Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Q. I have diabetes - why is it OK for me now to have sugar?

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Q. I have diabetes - why is it OK for me now to have sugar?

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THE QUESTION IN FULL

Q. I've had type 2 diabetes for 15 years. When I was first diagnosed I was told no sugar was permitted and I had to use sweetener. Now why is it now OK for me to have sugar?

A. In recent years, there has been a relaxation of the restriction of sugar for people with diabetes for three main reasons:

  1. Nutritionists are less concerned with sugar and more worried about saturated fat intake and heart problems (understandable given the fact that diabetes increases the likelihood of heart disease by 5 to 6 times more than that of the general population).
  2. Recent research into the Glycaemic Index (GI) has shown that sugar has only a moderate effect on blood sugar levels compared to starchy foods like rice or potatoes, which raise it dramatically. Read up on the Glycaemic Index at their website here.
  3. Something sweet helps people stay on their low-fat food plan eg. a sprinkle of brown sugar makes your breakfast oats taste better as does a little jam on grain toast.

 

The bottom line is sugar does not have to be avoided completely if you have diabetes, although you don't want to have huge amounts. Sugar still contributes extra kilojoules which make losing excess weight more difficult, but you don't have to use sugar substitutes (sweeteners like aspartame or stevia).

If consumed as part of a meal (like a dessert or jam on toast), sugar is unlikely to push up blood sugars, although sugar on an empty stomach (say a soft drink between meals) will have an effect.

 

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Comments (2)

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484
I have worked as a Diabetes Educator for just over 10 yrs now, and it still amazes me that so many people still think that with Diabetes, you cannot have ANY sugar, when it is a matter of quantity as well as quality with carbohydrate content in foods. I suppose it is because Diabetes is a problem of the body managing blood sugar, but now we have better, affordable glucose meters, so that people can assess the effect of low-fat foods on their own blood sugar control.
I think that the main reason that most people with Diabetes die of heart attacks & strokes, is that in the past, the need to limit fats was not emphasised enough ... You can judge the effect of sugars in your food (with a glucose meter) but by the time the Doctor says that you have raised lipid levels (Cholesterol, triglycerides, etc), you already have a fat problem!
Simon Scott-Findlay , July 15, 2010
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Hi Simon. You hit the nail on the head! Sugar and carbohydrate IS a matter of quantity AND quality! Thanks for your comment and apologies for not responding sooner (slipped by my checking). Agree about the need to limit bad fats and check quantity. Sugars are measured quickly and easily but not the effect of fats on your blood levels. Cheers Catherine
Catherine Saxelby , November 23, 2010

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