Diabetes and low calorie sweeteners
In
some instances it can be acceptable for diabetic people
to eat a measure of food with sugar. The general viewpoint
on sugar is that it can be used sensitively by diabetics
who are not overweight
,
as long as it is included as part
of a healthy diet. The diabetic diet need not completely
exclude any food, nor does it need to be 100 per cent
sugar free. Balance is the key.
Low-calorie sweeteners are sugar
substitutes that have no calories and do not raise
blood glucose levels through eating them, making them
perfect for diabetic people. Low-cal sweeteners are
neither carbohydrate, nor fat, and they don't fit
any of the other categories of the
diabetic exchange
.Sweeteners can be added to a diabetic
meal plan instead of exchanged.
There are several varieties of
low-calorie sweetener approved by the American Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and accepted by leading
diabetes organisations such as the American Diabetes
Association (ADA.) Diabetes UK takes the approach
that low-calorie artificial sweeteners can be included
as part of the diabetic diet, as long as the food
they are eaten with does not itself contain high fat
or calorie content.
What types of artificial
sweetener are suitable for diabetics?
The following types of artificial sweetener are commercially
available:
Saccharin - Saccharin
is often used in both hot and cold foods as an artificial
sweetener. Saccharin, despite initial concerns over
its carcinogenic affects, has been proven as a safe
and effective sweetener. Famous brands include Sweet
N Low.
Aspartame - Aspartame is an artificial
sweetener that can be better employed in cold foods.
Depending on the type, higher temperatures can decrease
its sweetening effects. Popular brands include NutraSweet
and Equal.
Acesulfame Potassium - Acesulfame
potassium (also called acelsufame-K), is another type
of low-calorie sweetener suitable for diabetes sufferers.
The sweetener can be used in cooking because of its
ability to resist heat. Sweet One and Swiss Sweet
are both based around this sweetener.
Sucralose - Sucralose is the most
recent low-calorie sweetener around. The sweetener
is not affected by heat and generally retains its
sweetness in cooking or hot drinks. Splenda is based
on Sucralose.
How do I know these sweeteners are safe for
diabetics to use?
Low-calorie
Sweeteners have been extensively tested and reviewed.
People suffering from phenylketonuria should avoid
aspartame, one type of sweetener. In general, artificial
sweeteners are safe for everyone, including pregnant
women and children.
What are the good and bad points when it comes
to artificial sweeteners for diabetic people?
Low-calorie sweeteners generally have fewer calories,
and as such can be good for overweight people, often
type 2 diabetics , who are trying to lose weight.
However, it is worth being aware of what the food
you are eating contains - foods that contain low-calorie
sweeteners are not necessarily low-calorie themselves.
To stay on top of this, always check the nutrition
information on the food label. Sugar-free foods do
not always mean low calorie, so be on your guard for
this.
Can I cook using low-calorie sweeteners?
Some low-calorie sweeteners make excellent additions
to sweeten your recipes, and this can be a major aid
for the diabetic diet. However, cooking with sugar
does add more to food than just the sweetness, particularly
when it comes to cakes and biscuits. Some diabetics
prefer to use both sugar and sweetener, but you should
stay aware of how this affects blood sugar levels
at
all times.
