes nutrition, artificial sweeteners can offer the sweetness of sugar without the calories. Artificial sweeteners may help you reduce calories and stick to a healthy meal plan — especially when used instead of sugar in coffee and tea, on cereal or in baked goods. In fact, artificial sweeteners are considered free foods because they contain very few calories and don't count as a carbohydrate, a fat or any other food in your meal plan.

Examples of artificial sweeteners include:

  • Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett)
  • Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
  • Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low)
  • Sucralose (Splenda)

Artificial sweeteners don't necessarily offer a free pass for sweets.

  • Keep an eye out for calories and carbs. Many products made with artificial sweeteners, such as baked goods and artificially sweetened yogurt or pudding, still contain calories and carbohydrates that can affect your blood sugar level.
  • Sugar alcohols are not calorie-free. Sugar alcohols, another type of reduced-calorie sweetener, are often used in sugar-free candies, chewing gum and desserts. Check product labels for words such as "isomalt," "maltitol," "mannitol," "sorbitol" and "xylitol." Although sugar alcohols are lower in calories than is sugar, sugar-free foods containing sugar alcohols still have calories. And in some people, sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea.

Reconsider your definition of sweet

Diabetes nutrition doesn't have to mean no sweets. If you're craving them, ask a registered dietitian to help you include your favorite treats into your meal plan. A dietitian can also help you reduce the amount of sugar and fat in your favorite recipes. And don't be surprised if your tastes change as you adopt healthier eating habits. Food that you once loved may seem too sweet — and healthy substitutes may become your new idea of delicious.

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References
  1. Sweeteners & desserts. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/sweeteners.jsp. Accessed Aug. 8, 2008.
  2. Masharani U, et al. Pancreatic hormones & diabetes mellitus. In: Gardner DG, et al. Greenspan's Basic & Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2633151. Accessed Aug. 8, 2008.
  3. American Diabetes Association. Nutrition recommendations and interventions for diabetes: A position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(1)(suppl):S61-S78.
  4. Willett CL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 18, 2008.
  5. American Diabetes Association. Evidence-based nutrition principles and recommendations for the treatment and prevention of diabetes and related complications. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(1)(suppl):S51-S61.
  6. Wheeler ML, et al. Carbohydrate issues: Type and amount. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008;108 (suppl):S34-S39.
  7. Sugar & sugar substitutes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/diabetes-care/sugar.jsp. Accessed Sept. 8, 2008.

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Oct. 16, 2008

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