Sugar-Free And Low-Carb Sweets For Diabetics This Valentines Day

Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9 meant I attended a lot of class holiday parties with a bag of strange-tasting sugar-free chocolates while watching my classmates indulge in the real thing. Viola Holmes, the associate director of nutrition science and health care for the American Diabetes Association, said there is a distinction between no-sugar and no-carbohydrates sweets, both of which can impact glucose level, however, no-sugar treats will very often be low-carbohydrate. Even with this reduced impact on blood sugar, Holmes said that you should still practice some form of portion control because some sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, for instance, can cause abdominal discomfort. When looking for sweet-tasting goodies for that person in your life with diabetes, Jannin Macias, a registered dietitian at Covenant Health, suggested relying on the nutrition labels to read carbohydrate and sugar contents rather than looking to the popular claims of “Keto Friendly”and “Zero net carbs.” Macias said that according to the American Heart Association, all individuals, including those with diabetes, should limit added sugar intake to “about 36- grams per day for men and about 24-grams per day for women,” while the CDC advises a limit of 200-225 grams of carbs per day.) To round up the following list of low-sugar and low-carb sweets, we asked people with diabetes on the Life As A Diabetic and Type 1 Diabetic Meals and Snacks Facebook groups which chocolates and candies can satisfy that sweet tooth without raising blood sugar.