MY MOTHER IN LAW IS DIABETIC AND SHE REALY DONT LIKE LOW SUGAR CANDY AND, TIRED OF EATING FRUITS, WHAT SWEET CAN SHE HAVE OTHER THEN LOW SUGAR CANDY OR JUST SWEETS If she is not overweight, and her blood sugars are well controlled, she should be able to work small amounts of "sweets" into her diet just fine.
The problem with "diabetic" foods (low sugar cakes, cookies, etc.) is that they are still often high in calories, fat, and carbs, and leave the person feeling unsatisfied. The person may even eat more of these than they normally word, defeating the purpose.
A better way is to have her eat her normal healthy diet, and perhaps add a small treat afterwards. For example, a SMALL dark piece of rich chocolate or a Halloween size mini chocolate bar (15 grams of carbs) is an OK treat.
It sounds like she is just going to binge if you only allow her what she has been eating, which defeats the purpose. As long as she is not eating an entire candy bar on a regular basis, one regular candy/mint after dinner should be fine.
Some people with diabetes like to use Splenda in their baking. I am not a fan of this because it causes people to think that it's OK to make "junk" foods a regular part of their diet as long as they are sugar free. These foods are still empty calories, carbs, and fat, none of which a diabetic needs. Once in awhile is fine. Others do not like to use artificial sweeteners due to the perceived safety concerns, side effects, taste, or the fact that studies show that they may cause people to eat more.
Some studies have linked Splenda to an increase in A1c, a test used to determine the average blood sugar over the past 3 months. Some Type 1 diabetics report an increase in blood sugar after comsuming Splenda.
Stevia is a natural herb that is used as a sweetner. I am not sure how well it will hold out for baking, but it can be used for coffee and cereal. I always reccommend Stevia over Splenda.
That said, Splenda is an option some people decide to use and they are very happy with it.
I would also make sure that she is not experiencing low blood sugar when she is having these cravings. Make sure she tests her blood glucose level when these cravings occur. She may need a change in her treatment plan. Jello is a great option, Although I have to say I am not diabetic, but I really like the sugar free versions of Jello and Pudding. Angle food cake is another exellent choice. My father in law is a diabetic (type 2) and he loves it when I make angle food cake with strawberries.
I have also found that baking with splenda is a great option. Through trial and error, I have found that the Splenda baking blend (half sugar and half splenda) is the best for stuff that needs to rise, such as cakes and quick breads. I just recently found a banana bread recipie that uses only 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar as the sweetner, which I substituted with the Brown sugar Splenda. My father in law likes it better than normal breads. I have decided that this year, I will do all my christmas baking with Splenda, as I know several diabetics who always feel left out when it comes to christmas cookies. I tried out a few cookie recipies for Thanksgiving using Splenda, and the non diabetics in my family had no idea that there wasn't any refined sugar. I have yet to find a recipie that can't be converted to use it. The regular splenda works good in baking too, but you don't get the same rise as with the baking blend. She can have a small serving of anything she really wants to have.
I really love real chocolate cake with chocolate custard filling and fudge icing. I have had people snatch it away from my fork because they know I am diabetic.
What they do not understand is that I KNOW what I can have and WHEN!!! Besides that my endo said we should never crave anything. If we want a small serving of that chocolate cake, have it!!! Compensate somewhere else.
For your information: that low sugar candy and sugar free stuff is just plain nasty tasting and has a gassy effect on most of us!!! She can eat any food on this planet.
She just has to learn to count carbs.
She needs a great endocrinologist, a dietitian and a diabetes education class.
She should sign up for popular diabetes magazines and even join a support group.
Knowledge is Power. she can have gum and there is diabetic candy that tastes really good It sounds like she is really addicted to sweets. I suspect a candida infection and suggest she begin following the Body Ecology diet, or something similar to balance the flora in her body. Getting on a high quality probiotic such as Primal Defense is also vital to fight the infection.
Sugar free candies usually contain artificial sweeteners, which are dangerous substances. Some are made with xylitol, but even too much of this natural sweetener can cause digestive upset. Honey is a very high glycemic food, meaning it will spike your blood sugar and it is not appropriate for diabetics. Though it does have special health benefits of it's own, the effects on insulin outweigh any of it's good traits for the most part. Luckily, there are some safer options that are just as tasty.
1. Organic raw blue agave nectar has a similar flavor to honey and is a very low glycemic food. It is safe for diabetics. However, it will still acidify your body pH and feed candida.
2. Stevia is an herb that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Body Ecology (www.bodyecology.com) has the best tasting stevia I have found. Other brands have a strong, licorice type aftertaste that I find unappealing. It comes in powder form but I feel the liquid is best. It will not feed candida or acidify your body, but it is difficult to bake with and doesnt taste exactly like sugar.
3. Lakanto is the new kid on the block and perhaps your best bet. It looks, tastes and even BAKES like sugar yet has no calories and no impact on blood sugar. It contains no additives and will not cause digestive upset. In addition, it will not acidify your body and does not feed candida. The two natural ingredients in Lakanto are erythritol and the supersweet extract of the luo han guo fruit from China. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in grapes, pears, mushrooms, soy sauce, cheese, wine and beer, so it and has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. Get some Lakanto at www.bodyecology.com and try it for yourself.
For more information on how to control your blood sugar and stay healthy naturally, join my yahoo group The Body Secret at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/the...
Hope that helps!
Carisa |
