Diabetes
What is Diabetes?Diabetes is an inability to properly utilize the foods you eat for energy. It affects millions of Americans and tends to be associated with certain ethnic groups, obesity, and inactivity.
Most people with diabetes have type 2, and there are some pretty clear red flags for those at risk. So what’s the up-side of knowing you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes? Studies show that these people can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes through simple lifestyle changes. For most, that means a small (5-10 pound) weight loss and more daily physical activity. And if you already have diabetes, early diagnosis and intervention can significantly improve your health and quality of life down the road.
If you have diabetes, you may have questions about how sugars and starches affect your health. Perhaps you’ve been told to avoid sugar or to “count” carbohydrate, but are confused about what to look for. Do you really have to give up pasta and other favorite foods? And what about sugar-free and no-sugar-added foods?
It would be nice if there was an easy answer, like “just avoid sugar”, but many of the foods we eat every day can cause blood sugars to rise if we eat too much.
The good news is nearly all foods fit into a diabetes-friendly diet. Some folks do just fine by following some basic guidelines; others follow a more structured approach to meal planning with exchanges or carbohydrate counting. Whatever your method, we’ve got you covered with our three step approach.
Step 1
"Get Started"
| If diabetes is new to you, one of your first questions is probably, “what can I eat?” Learning about carbohydrates, label reading and your diabetes takes time and there are lots of resources to help you. But until you learn the fine art of diabetes meal planning, our quick reference of “better for you” foods might come in handy! |
Deli and Prepared Foods
Cold cuts have no or little affect on your blood sugar, but can be high in fat and sodium. Look for leaner products that are moderate in sodium.
Cold cuts have no or little affect on your blood sugar, but can be high in fat and sodium. Look for leaner products that are moderate in sodium.
Tips:
- Add fiber to sandwiches by choosing lite or whole grain bread and adding shredded lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, peppers, onions and sliced tomatoes.
- Choose lower fat sandwich spreads such as light mayo, mustard and low fat dressings.
- Limit pizza to one slice and fill up with extra salad.
- Remove skin from rotisserie chicken for a leaner meat choice.
- Skip the cheese on your sandwich, or pick lower fat choices.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Cold Cuts | 95% fat free cold cuts Just Roast Beef Food You Feel Good About Turkey varieties Sliced Turkey | Turkey bologna and other cold cuts Most hams |
| Deli Cheese | Cabot Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheeses Wegmans Lite Swiss Jarlsberg Lite Swiss | Most “lite” and low sodium cheese |
| Salad Bar | Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Turkey Strips | Cottage cheese Olives Canned fruits |
| Soups | | Broth-based soups Spicy Lentil Chili |
| Deli Salads | Cabbage and Vegetable Salads | |
| Prepared Foods | Rotisserie Chicken without the skin | Skinless chicken breasts in sauces |
| Chinese | Stir-fried poultry and fish with vegetables (non-battered) | Stir-fried beef and pork with vegetables |
| Sushi | All types | |
Beef, Pork, Poultry, Seafood though an excellent source of protein, these foods carry saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose leaner proteins and include more seafood in your diet.
Tips:
- Aim for 90% lean or better. Almost all seafood fits this criteria.
- Keep portions moderate—plan for a total of 4 to 6 ounces of protein a day.
- Remove skin and fat from poultry, trim red meats well.
- Broil, grill, bake, pan-sear, stir fry or roast meats.
- Add flavor to lean meats by marinating in reduced fat salad dressings, lime or lemon juice, vinegar or wine. Seasonings and rubs can add a lot of flavor to meats without calories/carbohydrates.
- Combine meats with vegetables such as in sautés, kabobs, stir fry, etc.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Beef | Well trimmed top, eye or bottom, sirloin tip, flank, or stew beef Food You Feel Good About Beef 90% or better ground beef | Well-trimmed sirloin 85% lean ground beef |
| Poultry | Skinless pieces, lean ground chicken or turkey | Ground turkey |
| Pork | Loin chops, sirloin chops, pork tenderloin | Smoked ham |
| Sausage | Genaro’s Poultry Sausage | Poultry sausage Lite kielbasa |
| Hot Dogs | | Lite hot dog, poultry dogs |
| Veal | Shank, cutlets, stew meat | Rib roast |
| Lamb | | Most cuts |
| Fish | All but breaded/battered fried, water-packed tuna | |
| Shellfish | Clams, lobster, scallops | Crawfish, shrimp (higher in cholesterol) |
Grocery canned, boxed and convenience foods don’t need to be off the menu. But a little extra care is needed to be sure sugar, sodium and fat content are reasonable.
Tips:
- 100% fruit juice still has plenty of natural sugar. Keep portions to about 1/2 cup once or twice a day. Or dilute 1/2 and 1/2 with water or seltzer.
- Look for labels that say “unsweetened,” “in it’s own juice,” or “no sugar added”—unsweetened foods may still contain carbohydrates to raise blood sugar, but are likely better choices than the regular version.
- Canned beans are a great source of low fat protein and soluble fiber—rinsing beans before adding to recipes may remove as much as a third of the sodium.
- Dried fruits are very concentrated in natural sugar. Keep servings to about 2 Tbsp. raisins or a couple of pieces of dried fruits.
- In prepared mixes, use only half the margarine or oil called for. In rice and noodle packages, try using only half the seasoning packet to reduce sodium.
- Use soy sauce and other oriental sauces in moderation due to high sodium levels.
- Pickles and olives are also high in sodium. Keep servings small.
- Nuts and peanut butter are rich in protein and healthy fats, but also high in calories.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Canned Beef | Packed in juice or water (keep to 1/2 cup serving) | |
| Canned Juice | 100% fruit juice (keep to 1/2 cup serving) Lite or low calorie juice No salt added vegetable juice | Juice blends V-8 and vegetable juices |
| Canned Vegetables | No salt added | Most vegetables |
| Beans, Peas and Lentils | All dried beans and lentils Drained and rinsed canned beans | Pork ‘n beans |
| Pasta | Whole wheat pasta Low carb pastas | Regular pasta |
| Rice & Grains | Brown rice, wild rice quinoa, bulgar and other whole grains | White rice, couscous |
| Sauces | Lower sodium pasta sauces Healthy Choice sauces Food You Feel Good About pasta sauces | Regular pasta sauce, lite soy sauce, salsa |
| Gravy | | Canned gravy, gravy mixes, Wegmans cooking sauces |
| Soups, Stews and Chili | Healthy Choice soups Reduced sodium soups Health Valley soups Campbell’s Healthy Request | Broth based soups, bean soups, chilis |
| Canned Meat, Fish | Food You Feel Good About tuna Low sodium packed tuna | Tuna or salmon packed in water |
| Peanut Butter | Natural style peanut butter Regular peanut butter (Keep portions to 1-2 tbsp) | Low fat peanut butter |
| Jams, Jellies and Spreads | Sugar free jams | Lite and no sugar added jams (may still contain natural sugars — keep portion to 1 tbsp) |
| Syrups, Toppings | Sugar free pancake syrup Sugar free chocolate syrup | Lite syrups (still contain significant sugar — keep portions to 1-2 tbsp) |
| Pickles | | Hot peppers, dill pickles (high in sodium content — keep portions small) |
| Condiments | Mustard, vinegar, herbs, spices | Ketchup, lite mayonnaise, low cal salad dressings |
| Desserts | Sugar free gelatin Small servings of dark chocolate Sugar free hot cocoa Sugar free/nonfat pudding | Sugar free pudding, lite pie fillings, graham cracker crusts, angel food cake, sponge cake, reduced fat biscuit mix, no sugar added pies, cakes and cookies (these foods may still contain significant amounts of carbohydrate — keep portions small) |
Dairy
Three servings a day of low fat calcium foods are recommended to stay healthy. Just look for choices that are lower in fat—generally 5g of fat or less per serving.
Three servings a day of low fat calcium foods are recommended to stay healthy. Just look for choices that are lower in fat—generally 5g of fat or less per serving.
Tips:
- Replace cream with evaporated skim milk in cooking.
- Grated cheese has a strong flavor that goes further when sprinkled on foods.
- Use instead of heavy cream and cheese sauces to flavor vegetables and pastas.
- Replace whole egg with two egg whites or egg substitute in most recipes.
- Go easy on real butter, stick margarine and cream which are high in saturated fat.
- All milk and yogurt (but not aged cheese) products contain carbohydrate—keep portions moderate.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Milk | Fat free milk, fat free buttermilk, 1% milk | 2% milk, low fat or fat free creamers |
| Yogurts and Puddings | Non-fat plain or sugar free yogurts | Low fat plain yogurt, low fat pudding, sugar free pudding |
| Cheese | Low fat or fat free cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, or sliced cheese | 2% American slices |
| Spreads and Dips | Hummus (bean dip), salsa fat free sour cream or cream cheese, fat free dips | Reduced fat vegetable dip, reduced fat cream cheese |
| Eggs | Omega eggs, egg whites, egg substitutes | Whole eggs (higher in cholesterol) |
| Tortillas | Corn or whole wheat tortillas | |
Snacks and Beverages
These foods add variety to our diet, but generally not much in the way of nutrition. Consider these foods as treats rather than mainstays.
These foods add variety to our diet, but generally not much in the way of nutrition. Consider these foods as treats rather than mainstays.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Crackers | Whole grain low fat crackers, Kashi TLC crackers, Stone ground wheat crackers, rye crisps, Triscuits, Kavli | Reduced fat snack crackers, rice cakes |
| Chips and Pretzels | Baked tortilla chips, whole wheat pretzels | Other pretzels, low fat and baked snack chips |
| Popcorn | Air popped popcorn with no added fat | Lite varieties of microwave popcorn |
| Cookies | | Sugar free cookies animal crackers, gingersnaps, Snackwell cookies, fig cookies, fat free cookies (these foods may still contain significant carbohydrate — keep to one serving) |
| Candy | Sugar free hard candy Small servings of dark chocolate | Sugar free milk chocolate |
| Nuts | Unsalted or lightly salted nuts (keep portion small due to calories) | Salted and honey coated nuts |
| Beverages | Diet soda, sugar free sparkling and mineral water, sugar free iced tea, sugar free drink mixes, plain coffee, hot tea, sugar free coffee syrups, water with lemon | Lite and low carb beer Lite and half sugar soda |
Salad Dressings and Oil
A fat-free diet isn’t necessary nor ideal for good diabetes control. Healthy fats used in moderation are best. Typically, that means less animal and processed fats, and instead, fats derived from plant sources such as liquid vegetable oils.
A fat-free diet isn’t necessary nor ideal for good diabetes control. Healthy fats used in moderation are best. Typically, that means less animal and processed fats, and instead, fats derived from plant sources such as liquid vegetable oils.
Tips:
- Some salad dressings have 10 or more grams of carbohydrate.
Use these dressings in moderation. - Low fat yogurt can be used in place of mayonnaise in many recipes.
- Go easy on croutons and bacon bits which add calories, carbohydrate and fat.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Shortening, Oil | Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, Wegmans Basting Oil (Cooking sprays, butter flavored sprays may be used freely) | Soybean oil, vegetable oil, corn oil |
| Salad Dressing | Fat free dressings, vinegars, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, dressings made with olive oil (all used in moderation) | Regular, oil-based dressings (not creamy dressings) |
| Mayonnaise | Fat free and lite mayonnaise | Regular mayonnaise |
Cereals and Breakfast Foods
Whole grain cereals may provide important disease-preventing nutrients while having a lesser affect on blood sugar than processed grains.
Whole grain cereals may provide important disease-preventing nutrients while having a lesser affect on blood sugar than processed grains.
Tips:
- Aim for at least 3 servings a day of whole grain foods.
- Many cereals are made “with whole grains,” but look for those that mention a
whole grain as the first ingredient. Ingredients are listed in descending order.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Cold Cereal | Cherrios, Wheaties, Wheat Chex, Shredded Wheat, Kashi, many Barbaras Bakery Cereals | Bran flakes, Fiber One, Grape Nuts, Corn Flakes, Total |
| Hot Cereal | Regular and quick oatmeal Wheatena | Instant, plain oatmeal, Cream of wheat |
| Instant Breakfast | | Sugar-free instant breakfast |
| Bars | Whole grain bars, All Bran bars, Kashi bars | |
Frozen Foods
Frozen fruits and vegetables makes it easy to add produce to your diet—an important habit for people with diabetes. Just remember to keep portions of high carbohydrate foods moderate—like dried fruits and juices, even if they are unsweetened.
Frozen fruits and vegetables makes it easy to add produce to your diet—an important habit for people with diabetes. Just remember to keep portions of high carbohydrate foods moderate—like dried fruits and juices, even if they are unsweetened.
No-sugar-added foods are not necessarily low carb—so check the label for Total Carbohydrate content. These foods might also be very high in saturated fat - and not recommended for people with diabetes.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Vegetables | Plain frozen vegetables | Vegetables in light sauces |
| Fruits | Food You Feel Good About frozen fruits | Fruits in light syrups |
| Juice | 100% fruit juice (keep portions to 1/2 cup serving) Low carb juices | Fruit juice blends |
| Dinners | Light Dinners with less than - 400 calories - 8 g saturated fat - 800 mg sodium - 45 g carbohydrate Healthy Choice Dinners; Spa Lean Cuisine | |
| Breakfast Foods | Egg substitute | Frozen bagels (watch portion), low fat & whole grain waffles |
| Frozen Desserts | Sugar free popsicles, sugar free fudgsicles No sugar added ice creams with less than: - 120 calories - 3g fat - 16g carbohydrate | Low fat ice cream, frozen yogurts. Frozen whipped topping in moderation |
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Fruits and Vegetables | All fresh fruits and vegetables are a great choice. Watch portions on fruits, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables ensures you’ll get a variety of nutrients, too. | |
Bakery
Some types of starches are better for diabetes than others. Look for whole grain and high fiber choices, and avoid highly processed foods. Fortunately, today we’re finding lots of whole grain baked goods coming to the market.
Some types of starches are better for diabetes than others. Look for whole grain and high fiber choices, and avoid highly processed foods. Fortunately, today we’re finding lots of whole grain baked goods coming to the market.
Note: Too much of any starchy food can raise blood sugar, so watch portions as well.
| | GREAT | GOOD |
| Breads | 100% whole grain or lite breads | Multigrain breads made with a portion of wheat (white) flour. Lite white bread |
| Rolls, English Muffins | 100% whole grain or lite rolls, English muffins | Lite white English muffins |
| Bagels | 100% whole grain | |
| Wraps | High fiber wraps Flatout Carb Down Wraps | |
| Muffins | | |
| Pastries | | Angel food cake, sponge cake, low fat cinnamon buns in moderation |
Step 2
What about Exchanges
Maybe you learned about Diabetes Exchanges years ago as a way to plan your meals. Or maybe you’ve seen “Diabetes Exchanges” listed on food labels and wondered what in the world they mean!
Exchanges have been around for a long time as a tool to teach people with diabetes how to plan balanced meals that keep blood sugars in check. But this is only one of many tools that diabetes educators use to help people make better food choices..
"Exchange" is just another way to say "serving." Carbohydrate servings include foods that contain sugars or starches, such as bread, cereal, rice, potatoes, pasta, milk and fruit. Vegetable servings include non-starchy varieties like greens or carrots. Meat servings are protein foods such as beef, pork, chicken, cheese or eggs. Margarine, oils and nuts are considered Fat servings.
Each individual food falls into one of these categories. Portion sizes are set so that each serving in a food group is nutritionally about the same as the rest. In our recipes and menus there's no need to figure this out yourself; we calculate these amounts and list them for you!
If you prefer to use Diabetes Exchanges as a meal planning tool, you’ll need to meet with a nutritionist or diabetes educator to find out how many exchanges you should have at each meal and snack.
These lists are based on "Exchange Lists for Meal Planning—2003 edition" by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association.
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| Fruits | 1 small to medium piece fruit 1/2 cup canned fruit 1/2 cup fruit juice | ||||||||||
| Milk | 1 cup low fat milk 1 cup fat free milk 2/3 cup no-sugar-added or plain yogurt | ||||||||||
| Other | 3/4 oz pretzel 2 small lowfat cookies 6 saltine or butter type crackers 1/2 cup lite ice cream 3 square graham crackers | ||||||||||
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| Artichoke Asparagus Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Cucumber | Eggplant Green or Wax Beans Greens Leeks Onions | Pea pods Peppers Radishes Salad greens Sauerkraut | Spinach Tomaotes, fresh and canned Vegetable juices Zucchini | |||||||
| (Potatoes, peas, dried beans and corn are on the Carbohydrate list) | |||||||||||
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| Very lean choices | Each ounce or serving provides 0g carbohydrate, 7g protein, 0-1g fat and 35 calories. 1 oz skinless chicken, turkey, wild duck or pheasant 1 or fresh fish or shell fish 1/4 cup tuna packed in water 1 oz venison, buffalo or ostrich 1/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese 1 oz fat free cheese 1 low fat hot dog 2 egg whites 1/4 cup egg substitute 1/2 cup beans, peas or lentils (also counts as 1 Carbohydrate) | ||||||||||
| Lean choices | Each ounce or serving provides 0g carbohydrate, 7g protein, 3g fat and 55 calories 1 oz lean beef, pork, lamb or veal, trimmed of fat. 1 oz dark meat chicken or turkey, domestic duck or goose, no skin 1/4 cup 4.5% fat cottage cheese 1 oz low fat cheese 1-1/2 oz lite hot dog | ||||||||||
| Medium fat choices | Each ounce or serving provides 0g carbohydrate, 7g protein, 5g fat, and 75 calories. 1 oz ground beef, meatloaf, etc. 1 oz pork roast, cutlet 1 oz lamb roast, ground lamb 1 oz poultry with skin 1 oz feta, mozzarella or ricotta cheese 1 egg 1/2 cup tofu | ||||||||||
| High fat choices | Each ounce or serving provides 0g carbohydrate, 7g protein, 8g fat and 100 calories) 1 oz pork spare rib, ground pork, sausage 1 oz cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, American cheese 1 oz cold cut loafs such as bologna or salami 3 slices bacon 1 regular hot dog 1 Tbsp peanut butter | ||||||||||
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| Monounsaturated Fats (choose these more often) | 1/8 avocado 1 tsp oil (canola, olive, peanut) 8 large olives 10 peanuts 6 almonds or mixed nuts 2 tsp peanut butter | ||||||||||
| Polyunsaturated Fats (choose these more often) | 1 tsp stick, tub or squeeze margarine 1 tsp mayonnaise 1 Tbsp salad dressing 2 Tbsp lite dressing 2 tsp Miracle Whip | ||||||||||
| Saturated Fats (choose these less often) | 1 tsp bacon grease 1 tsp butter 2 Tbsp half and half 2 Tbsp sour cream 1 Tbsp cream cheese 2 Tbsp coconut, shredded | ||||||||||
Step 3
Count on Carbohydrates
What is Carbohydrate Counting?
Carbohydrate counting is a way to accurately measure the amount of carbohydrate you eat. Knowing this can help you eat about the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal, leading to a more predictable rise in your blood sugar from day to day.
Carbohydrate counting is a way to accurately measure the amount of carbohydrate you eat. Knowing this can help you eat about the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal, leading to a more predictable rise in your blood sugar from day to day.
Being consistent can:
- Help you regulate your blood sugar.
- Help your physician adjust diabetes medications or insulin doses.
- May help with weight management, since the emphasis is on portion sizes.
Note: Beyond basic carb advice given here, patients can be taught “Advanced Carb Counting.” This skill helps match appropriate insulin dose to whatever amount of carbohydrate is eaten. See your physician or diabetes educator for more information.
How does basic carb counting work?
To make meal planning easier, sugar- and starch-containing foods are “lumped together” into one big list called “Carbohydrates” or “Carbs.” By selecting a certain number of choices from this list at each meal, you can keep your carbohydrate intake and calories about the same each day. This can really help folks trying to control their blood sugars. Knowing what’s on the list is the first step!
To make meal planning easier, sugar- and starch-containing foods are “lumped together” into one big list called “Carbohydrates” or “Carbs.” By selecting a certain number of choices from this list at each meal, you can keep your carbohydrate intake and calories about the same each day. This can really help folks trying to control their blood sugars. Knowing what’s on the list is the first step!
| One carbohydrate serving contains 15 grams of carbohydrate, such as: | |
| 1/4 bagel 1 slice bread 6" tortilla 1 reduced fat waffle 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal 3/4 cup cold cereal (or 1 oz) 3 Tbsp flour 1/3 cup cooked pasta 1/2 English muffin, hamburger or hot dog bun 3/4 oz pretzel 1 cup low fat milk 1 cup fat free milk | 1/2 cup corn, peas, or potatoes 1/2 cup cooked dried beans 1 cup winter squash 1/4 large baked potato 2/3 cup no-sugar-added yogurt 1 small to medium piece fruit 1/2 cup canned fruit 1/2 cup fruit juice 6 saltines 2 small lowfat cookies 1/2 cup lite ice cream 3 square graham crackers |
How much carbohydrate should I have each meal?
Carbohydrate advice depends on calories, medications and blood sugar goals. Your physician, registered dietitian and diabetes educator can give recommendations on what’s right for you.
Carbohydrate advice depends on calories, medications and blood sugar goals. Your physician, registered dietitian and diabetes educator can give recommendations on what’s right for you.
In general, women can target around 45g carbohydrate (3 choices), and men can target around 60g (4 choices) per meal. Very active or lean individuals will need more. In addition, several carbohydrate servings may be used daily between meals for snacks. You should eat a minimum of 130g of carbohydrate per day. Always check with your health care provider before making changes in carbohydrate intake.
| Here’s an example of a meal containing 45g carbohydrate | |
| 4 oz. pan-seared fish fillet 1/2 cup cooked greens 1 cup winter squash with margarine 1 cup fat free milk 1 cup sliced berries | (15g carbohydrate) (15g carbohydrate) (15g carbohydrate) |
| Total: | 45g carbohydrate |
| Food packages must comply with federal regulations in the claims they make. Here are a few government definitions you might find on a label. | |||
| No Sugar Added/ Without Added Sugar | No sugar, jelly or juices have been added in making of this food, but the food could still have naturally present sugars, carbohydrate and high amounts of fat. Be sure to check the carbohydrate (and fat) information on these foods! | ||
| Reduced Sugar | At least 25% less sugar than regular product. May still be high in carbohydrate content. Be sure to check the carbohydrate information on these foods. | ||
| Sugar free | Must have less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving. May also be high in fat and carbohydrate! | ||
| Lite or Light | Has 1/3 fewer calories or 50 percent less fat per serving. If the food is already low in calories and fat, lite may refer to sodium content. This term does not refer to sugar or carbohydrate content. | ||
| Reduced or “less” | At least 25% less of the nutrient (like fat, sodium or sugar) than regular product. | ||
| Fat Free | 1/2 gram of fat or less per serving. | ||
| Sweet Talk on Sweeteners | |||
| Whether you should use sweeteners depends on what it is and how you will use it. Any of the following sweeteners could be listed as an ingredient, but all contain the same amount of calories and carbohydrate as table sugar. | |||
| Sucrose Brown Sugar Lactose Concentrated fruit juice | Maltose Corn Sweeteners Dextrose Fructose | Honey Maple Syrup Molasses Sorghum | |
Some diabetes recipes call for small amounts of these sweeteners, but have calculated the total amount of carbohydrate for you. On a food label, look at the “total carbohydrate” section to see just how much carbohydrate these ingredients add.
Why do some health professionals recommend sugar free foods?
Some sugar free foods such as diet soft drinks and sugar free gelatin can be eaten freely because they contain almost no calories, fat or carbohydrates. That makes them a smart choice for weight and blood sugar control. "No sugar added" canned or frozen fruits are a good choice because they have about half the calories and carbohydrates of fruits packed in syrup. Always check the Nutrition Facts label. No matter what the food, you need to consider its overall nutritional content.
Some sugar free foods such as diet soft drinks and sugar free gelatin can be eaten freely because they contain almost no calories, fat or carbohydrates. That makes them a smart choice for weight and blood sugar control. "No sugar added" canned or frozen fruits are a good choice because they have about half the calories and carbohydrates of fruits packed in syrup. Always check the Nutrition Facts label. No matter what the food, you need to consider its overall nutritional content.
Sugar alcohols are another type of sweetener used in foods. They are neither sugar nor alcohol, but taste sweet. Only about half the sugar alcohol in a product can be digested to form blood sugar. For this reason, these sweeteners are used to reduce the usable sugar in a product. See the box below to find out how to count foods sweetened with sugar alcohol.
You might find these sweeteners used in candies, gums, cookies and ice creams: Mannitol, Sorbitol, Maltotol (Don’t eat too much! These sweeteners can cause tummy aches!)
| Aspartame | Made from two naturally occurring amino acids, Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar. It tends to break down under high heat and pressure and therefore doesn’t work well in many baked goods. It’s often found in sugar-free sodas, puddings and frozen desserts. (Nutrasweet, Equal, Nutrataste, Wegmans Sweetener with Aspartame) |
| Sucralose | Made from table sugar that has been modified so that it cannot be used for calories or carbohydrate by the body. It can be found as a sweetener in foods and can be used in cooking. (Splenda) |
| Acesulfame K | 200 times sweeter than sugar. Can be used in cooking, and is often found in diet drinks. (Sweet One) |
| Saccharin | 300 times sweeter than table sugar. This is an inexpensive sweetener, but is used less frequently in sugar-free foods. (Sweet ‘n Low, Sugar Twin, Sprinkle Sweet, Wegmans Sugar Substitute with Saccharin) |
| Splenda Lite and Equal Sugar Lite | These sweeteners are combined in equal parts with table sugar. The sugar component brings bulk and browning ability to your recipes, while the artificial sweetener part cuts calories. Beware that these products will have an impact on your blood sugar, but less than regular sugar. |
Using sugar substitutes:
- In baking and cooking follow the instructions on the package. Some forms of sweetener are used in equal amounts to sugar, others need to be measured differently.
- Aspartame loses its sweetness when exposed to high heat for a long time. Add this sweetener after the cooking step.
- Some baked-good recipes depend on sugar to provide bulk and texture. For this reason, it’s best to use cake and cookie recipes that are designed for artificial sweeteners, or try substituting part of the sugar with low calorie sweetener.
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