2023-05-13 16:00:00
Diabetes: is sugar allowed?
Anyone who has the metabolic disease diabetes mellitus type 2 suffers from insulin resistance. This means that the body is not able to produce enough insulin and to react properly to the insulin produced. If you have diabetes, you should avoid foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. In addition to white flour products, this also includes sugar. In the worst case, too much can result in hyperglycemia, which can put diabetics in a diabetic, life-threatening coma.
According to the German Diabetes Aid, diabetics can do a maximum of 50 grams of sugar (regarding 12 teaspoons). The World Health Organization (WHO) is even stricter and advises no more than 25 grams per day. This includes any form of sugar, including what is added to food and drinks.
Tipp: The best way to enjoy sweets is following a meal, when blood sugar levels have already risen. In combination with dietary fiber that has been eaten beforehand, the blood sugar does not fall once more as quickly. Chocolate fans should ideally use low-sugar varieties such as dark chocolate.
Sugar substitutes for diabetics: which sugar does not cause blood sugar to rise?
Radically cutting out sugar can be quite difficult. An alternative that can be particularly interesting for diabetics are sugar substitutes. In contrast to normal sugar, these have a lesser effect on blood sugar and thus also on the insulin level and are therefore utilized in the metabolism independently of insulin. They also have fewer calories than regular sugar.
Sweetener for diabetics: These sugar alternatives are available
- Stevia: Is obtained from the plants of the same name and has been permitted as a sweetener in the EU since 2011. Has a licorice-like, slightly bitter taste.
- Erythrit: Occurs naturally in cheese and fruit. Obtained industrially from the fermentation of corn. Because of its mild sweetness, erythritol is often used in baked goods and other sweet things.
- xylitol: Made from birch wood (“birch sugar”), other woods and corn on the cob, has a taste very similar to sugar.
There is also this sugar substitute:
Good to know: Depending on the sugar substitute, this has a higher or lower sweetening power than conventional table sugar. Because of this, you cannot swap alternative sweeteners in the same ratio.
disadvantages of sugar substitutes
And even if sugar substitutes have less of an effect on blood sugar levels, consumption of sugar substitutes also has health disadvantages. Excessive consumption (20 to 30 grams) can cause gastrointestinal problems and lead to diarrhea. Studies have shown that sugar substitutes can have a negative effect on the intestinal bacteria and accordingly change the intestinal flora.
Natural sugar substitute for diabetics
For the above reasons, the question arises as to whether a natural sugar substitute such as agave syrup or coconut blossom sugar is considered a healthier choice. Coconut blossom sugar is said to have a lower glycemic index than conventional sugar – but there are no reliable studies that prove this. And what regarding agave syrup? At 70 to 75 percent, this contains a high proportion of fructose, which is anything but beneficial for diabetics.
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