Artificial Sweeteners? Sugar? Diabetes?

amk44
amk44 Posts: 159
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
Ok, I'm confused, so I thought I would come to people who have had the occasion to explore weight loss strategies, and who may either deal with diabetes or know someone who conscientiously deals with it. I saw a post that discussed using Crystal Light and there were several comments about the bad effects of Artificial Sweeteners. It prompted this question.

My husband has diabetes and uses a lot of diet drinks and a lot of artificial sweeteners in his tea, etc. So I started using artificial sweeteners in baking and beverages, etc. so that we can both eat the same foods. Should I be rethinking this?

I'm hoping someone with diabetes (with a sweet tooth) can provide me with some ideas as to how a diabetic approaches the sugar vs artificial sweetener issue. At one time I used frozen fruit concentrates to provide sweetness in a recipe, but then so many new artirficial sweeteners came on the market that I kind of got lulled into "the easy way". I'm hoping someone can give me some advice, or direct me to a site that they found that provides reliable advice for diabetics (not a site that wants to sell me something). Even more valuable would be a site with recipes.

(My husband will binge on sweet rolls that he buys at local groceries if I don't provide some homemade bakery in our house. So I thought I was doing something good by providing him with what I considered to be healthier alternatives.)

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Avandel
    Avandel Posts: 283 Member
    Stevia & Truvia are plant based not artificial, also Wholesome Raw Agave Nectar. I'm allergic to the artificial ones & haven't tried the first two yet but I have been using Agave, not sure if it works well in baking. Again, not sure about the first two but the Agave is low on the glycemic index. When picking Agave make sure it's pure with no additives, some are not as good as others.
  • Twinmommy13
    Twinmommy13 Posts: 10
    I am insulin resistant which is the precursor to diabetes. AND I have a massive sweet tooth. Yes artificial sweetners can be bad for but in a nut shell diabetes not treated properly can kill you. Not to be harsh but I have had many family members die from this because they couldnt control their sugar. SO I said all of that to say that , you need to use what is best for your husband and your family to help him control his blood sugar. I personally have a very difficult time with aspartame and have switched to using stevia! I love it and it is natural and as long as you read the labels of the ones that are out there you can find ones that have not been altered too much in the production process. Also if you go to whole foods they even have diet soda sweetned with stevia. Take care of your husband and his sweet tooth :)
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
    I totally agree with the stevia. My local health food store has a whole aisle for baking stuff complete with various stevia extracts/blends and the aforementioned agave nectar (which I haven't tried yet). A TEENY bit goes a long way so baking with it might take some trial and error since you can't measure it cup for cup like other sweeteners out there. But its fabulous for coffee, tea, and cooking so far!
  • kfsooner
    kfsooner Posts: 40
    I use stevia from the health food store and agave for baking. Good luck!!
  • amk44
    amk44 Posts: 159
    Thanks guys! You're the BEST!

    I'll go check out stevia... I bought agave a short time ago, but since it's a syrup rather than granular, it doesn't get used as much as the various sugar substitutes that my husband picks up.

    We recently saw Diabeti Sweet Sugar Substitute (both white and brown) on a clearance shelf in Target. I've tried it in bakery and it's delicious, but the "clearance" price was $4.85 (normally $6.94) for 18 ounces. For me, a little costly. It says it has no: sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, sucrose, fructose, sorbitol, maltodextrin, or dextrose, and no sodium. The ingredients are: isomalt and acesulfame-K. It is used just like sugar, but has a warning that "excessive" consumption may cause stomach upset.

    Guess I need to inform myself as to which sugar substitutes are "not as bad" as the others... :O)
  • megamom
    megamom Posts: 920 Member
    Whey low is also a natural sweetener and they have diabetic specific information along with recipes. I like the whey low because it tastes just like sugar to me and the ratio is 1:1 so you use the exact same amount when cooking. If it calls for a cup of sugar, you use a cup of Whey low. I haven't tried any of the others because I rarely use sugar, even the whey low. Good luck. What ever works to keep your husband sugar under control is good.
  • amk44
    amk44 Posts: 159
    Oh my gosh - I commented that the Diabeti Sweet price was high (about $7 for 18 oz) and I just checked the Splenda that my husband bought and it's only 9.7 oz and I think it cost about $8. I got twice the "weight" of the Splenda for less than what was paid for the Splenda, so that statement probably sounded uninformed. But the Diabeti Sweet is a heavier product. Wish they indicated "number of cups" rather than "how heavy" the product is... I use recipes that call for cup measurements, but I know that some recipes do use weights. Maybe the manufacturers should include "both" on the package. :ohwell:
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