4 Sugar Alternatives for Your Diabetes Diet (2023)

FAQs

What sugar substitutes are OK for diabetics? ›

Sucralose (Splenda), the Most Popular Sugar Substitute

This sweetener is excellent for people with type 2 diabetes.

The safest and the most common alternative sugar is Aspartame.

The worst sweeteners include artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, agave, and brown rice syrup. It's best to avoid these sweeteners, if possible.

No, zero sugar soda uses artificial sweeteners, which increases people's weight. Increased weight, in turn, is linked to the worsening of diabetes. Hence, zero soda is not suitable for diabetes.

Generally, there's no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level. Honey is sweeter than granulated sugar, so you might use a smaller amount of honey for sugar in some recipes.

Can diabetics eat maple syrup? ›

Maple syrup can be used to replace other sugars that a person with diabetes adds to food, while respecting their meal plan. Numerous studies have touted the potential benefits of maple syrup or its components.

If your diabetes is well managed and you want to add honey to your diet, consider choosing pure, organic, or raw natural honey if you are not pregnant or immunocompromised. These types may be safer for people with diabetes because all-natural honey does not have any added sugar.

Stevia is a low-calorie sweetener that has antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. It's been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unlike artificial sweeteners and sugar, stevia can suppress your plasma glucose levels and significantly increase glucose tolerance.

Aspartame: The oldest and most studied sweetener, aspartame has zero grams of sugar and won't spike insulin levels after it's consumed.

Stevia, monk fruit, certain sugar alcohols, and allulose are much lower in calories than table sugar and do not significantly affect blood sugar levels, making them a smart alternative to refined sugar.

Xylitol looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, and responds like sugar in baking. Among the sugar substitutes, xylitol is my favorite. Though it was not as sweet as the cake sweetened with sugar, the xylitol cake's texture was tender and cake-like and the flavor was pure.

Some simple sugar examples include: Fructose: Fructose is found primarily in fruits like apples and pears, but also in some vegetables like onions and red peppers, as well as in honey, sugar beets, and sugarcane.

What foods are high in carbs to avoid? ›

Apples are mainly composed of carbs and water. They're rich in simple sugars, such as fructose, sucrose, and glucose. Despite their high carb and sugar contents, their glycemic index (GI) is low, ranging 29–44 (5). The GI is a measure of how food affects the rise in blood sugar levels after eating.

Monosaccharides are the most simple sugars, containing three to seven carbon atoms in each molecule, and are the only form of sugar that can be fermented by starter cultures directly into lactic acid.

Monosaccharides (from Greek monos: single, sacchar: sugar), also called simple sugars, are the simplest forms of sugar and the most basic units (monomers) from which all carbohydrates are built. (though not all molecules with this formula are monosaccharides).

More than 90 studies support its safety. Sucralose is approved for use in food as a non-nutritive sweetener. Sucralose is sold under the brand name Splenda®. Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a healthy diabetes diet plan. Always look for peanut butter that contains only peanuts and maybe some salt. Avoid peanut butter that includes added sugars and hydrogenated oils.

A healthful alternative

These can trigger sugar spikes in people with diabetes. A protein shake might be a more healthful option, as protein digests more slowly than carbohydrate. The chance of a blood sugar spike is lower, and the person will feel full for longer.

Not only are oats nutritious and satiating, they can also offer specific benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. According to MedlinePlus, adults with type 2 diabetes may benefit from eating whole grains like oats, due to their potential glucose and cholesterol-lowering effects.

Is watermelon good for diabetes? ›

Watermelon is safe for people with diabetes to eat in moderation. However, it is best to consume watermelon and other high GI fruits alongside foods that contain plenty of nutritious fats, fiber, and protein.

A person with diabetes should include a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a safe and nutritious fruit for people with diabetes to eat in moderation as part of a balanced, individualized eating plan.

Pancakes

In fact, it's one of the foods to avoid for diabetics. The carbs and sugar can quickly increase your blood sugar levels, and there's no fibre or protein to keep you fuller for longer.

People with type 2 diabetes should limit or avoid high-fat cuts of meat, such as regular ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and ribs, because like full-fat dairy, they're high in saturated fats, explains Kimberlain.

Can people with diabetes eat potatoes? According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), starchy vegetables such as potatoes can be included in the diet of a person with diabetes. The total amount of carbohydrate consumed at any given meal or snack is what is most important.

Sucralose, stevia, monk fruit, allulose, and erythritol. None raise blood sugar levels. All are diabetes-friendly. And all are healthy sugar substitutes for folks with or without diabetes.

Eating meat doesn't mean you'll get diabetes, just as refraining from eating meat doesn't mean you'll never get diabetes. However, meat consumption is a known risk factor, just as having obesity and a family history of diabetes are risk factors.

Caffeine can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. This happens because caffeine triggers a hormonal response in our bodies. First, it blocks adenosine receptors. These receptors help us fall asleep by binding to our cells.

Saccharin and sucralose are two artificial sweeteners that have been found to increase blood sugar or glucose levels. These sweeteners are used in popular sugar substitutes, including Sweetex and Splenda, with both heavily marketed as a healthy alternatives to sugar.

Which sweetener is lowest on the glycemic index? ›

Benefits and risks of different sweeteners

Agave has one of the lowest GI values compared to other natural sugars.

The science suggests that neither stevia nor sucralose disrupt blood-glucose levels in the same way that sugar does. As such, both are relatively safe options for individuals who have or are at risk for developing diabetes.

Sucralose, stevia, monk fruit, allulose, and erythritol. None raise blood sugar levels. All are diabetes-friendly. And all are healthy sugar substitutes for folks with or without diabetes.

The science suggests that neither stevia nor sucralose disrupt blood-glucose levels in the same way that sugar does. As such, both are relatively safe options for individuals who have or are at risk for developing diabetes.

No, zero sugar soda uses artificial sweeteners, which increases people's weight. Increased weight, in turn, is linked to the worsening of diabetes. Hence, zero soda is not suitable for diabetes.

Truvia does not affect blood glucose or blood pressure although stevia is believed to have side effects.

Maple syrup can be used to replace other sugars that a person with diabetes adds to food, while respecting their meal plan. Numerous studies have touted the potential benefits of maple syrup or its components.

Therefore, intake of stevia sweetener does not affect the blood glucose level. Unlike the low-calorie synthetic sweeteners, stevia is quite safe, non-toxic and non-mutagenic; also, it is 200-times sweeter than the regular sugar (sucrose) and calorie-free.

Stevia may have antioxidant properties, but research shows that the mogrosides in monk fruit extract have much more powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Most people find that erythritol has a very similar taste to sugar and find the two indistinguishable. It even caramelizes like sugar.

What drink lowers blood sugar? ›

Drinking water regularly may rehydrate the blood, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce diabetes risk ( 20 , 21 ). Keep in mind that water and other zero-calorie drinks are best.

Side effect study of Truvía® Stevia Leaf Extract on people with type 2 diabetes. Chronic consumption of purified stevia leaf extract had no effects on blood sugar (glucose), insulin, hemoglobin A1c, blood lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides in subjects with type 2 diabetes in a randomized, masked study.

How Much and How Frequently To Be Consumed? Stevia can be consumed at any time during the day. It is the best alternative to table sugar. 1 tablespoon (4.2 grams) of stevia is recommended for a diabetic everyday.