Hello

[Deb1968]

Hi all, i need help my dad loved his cakes but since becoming diabetic he's refrained from eating them, thought I'd try making some suitable but don't know what to use as a substitute for sugar. Any suggestions gratefully recieved x

 

[trophywench]

Debs - it's not only the sugar that affects our blood glucose, the carbohydrate content of the flour isn't good either. Have a look in the Food and recipes section, some OK cake recipes using ground almonds instead of flour and granulated sweetener instead of sugar, because it is approx 3 times as sweet as actual sugar, so you need a LOT less of it.

 

[HenryBennett]

I’m no help re the sugar. I’ve no solution but to give it up. I can’t get on with alternative sweetners whether natural or artificial. I cannot stand diet drinks and very very rarely now drink the likes of Coke. Sparkling water and that’s about it.

However, you’ll see from the various pinned posts here, along with recommended reading that it’s a misconception that diabetes is all about sugar. It is about carbohydrates. Cut the carbs, keep a food diary, measure blood glucose (BG) before and after meals and you’ll probably find your dad can have the occasional bit of cake.

There‘s loads of help here.

 

[Deb1968]

Debs - it's not only the sugar that affects our blood glucose, the carbohydrate content of the flour isn't good either. Have a look in the Food and recipes section, some OK cake recipes using ground almonds instead of flour and granulated sweetener instead of sugar, because it is approx 3 times as sweet as actual sugar, so you need a LOT less of it.

Oh i didn't realise flour was bad too ‍♀️ thank you for the information though x

 

[Deb1968]

I’m no help re the sugar. I’ve no solution but to give it up. I can’t get on with alternative sweetners whether natural or artificial. I cannot stand diet drinks and very very rarely now drink the likes of Coke. Sparkling water and that’s about it.

However, you’ll see from the various pinned posts here, along with recommended reading that it’s a misconception that diabetes is all about sugar. It is about carbohydrates. Cut the carbs, keep a food diary, measure blood glucose (BG) before and after meals and you’ll probably find your dad can have the occasional bit of cake.

There‘s loads of help here.

Thanks for the information Henry, looks like i got a lot of learning to do ‍♀️

 

[Deb1968]

Debs - it's not only the sugar that affects our blood glucose, the carbohydrate content of the flour isn't good either. Have a look in the Food and recipes section, some OK cake recipes using ground almonds instead of flour and granulated sweetener instead of sugar, because it is approx 3 times as sweet as actual sugar, so you need a LOT less of it.

Where do I find the food & recipes section, i can't find it on here

 

[trophywench]

Try here - just scroll through till you find appropriate threads (there's one entitled Cakes on Page 2)

Food/carb queries + recipes

Coming to terms with diabetes and food can be very difficult - this forum is for all your food and carbohydrate queries and a place to post your favourite recipes!

forum.diabetes.org.uk

Or just Google 'low carb cakes recipes'.

 

[zuludog]

Hello DEB1968
My reply is in two parts -

Go back to the Home Page of this website and put 'Diabetic Puddings' into the Search Box at the top right corner

There are lots of references, including a Recipe Search which will reveal hundreds of recipes
Note that these include all sorts of puddings besides things like cakes and scones, so your Dad might be able to get his love for things pudding - ey that way, as well as actual cakes

There is also a reference to Baking And Diabetes which has a lot of more general tips and advice

I think it would help you both to understand diabetes if you had a simple biochemistry lesson -

Carbohydrates are made up from glucose molecules connected together to produce larger sugar molecules, such as sucrose aka table sugar, and starch
When we eat carbs they are broken down in our gut back into glucose molecules which then pass out of the gut into the bloodstream
From there the glucose molecules are carried into our cells to be used to produce energy and for other purposes
The hormone insulin is made in our pancreas and enables the glucose to pass across the cell walls into our cells

If we do not produce enough insulin more and more glucose remains in the blood; and it is the accumulation of glucose that causes the problems we call diabetes
That is why we constantly measure our blood sugar/blood glucose levels with a finger prick test and glucose monitor

As all carbs are converted into glucose diabetics must reduce the amount of carbohydrates they consume, to reduce the load on the lower levels of insulin
These carbohydrates include starchy things like bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, and potatoes, as well as obviously sweet & sugary things like cakes, biscuits and ice cream

Once you've grasped that, a diabetic diet is easier to follow

Nothing in the body happens in isolation, so things like diabetes, blood pressure, & cholesterol are all connected
Many people with diabetes see that as the motivation to reduce reduce a lot of very fatty meat, processed meat, junk food, and so on, and replace them with more veg & salads, and good fats like olive oil and oily fish

Go back to the Home Page and click on Living With Diabetes --> Enjoy Food
There is a lot of advice on food, meals, and recipes

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Deb1968

Just for clarification I think @zuludog is talking about the home page of the main Diabetes UK website - www.diabetes.org.uk

The enjoy food section is here - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food

But in the meantime, feel free to ask any questions you have on the forum, and someone will almost certainly have some useful information, or be able to point you towards a helpful link 🙂