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sweet tooth
- Thread starter michael_b
- Start date
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For diabetics, it's about all carbs - not just sugar. So swapping salty crisps for sweets is a bad idea. You can still have small amounts, but not whole bags of toffees (one of my many downfalls).
I had a major weight problem to tackle, which was what made my diabetes worse. For a long time I couldn't have any sweets in the house due to lack of willpower. So in my case, I made the following swaps (a few of many):
Fruit instead of sweets - I was told to keep fruit consumption down to 2 portions a day at first because they do contain natural sugar, but it's better than sweets. Carrot sticks are good, especially if you buy the carrots with the tops on because they have bags more flavour.
Mullerlight yogurt - the toffee, coconut and banana custard flavours make very nice puddings, so does sugar free jelly. With yogurt, look at the labels... those labelled 'low fat' are usually full of sugar. You're looking for the 0% fat ones that use sweetener.
Breakfast cereals - most are a bad choice for diabetics because the body almost instantly turns them into sugar. If you can't live without them, try a tiny quantity of wholemeal ones, e.g. one weetabix or 2 level tbsp grape-nuts. If weight isn't a factor for you, add some chopped nuts to bulk out the quantity.
That's probably enough to begin with - there are lots more carb-lowering tips, but it's impossible to do everything at once! 🙂
I had a major weight problem to tackle, which was what made my diabetes worse. For a long time I couldn't have any sweets in the house due to lack of willpower. So in my case, I made the following swaps (a few of many):
Fruit instead of sweets - I was told to keep fruit consumption down to 2 portions a day at first because they do contain natural sugar, but it's better than sweets. Carrot sticks are good, especially if you buy the carrots with the tops on because they have bags more flavour.
Mullerlight yogurt - the toffee, coconut and banana custard flavours make very nice puddings, so does sugar free jelly. With yogurt, look at the labels... those labelled 'low fat' are usually full of sugar. You're looking for the 0% fat ones that use sweetener.
Breakfast cereals - most are a bad choice for diabetics because the body almost instantly turns them into sugar. If you can't live without them, try a tiny quantity of wholemeal ones, e.g. one weetabix or 2 level tbsp grape-nuts. If weight isn't a factor for you, add some chopped nuts to bulk out the quantity.
That's probably enough to begin with - there are lots more carb-lowering tips, but it's impossible to do everything at once! 🙂
Sugar free jellies are a great pud.
Use a pint jelly pkt or block. Make up to 3/4 pt. with boiling water, melt and let it cool. I try to catch it just as it satarts to thicken. Add 1/2pt of low fat/low sugar ....... yoghurt, creme fraiche, fromage frais, fromage blanc, mascaponi,
Pour into glass dishes and set in fridge. This usually makes 4-5
You can vary this by adding extra pieces of fruit or serving fruit on top. i.e. with strawbwerry flavour; serve with strawberries and or kiwi. Peach yoghurt goes well with peaches and or banana.
You can make it into a mousse by folding in whipped egg white.
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Sheilagh1958
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Oooooo you have tempted me......jelly now on shopping list.
Overtime you will adjust so it is just a question of getting through the initial phase.
I found that I could avoid any sweetstuff by choosing foods with strong tastes or crunchy textures, crispbreads with sardine paste for example. However, I used to drink a zero carb cheap supermarket lemonde, ice cold, with the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon in it. That's send your tastebuds dancing and cure any craving for something sweet for a couple of hours.
Now I find tomatoes, thinly sliced with thinly sliced red onion drizzled with oil and a few drops of balsamic vinegar sweet enough.
It might be easier to find alternative tastes which satisfy than substitute tastes which sort of remind you of what you really want. Wensleydale cheese with pickled onion, all thinly sliced, on a thin crispbread will take the edge away.
I found that I could avoid any sweetstuff by choosing foods with strong tastes or crunchy textures, crispbreads with sardine paste for example. However, I used to drink a zero carb cheap supermarket lemonde, ice cold, with the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon in it. That's send your tastebuds dancing and cure any craving for something sweet for a couple of hours.
Now I find tomatoes, thinly sliced with thinly sliced red onion drizzled with oil and a few drops of balsamic vinegar sweet enough.
It might be easier to find alternative tastes which satisfy than substitute tastes which sort of remind you of what you really want. Wensleydale cheese with pickled onion, all thinly sliced, on a thin crispbread will take the edge away.
I've just made a lovely pudding. Having found a good bramble patch, I have loads of blackberries. I put a couple of generous handfuls in a small saucepan and cooked them for a few minutes with a tablespoon of granulated sweetener. After they cooled a bit, I stirred them into a 170g pot of Total 0% fat yogurt. It was a bit piggy to eat the lot, but I enjoyed every mouthful!
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yup - all 'berry' fruits are much lower in carbs than things like - that peach/nectarine, plums or cherries or apples, oranges and pears and definitely FAR far less than banana. Grapes are by far the worst offenders, as is dried fruit - from sultanas to apricots or prunes - who eats ONE? LOL
On that dish of thinly sliced tomatoes, try finely chopped basil and a goodly drizzle of EVOO. Best eaten in the sun .......
On that dish of thinly sliced tomatoes, try finely chopped basil and a goodly drizzle of EVOO. Best eaten in the sun .......
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