For diabetics, cooking meals can be a challenge. For this reason, it's important to modify your diet so you reduce your intake of foods high in salt, sugar or fat. Luckily, it's easy to substitute unhealthy food items for healthier alternatives. However, finding these alternatives, like diabetes sugar substitutes, may require a few cooking misfires.
Before getting started in the diabetes sugar substitute's process, it may help to have a better understanding of assorted types of sugar being used on a daily basis. Other names for sugar are sucrose, dextrose, fructose, glucose (other words ending in "ose'), cane syrup, molasses, and high fructose corn syrup. Fructose, sucrose, and corn syrups are popular ingredients in popsicles, carbonated drinks, juices, and desserts. As a diabetic, limiting your sugar intake is recommended. There are some physicians who believe that eliminating sugar from one's diet is more effective in lowering blood glucose levels than using diabetes sugar substitutes.
There is a wide assortment of products available that are made with diabetes sugar substitutes. These sugar substitutes provide a sweet flavor without resulting in an increase blood sugar. Nevertheless, in foods such as dairy products, you need to pay attention to the amount of lactose (natural sugar) you're using when cooking. However, when it comes to making homemade sweets like cakes, pies, and puddings, these diabetes-friendly sugar substitutes are healthy alternatives to sugar.
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Diabetes Sugar Substitute
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Description
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Use
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Splenda (Sucralose)
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A non caloric sweetener made from table sugar
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Cooking and baking
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Sweet One/ Sunsett (acesulfame K)
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A non-caloric sweetener almost 200x sweeter than sucrose
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Cooking and baking
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Sweet-n-Low (Saccharin)
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This diabetic sugar substitute is 300x sweeter than sugar
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Liquids. It's important to note that it can't be heated because it will become bitter
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Nutrasweet Equal (aspartame)
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A low calorie sugar substitute that is about 180x sweeter than sucrose
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Cannot be used in cooking as it breaks down. Instead, use it in drinks, dairy products, and other cold items
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Stevia
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Sold around the world, it is 300x sweeter than the average sugar. In the United States, it is often only sold in health food stores.
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Cooking and baking
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For people with diabetes, sugar substitutes are readily available. You can purchase these items in your local grocery or health food store. In addition to carrying these substitutes as add-ins, you can buy sugar-free meals that contain these ingredients. Remember that sugar substitutes are significantly sweeter than regular sugar. For this reason, it's advised to pay attention to the amount of substitute being used in the dish. It's important to note that some side effects associated with eating too many sugar substitutes include diarrhea or bloating. Over time, these gastrointestinal issues may lead to dehydration.
To become better acquainted with cooking with diabetes sugar substitutes, go to your local library for a selection of diabetes-friendly cookbooks or check out diabetes websites to find recipes that are as pleasing to the palette as they are healthy for the body. Also, talk to your doctor to learn more sugar substitutes and diabetes. He or she can provide you with additional information regarding sugar substitutes and diabetes.