Diabetes Education Center

HOW BIG IS YOUR SWEET TOOTH?

Do you have a sweet tooth?  I do too.  Just because I educate people how to eat healthy doesn’t mean I’m immune to the pleasure of eating sweets.  But when I do indulge, I remember what my father used to say, “Do it in moderation.”

What surprises me is how many people still think that eating lots of sugary foods causes diabetes.  In fact this is not true.  Type 2 diabetes is a hereditary disease so eating sweets will not cause you to get it.  To get the disease you must inherit the gene from a parent or grandparent.  The confusing part is that not all children of diabetics will get the disease and not all people with diabetes have a parent who also has diabetes.  Researchers do know that diabetes is more prevalent in certain ethnic groups:  African Americans, White Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Indians, and Pacific Islanders. Also, the individual’s lifestyle and behavior choices can increase the risk of the gene expressing itself, resulting in a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

The lifestyle & behavior choices that increase your risk of getting diabetes are physical inactivity along with eating excessive calories.  When you eat excess calories the result is weight gain.  It doesn’t matter if you eat an excess of sweet desserts, high fat foods or oversized portions of healthy choices, the result is the same: excess calories = increased body weight.  And individuals who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for diabetes.

Humans have a natural affinity for sweetness, but sweet foods are usually high in calories and fat without much nutritional benefit.  If you’re going to include them in your meal plan, do so in moderation, taking into account the grams of carbohydrate and calories they contribute and remember they will cause your blood glucose to spike.

Sugars

People often ask me what does “no sugar added” on food labels mean?  Or they ask, “Can I eat sugar-free cookies?”  There is a lot of information on food labels, but you need to understand the terms to make wise choices.  Sugar, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols are all used in foods to give them a sweet taste.
    
Sugar goes by many names and all sugars will elevate your blood:

Brown Sugar		Table sugar crystals coated with molasses
Corn Syrup		A sweetener made from corn
Dextrose		Another word for sugar
Fructose		The sugar from fruit
Glucose		Not a food.  The form of sugar in your blood
High Fructose Corn Syrup		Inexpensive sweetener made from corn syrup
Honey		A form of fructose
Maple Syrup		Syrup from the sap of sugar maple trees
Molasses		Syrup separated from raw sugar during refining
Sorghum		Syrup made from sorghum grain
Sucrose		Table Sugar, white granulated, powdered or confectioner's sugar, made from cane or beet sugar
Sugar		Covers all sweeteners
Turbinado Sugar		"Sugar in the raw," meaning unprocessed

Sugar Substitutes

It is probably best for everyone to curb their sweet tooth, but if you have diabetes and you’re going to indulge, there are several sugar substitutes available that will not affect your blood glucose.  Sugar substitutes are called “artificial sweeteners” or “non-nutritive sweeteners” and they are just that.  They taste sweet, but do not contribute any calories.  They are manufactured sweeteners approved by the Food & Drug Administration.  Below is a list of artificial sweeteners.  It is recommended that you use them in moderation.

Sugar Alcohols

The last group of sweeteners is sugar alcohols.  Sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols.  They are a form of carbohydrate used in foods in place of other sugars.  Since they contribute only about 2 calories per gram and their affect on blood glucose is negligible, you will find them in many diabetic and/or diet foods.  You can recognize them in the ingredient list because they usually end with the letters “ol,” i.e. sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lacitol, and isomalt.  Just be aware that they have a laxative affect on some people.

So, if sweets are your passion, as they are mine, it’s probably fine to allow yourself a small portion once in a while and to use artificial sweetners as a substitute, but remember, moderation is recommended in both instances. 

When Should I See a Registered Dietitian?

A Registered Dietitian (RD) or Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) can be very helpful in managing your diabetes, whether you are newly diagnosed or have been living with diabetes for years.  It is recommended that you visit a Registered Dietitian or Certified Diabetes Educator when:

• Your diabetes is first diagnosed
• The doctor changes your treatment plan
• Twice a year for a routine review of your meal plan and goals
You should see one more often if:
• You want to improve diabetes control.
• You experience lifestyle or schedule changes such as a new job, marriage or pregnancy. 
• Your nutritional needs keep changing (this is true for children).
• You’ve begun an exercise program or had a change in diabetes medication. 
• You feel bored, frustrated or unmotivated to use your meal plan. 
• You have unexplained high and low blood sugar levels. 
• You’re concerned about weight or blood fat levels.
• You've developed nutrition-related complications, such as high blood pressure or kidney disease. 

Your RD or CDE is a member of your personal wellness team, along with your physician and any other health care providers your doctor recommends.  By working closely with them, you will find it much easier to keep your diabetes under control. 

Need Support?

Long Beach Medical Center’s Diabetes Support Group meets on the third Monday of each month in the Goldstein Auditorium at 2:00 PM.  Join us to hear the latest in diabetes management!  For more information, call the Diabetes Education Center at Long Beach Medical Center at (516) 897-4354

For more information about the Diabetes Education Center's services, please call (516) 897-4354. 
 

Rachel Ferdinand, RD, CDE
Director
The Diabetes Education Center at Long Beach Medical Center
2nd Floor - Main Building
455 E. Bay Drive
Long Beach, NY 11561
Phone:  516-897-4354
E-mail: 

rferdinand@lbmc.org