Sugar free?

[Rainbowbrighty]

Hi all
Was wondering if anyone could offer advice on fizzy drinks. As We have a family history of diabetes growing up I have only ever had “sugar free” version of items such as jellies, pop, sweetners instead of sugar etc but I have read that these should be avoided?

 

[goodybags]

Hi @Rainbowbrighty
Yes that’s correct sugar free isn’t always good, especially when it comes to sugar free pop,
because they contain chemicals that can increase our insulin resistance which obviously isn’t good for diabetics, also the chemicals discourage production of good bacteria in the gut, so far better avoid all fizzy drinks and stick to water although I prefer to drink no added sugar squash at home / bottled water when out.

I find the no added sugar squash doesn’t spike my BS levels.
I do occasionally buy sugar free jelly mix (I like to make beetroot jelly)
and I buy no added sugar marmalade

 

[Rainbowbrighty]

Thank you for that info. I’m afraid I love Pepsi max cherry!!! It’s sugar free but I don’t think the rest if it is much good. I tend to have a can most days.

 

[Ditto]

No advice to give, I only drink water! I can drink other stuff but I don't want to. If I ate like I drank I'd look like Kate Moss. I think diet drinks are full of rubbish for some reason, probably something I read one time. 🙂

 

[trophywench]

I'm not fond of fizzy except when I just happen to fancy a fizzy drink. Coke & Pepsi are both far too sweet; never liked cherryade anyway so why the hell would I ever want to drink Coke with cherry? Don't get me wrong - I do like actual fresh cherries.

Anyway back to the OP - you should really try to cut down your daily consumption - I think if you tested your BG before drinking it and again after - you'd instantly see how badly it affects you and be put off it!

 

[Drummer]

One thing to watch out for is the other carbs - starches. Or there is that weasel description 'no added sugar' when there is quite a bit from the ingredients, just not from a bag labelled 'sugar'.
I have been consistently low carbing for some years now and find that products which are sweetened are far too overdone.

 

[rebrascora]

What I did to reduce the amount of Pepsi Max I was drinking was to start pouring it into a glass and adding a little water, effectively diluting it but over a long period of time. So initially I just had half an inch of water in the top and gradually went to 3/4 glass of coke and 1/4 water to half and half and I now quite often drink it with just an inch of it in the bottom of a glass and topped right up with water and that is enough sweetness and flavour for me now. I do the same with flavoured water and even my Gin and Slimline tonic is only half tonic and the glass topped up with water.

I think it is not good for the body to have too much artificial sweetener but also I think it is important to re-sensitize your taste buds because we have all become too addicted to sweetness and I know I taste and enjoy so many other taste sensations now that I have cut right back on sweet stuff. It just makes you appreciate other flavours.

The "No Added Sugar" squashes will almost certainly have artificial sweeteners as well as possibly some natural sugars from fruit so they are unlikely to be a significantly better choice than Pepsi Max or whatever else except perhaps that they may have some vitamins added.

 

[Leadinglights]

We have flavoured sparkling water which does have sweeteners in but I don't find too sweet. Elderflower or apple and elderflower and lemon and lime are favourites but there are other flavours and also in still if prefered.
I always preferred Diet Coke never Pepsi to the full fat version.

 

[rebrascora]

I get the Elderflower and Mexican Lime from Lidl but I do the same with it as I do with the coke and have an inch in a glass and top it up with water and that gives me enough flavour and sweetness to still enjoy it but gives the water some interest. It also saves pennies as a litre bottle of flavoured water will last me a week or more.

 

[nonethewiser]

Hi all
Was wondering if anyone could offer advice on fizzy drinks. As We have a family history of diabetes growing up I have only ever had “sugar free” version of items such as jellies, pop, sweetners instead of sugar etc but I have read that these should be avoided?

Well soon be entering 40th year with diabetes & have drank diet pop throughout, not excessively might add, never done any harm far as concerned. .

Careful what you read as lot of rubbish out there.

 

[Rainbowbrighty]

Thanks for your replies guys. There’s deffo a lot to think about.

 

[Jacinta (Australian)]

Hey op I’m struggling also with what I can drink , at the moment I have a sugar free bottle of soda and diet cordial aswell any of these okay ???
Also wondering if kombucha okay as it’s low in carbs and sugar ? Is a sparkling drink , here’s the picture of it and it’s nutritional facts . Or do I still need to be careful . I only have had 1 can like ever .

 

[Leadinglights]

Hey op I’m struggling also with what I can drink , at the moment I have a sugar free bottle of soda and diet cordial aswell any of these okay ???
Also wondering if kombucha okay as it’s low in carbs and sugar ? Is a sparkling drink , here’s the picture of it and it’s nutritional facts . Or do I still need to be careful . I only have had 1 can like ever .

Carbs wise it looks OK at 1.6g per 100ml but contains erythritol which is a sweetener which some people find upsets their stomach if they have too much. I don't recognise it as a drink we have in the UK

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Like @nonethewiser I have happily drunk diet coke and sugar free squash for the 30 years I have lived with diabetes, and can‘t say I’ve ever noticed any detrimental impact on me at all.

I might worry if I were drinking litres and litres a day, but a 2L bottle would easily last a whole week here.

I do agree though that ‘no added sugar’ or ‘sugar free’ can be misleading. It is the total carbohydrate content of anything that you need to be mindful of.

 

[Jacinta (Australian)]

Carbs wise it looks OK at 1.6g per 100ml but contains erythritol which is a sweetener which some people find upsets their stomach if they have too much. I don't recognise it as a drink we have in the UK

I didnt even know about erythritol oh my . What else should I be looking out for if a drink like this has no sugar in it ????

 

[Leadinglights]

I didnt even know about erythritol oh my . What else should I be looking out for if a drink like this has no sugar in it ????

Most of the flavoured water we have in the UK have less than 0.5g carb per 100ml but do use small amounts of sweeteners but what they use depends on the brand. I think the watch word is most people are fine with a small amount.
But some people are more sensitive than others and some people can taste particular sweeteners but others can't (it's all in the genes)

 

[Jacinta (Australian)]

Most of the flavoured water we have in the UK have less than 0.5g carb per 100ml but do use small amounts of sweeteners but what they use depends on the brand. I think the watch word is most people are fine with a small amount.
But some people are more sensitive than others and some people can taste particular sweeteners but others can't (it's all in the genes)

Ahhh Thankyou for the explaination I really do appericate it ., cause at the moment I’m looking for other drinks I can have , I’m having green tea , water , lemon and lime water at the moment and wouldn’t mind expanding my range a little bit .

 

[Inka]

I drink diet drinks occasionally and I haven’t found they had any bad effect. I wouldn’t drink a lot of them though, but that’s for other reasons not the diabetes. When I get a bit fed up with drinks, I go for a posh sparkling water (they do taste different) or a nice tea.