when you are diabetic can you not have sweet foods?

Answer 1

If you are diabetic, you have to control your caloric intake. Sugar has a high amount of calories, while providing no nutrition. Diabetics have to be especially careful when eating high-sugar foods.

Luckily, there are many sugar-free products now available (sweetened with Nutrasweet, Saccharine, Splenda, etc). So most diabetics can enjoy desserts and other sweets. They just have to be careful watching their blood sugar level.

Answer 2

I agree with magicwriter65. A lot of people on here really don't know what they are talking about. I have had type 1 diabetes for many many years and what needs to be watched is carbohydrates not sugar. It is the carbs in the food that affects blood sugar levels. Even sugar-free foods have carbs and I have found that some sugar-free foods actually have more carbs then regular foods. I take insulin and I do not watch sugar intake but I read the food labels and keep track of carbs. I take a certain amount of insulin per each 15 grams of carbs I eat. The best thing to do is talk to a dietician who specializes in diabetics.

Answer 3

You can have sweets but you must highly limit them depending on your blood sugar level and what meds you are taking. Given that diabetes sufferers have highly variable blood sugar levels sometimes sugar is a good thing to keep the system in check.

A blanced diet and appropriate weight management can do a lot to keep a diabetic healthy if he/she isn't too seriously ill.

My grandfather lived with diabetes for 30years and managed it most of the time through diet and exercise, and he would allow himself a sweet treat about twice a week.

Answer 4

I'd really like to sit here in front of you (like I'm doing now), and eat my entire bag of swedish fish. I eat sweets all the time, and my diabetes is in ok control (could be better, but I'm a little bit apathetic...). Sugar and sweets are fine for diabetics. Its carbohydrates that we have to watch, and take insulin for. In fact, when I was first diagnosed with diabetes, my doctor told me that if I wanted to eat candy bars for every meal, he could design an insulin plan for that (he didn't recommend it for other reasons, but sugar is okay).

P.S. To all of you non diabetics out there talking about "sugar free" being good, all I have to say is that is complete bull. Sugar free cookies still have carbohydrates, but they taste worse. And, too much of any of the sugar free stuff can give you dirriah (trust me on this ), while splenda can cause headaches. Not to mention that sugar free stuff just plain tastes bad.

Answer 5

Sweets can be taken occasionally, but should replace fruit in your daily diet when taken.

For example, if you usually have a piece of fruit, such as an apple or pineapple for dinner, in addition to other foods, you can replace that with a 3/4 cup of ice cream instead sometimes. A meeting with a dietician will help you understand how to balance your portions and know when it is most appropriate.

As others say here, moderation is the key.

Answer 6

According to well-connected.com's Diabetes Diet Report in 2001,

"Sugar itself, either as sucrose or fructose, adds calories, increases blood glucose levels quickly, and provides no other nutrients. People with diabetes should continue to avoid products listing more than 5 grams of sugar per serving, and even fruit intake should be moderate. If specific amounts are not listed, patients should avoid products with either sucrose or fructose listed as one of the first four ingredients on the label."

However, there are artificial sweeteners.

Answer 7

When you are a diabetic, you can eat what you want. The problem is how much you eat. If you're considerate of your diabetes, then you will have the appropriate amount that will affect your blood glucose in little ways. If you are not in control of you glucose or want to go on a spree for the moment, then you eat lots and pay for it later. It's a matter of choices. Not everyone is controlled all the time. We all have our weak moments and compensate in various ways.

Answer 8

yes,you can, I'm a diabetic and i use an insulin pump. you just have to cover the sweets with extra insulin. but be careful too much can give you hypoglycemia, it's alot easier with a pump, but i really eat whatever i want just in moderation and if i know I'm gonna eat something with alot of sugar i cover myself with extra insulin...it's hard not to eat sweets, when i was first diagnosed i never ate any sweets, but it's not the sweets, it's really the carbs, if you ate a bowl of pasta and a brownie it would do the same thing, it's all about the carbs...but if you want to be extra careful try sugar free products, some of them are really good. try snack wells sugar free cookies they are good, but watch out for the carbs, and if you eat sugar free food in excess you could get gas, bloating and diarrhea.so just eat in moderation
hope this helped...

Answer 9

welll you cant just completely rule it out of your diet ive been a diabetic since i was 5 and now i have the pump so with the pump you can actually have more sugar so really it all depends

Answer 10

You can have limited sweet foods but there are many sugar free foods and candies out there.