Eating with Diabetes: Dessert and Sweets

I know from experience the truth of this article and I have personally been able to "reverse" diabetes from using an insulin pump to needing no medications for type 2 diabetes! It is a matter of taking control of the amount you eat and the amount of exercise and when it is taken. Exercise can actually work in place of insulin if you take a gentle 15 minute walk fairly soon after a meal. I don't mean vigorous exercise , just some form of activity. For me just doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen and dining room after the meal works.

I think it is "a crime" the way people think diabetics should be sentenced to a life with no desserts or only use of artificial sweeteners. I resent it when others attempt to control my diet and I am so glad I am the cook in our family! others seem to delight in making diabetics feel guilty if they want to eat like everyone else. I found this a very good article which bears out what I learned at a great life style change center I attended a few years ago. - 3/20/2013 12:52:57 PM

i am very disappointed in this article. telling people sugar is fine even if you are diabetic. please!

my dh has type 2 diabetes. the nutritionist we met with and the paperwork we were given and the research i've done myself says a diabetic should have no more than 45-60 g of carbs per DAY (less if your blood sugar is consistently high), not per meal. and they shouldn't have more than 20-25 grams per meal. and these carbs should come from healthy vegetables and minimal whole grains.

diabetes is a very serious disease. you cannot afford to take chances. your limbs, eyes and life are at stake. not worth a cookie or a brownie in my opinion.

i have a friend who doesn't see it as a big deal that she has had to move from metformin to daily shots of insulin. she is overweight, smokes and eats donuts, cookies and such. i have to strictly ban her from bringing any of that crap into our house. your article seems to be written for people like her who need support of their unhealthy lifestyle choices.

i think the members of spark are people who want to be as healthy as possible. you should be writing articles to support that goal of health.

this is not such an article.
thumbs down to you on this one. - 2/21/2013 4:25:00 PM

The idea that diabetics can consume a significant number of carbs is completely outdated and dangerous. Diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate intolerance. The fewer carbohydrates a diabetic eats the better. Carbohydrates are not an essential nutrient as the body only needs them in very small amounts in the brain and those can be made by our body through gluconeogenesis. For most people it is possible to completely reverse type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome just by reducing carbohydrate consumption to very low levels (somewhere between 0 and 50 for most). I'm saddened by the fact that the health of many people who innocently believe this article is at significant risk. For anyone who wants to learn more about the effects of carbohydrates join the low-carb and paleo/primal teams on Spark to learn more. - 2/21/2013 12:48:23 PM

It's honestly scary to think folks will read this article and believe this...When you see where the increase in sugar and junk carb consumption has gotten this world I think you'd see this is just not logical.

I agree about the comments about dietitians and nutritionists. It's not just being wrong, it's damaging health and ultimately killing people. - 2/21/2013 11:54:41 AM

Wrong Wrong Wrong
If you want to control your diabetes, go find other sources and read, read, read.
Spark does a lot of good, but they need to wake up about this subject.
PLEASE
Do your own research, listen to your own body, pay attention to how you feel.
Try to not believe everything you read either, TEST IT OUT YOURSELF!
Food is fuel for our bodies-we need to use quality fuel.
Trust me-I was the junk food queen for 45 years. I lived on sugar!!! Now, 15 years later, I eat no wheat, no sugar (except Stevia) and very little meat, corn, soy and dairy. Those things are not necessary for survival or even great taste! We eat gourmet meals.
EVERYONE LOVES TO EAT AT OUR HOUSE!
You can do this-trust yourself to find your own path if you really want to change, get healthier and control your diabetes!
Best of Luck.
- 2/19/2013 10:07:46 AM

According to what I've been researching on diabetes this article is outdated and dangerous. It was the only advice they had to give at the time. Up to date research show that eating protein with any carb will allow the sugar to be absorbed at a slower and steadier pace. Fiber has a huge impact also. It takes a long long time for research to get into text books to be taught in the school for the dietitians to start teaching it. If you must indulge in your occasional sugar concoction, fit it into your meal or make sure you add at least a small amount of protein to your snack, check your blood sugar &do what works for you - 2/18/2013 4:41:28 PM

Glycemic index DOES matter, but it's not regulated and there is mixed "data" on it since everyone's bodies are different, so it's not reliable. You can only figure out how things affect you from trial and error. BUT, you can safely bet that a regular white/wheat flour cookie made with refined sugar is going to do a heck of a lot more to your blood sugar than a cookie made with almond flour and stevia! This article is misleading and disappointing. Most people haven't become diabetics because they are good at practicing moderation and to advise this kind of indulging when there are sooo many other healthy low carb recipes/options out there is what makes it so upsetting. Just because it tells you what you want to hear doesn't mean you should believe it... that said, it's your body so do as you like. - 2/18/2013 2:42:59 PM

This article is rubbish! A slice of cake and a slice of whole wheat bread are not equivalent! I am on a low carb diet and while I do have some sweets (dark chocolate) and some grains I make sure that they are low carb to begin with and eat a fraction a 4th to a half of the suggested portion to ensure that the carbs/sugar I am consuming remains even lower. I stick to 50g of carbs per day and she is suggesting you eat 30g of carbs at one sitting! I wouldn't do it! - 2/18/2013 2:30:51 PM

I agree with Fatsochubby, RGFITFORLIFE, Woubbie and Jannebarn and the others who are educated enough to know -- Sugar and grains make your sugar spike dangerously Up AND dangerously Down. THAT'S what diabetics need to AVOID! The spikes as well as high glucose levels. Following this would kill me! I absolutely HAVE to add FIBER and PROTEIN if I want to indulge, and I do so only rarely to avoid the DAMAGE that sugar causes. - 2/18/2013 12:19:04 PM

Obviously some of those who commented on this article are not very realistic and not up-to-date on diabetes. Almost everyone likes a little treat now and then and this article points out how a diabetic can have one. Wish I could save to my Favorites!!! THANKS!!! - 2/18/2013 10:14:05 AM

You can call it what you like, and be offended some of us are not applauding this so-called "dietician" but the fact remains that sugar is an addictive poison and the enemy of diabetics. It should furthermore be noted that whole wheat raises your blood sugar higher than a Snickers Bar. To regain full health cut out grains and sugar and increase nutrient-dense foods and healthy fats.

Dieticians are the missionaries for Big Food and Big Pharma. For up-to-date advice, seek a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. - 2/18/2013 9:54:34 AM

I am very confuse, doesn't the glycemic index matter? Since when all carbohydrates are created equal? Forget about the nutritional value, but the way they impact our blood.
There is a reason why athletes eat complex carbs and not sweets,
Please could someone from sparkspeople explain?
- 2/18/2013 9:47:16 AM

Everyone is specia. what works for one may not work for another. You have to find what your body needs. I know for myself that i need a treat a day to stay in check. Before you go on your high horses understand this. - 2/18/2013 8:02:33 AM

I agree with FATSOCHUBBY. You wouldn't tell an alcoholic to just stick to one drink per meal and expect any success. This type of article basically tells people that it's OK to eat things that ruin your health as long as you take a pill for it. Big Pharma will be pleased. - 2/18/2013 6:44:47 AM

BEWARE: This article doesn't discuss or take into account fiber & protein which help the sugar absorb slower into the blood stream, preventing a spike in blood glucose levels.
Eating a half cup of ice-cream by itself for a snack will spike your blood sugar in a way that an equivalent portion of carbs containing fiber or protein would not. It seems irresponsible for this article to make such claims. Please discuss with a doctor or nutritionist before following this chart! - 1/28/2013 2:35:10 AM