Diabetes is a chronic disease that leads to an increase in the level of glucose in the blood to a critical high point. Despite the fact that people with diabetes must be very attentive to his diet, sometimes they can treat themselves to sweet.
There is a common misconception that people with diabetes need to avoid all sweet food. Careful control of consumption of carbohydrates and sugar, of course, vital, as this can influence the level of glucose in the blood. However, if you stick to a healthy diet, sometimes you can afford to eat something sweet.
Sweets as part of a healthy diet
The amount of carbohydrates and sugar that can eat people suffering with diabetes depends on several factors, including:
- The level of activity
- Need to lose weight or maintain their healthy weight
- The need to reduce the level of glucose in the blood
A doctor or dietitian can help people with diabetes to set personal goals and make a meal plan according to their needs.
According to the American diabetes Association, the diet of people with diabetes can be candy, chocolate or other sweet products. However, it is important to follow a proper diet. A healthy eating plan must:
- To contain a limited amount of saturated fat
- Contain moderate amounts of salt and sugar
- Include protein, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and healthy fats
Small portions of sweet productspecialist recommend to pamper yourself is very rare.
When choosing products, it is important that people with diabetes understand how they can affect the level of glucose in the blood. To do this you must learn to carefully read the composition of products on labels. Many products are full of slogans without sugar or with no added sugar. However, anise may still contain calories and carbohydrates that may affect the level of sugar in the blood.
The types of sugar
There are three main types of carbohydrates:
- Simple carbohydrates or simple sugars
- Complex carbohydrates or starches
- Fiber, the indigestible fiber from plant foods
Natural sugars include:
- Fructose contained in fruits
- Lactose which is in dairy products
There are over 60 different names for added sugars that may appear on the label. The most common of these are:
- Sucrose also known as table sugar
- Corn syrup with high fructose
- Corn syrup
- Syrup brown rice
- Agave nectar
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Maltose
- Dextrose
- Malt syrup
- Glucose
- Maltodextrin
- Barley malt
- Beet sugar
When a person eats, his digestive system breaks down carbohydrates, derived from food into glucose which is simple sugar. Then the body absorbs the glucose into the blood stream.
Glucose is the main energy source of the body. A hormone called insulin is responsible for glucose uptake into the blood. People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin, or their cells don’t respond to the hormone appropriately. This leads to the fact that the level of glucose in the blood becomes too high.
Simple sugars tend to increase the level of blood glucose faster and higher than complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat and oatmeal.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners are non-caloric or low-calorie alternatives to sugar, which usually have less impact on the glucose levels in the blood.
Manufacturers usually add them to many products ipotecat their labeling to low sugar, reduced sugar, diet or low calorie product. However, other ingredients in these products can still contain calories or carbohydrates. Before purchasing one of these products it is important to examine the ingredients listed on the label.
Common sugar substitutes include:
Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that usually do not contain or contain few calories. The five most common artificial sweeteners include:
- Aspartame
- Acesulfame potassium or Acesulfame K
- Saccharin
- Sucralose
- Neotame
Many of these artificial sweeteners are used as sugar amenitiescable, as well as for cooking and baking.
Sugar alcohols
Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrates contained in plants. But before you add them to the food manufacturers must process them.
Sugar alcohols contain fewer calories than regular sugar, but can increase the level of glucose in the blood. Sugar alcohols include:
- Sorbitol
- Mannitol
- Xylitol
- Erythrite
- Maltitol
- Isomalt
- Lactitol is
For some people sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect that may cause diarrhea and flatulence.
Stevia
Stevia is generally recognized as safe sweetener, which is contained in the plant Stevia rebaudiana. However, producers need to extract and ocistatementtype in premachining processing. Stevia is also known as Rebaudioside A, REB-A or rebiana.
Stevia contains no sugar or calories, so manufacturers add it to megaproduct food and drinks as a sugar substitute. These products megumaresugiteite as naturally sweetened.
Arhat
Monk fruit, or Luo Han Guo is a plant that grows in South East Asia. The juice of the fruit is extremely sweet, about 150-250 times sweeter than table sugar. Manufacturers add it in a number of foods and beverages as a sweetener.
Like stevia, the extract of the Arhat is a safe sweetener that contains no sugar and calories, and foods that contain it can be labeled as naturally sweetened.
Carefully read product labels
All packaged food and drinks have the label with facts on nutritional value. Understanding what you should pay attention, can help people to determine the potential effects of the food or beverage of glucose in the blood. Talk about the three most important criteria:
- Serving size
- Carbohydrates
- Calories
If a food product contains any artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes, the manufacturer should include them in the composition.
Serving size
The first number you should pay attention on the label is serving size. Manufacturers base all subsequent information in one serving of the product. For example, one portion may be 10 crackers. So if you eat 20 pieces, you would consume twice the calories and carbs listed on the box.
Manufacturers set the serving size based on common measures such as:
- Glass
- Tablespoon
- Thing
- Slice
- Bank
The label also must always inform the serving size in grams (g) and the number of servings in the container.
Calories
Figure calories refers to the total number of calories per serving. These calories come from all sources, including fats, carbohydrates, proteins and alcohol.Records the total number of calories consumed can be important for people wanting to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. .
Carbohydrates
This indicator tells us the total amount of carbohydrate in grams per serving. It includes sugar, complex carbohydrate and fiber. People with diabetes it is important to consider the total amount of carbohydrate, not just sugar. All types of carbohydrates may affect glucose levels in the blood.
Some products may contain little or no contain sugar, but they still can be a lot of carbohydrates. Considering only the amount of sugar listed on the label, you may end up underestimating the potential impact of food on glucose levels in the blood.
People with diabetes should always pay attention to the overall amount of carbohydrates.
People with diabetes can eat sweets as part of a healthy meal plan or combined with exercise. However, it is best to allow yourself small portions and do it often.
Buying products, it is important to carefully read labels with nutritional information and remember that the amount of total carbohydrate can affect the level of sugar in the blood.