Diabetic Desserts

As a diabetic, you may have been told you can't have dessert or you need to have a special diabetic dessert.. Well, here's the good news, a diabetic dessert doesn't need to be boring or overly restrictive. Research shows that just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t eat sweets and desserts. There's actually no such thing as a diabetic dessert. If you eat sensibly and make sure you build your dessert into you daily eating plan there is no reason why you can't continue to enjoy them.

People with diabetes used to be warned to avoid sugar and foods high in refined carbohydrates but research has now shown that sugar affects your glucose levels in much the same way as other carbohydrates such as rice, bread and potatoes.

On a calorie for calorie basis, sugar will raise blood glucose about the same amount as any other carbohydrate-containing food.

So, even with diabetes you can still keep your glucose levels within acceptable limits and eat desserts and sweets. You just have to be sensible in your overall nutritional choices. The trick is to plan your meals to include the sugars as part of your daily intake. This may mean eating smaller portions of other carbs, or reducing the portion of dessert.

The main problem with desserts is that they do not contain the vitamins and minerals found in “healthier” food choices, and they tend to be higher in fat and calories. However, as long as you are getting enough good nutrition in your diet there is no harm in enjoying desserts too.

On this page, you will find guidelines to help keep your sugar levels within your target range and still enjoy desserts.

If you are trying to lose weight, there are still options that can satisfy a sweet tooth:

 

• Eat plenty of fruit, fresh or dried.
  
  
• Treat yourself to a small portion of dessert instead of an extra portion of bread or potatoes. 
  
  

• Use low calorie sweeteners in your drinks instead of sugar. 

• Look for reduced fat and/or reduced calorie desserts. 
  

• Experiment with your dessert recipes – try substituting a low-calorie sweetener for some of the sugar.
  

• We have compiled a super recipe book with plenty of tasty diabetic dessert recipes.
  
  Although, as I said earlier, there's no such thing as a diabetic dessert, if you can reduce the sugar content of your desserts you will be able to enjoy a larger portion.
  
  That is why we have included in our book desserts that we call diabetic desserts. Remember, keeping your sugar intake down is good for all the family, not just diabetics so everyone can enjoy our diabetic desserts.
  
  The book includes recipes for sweets, sugar-free cake and many other sugar-free desserts. There are hot and cold desserts, Sugar-free snacks and many other delicious treats for anyone with a sweet tooth.  

  Tasty Treats If you have a sweet tooth that just isn't satisfied by fresh fruit, Glucerna do a great range of tasty treats. The products are specially formulated for people with abnormal glucose tolerance. They taste excellent and they have a minimal impact on your blood glucose levels. Both the snack bars and the shakes are super as diabetic dessert substitutes or as a snack in between meals.