Birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more are holidays and special occasions that are centered on food. For most people these are times to anticipate the celebration and the eating. For a diabetic it can be a stressful time, you want to partake in all of the good food too but
most times it is not made with a diabetic in mind. If the frequency of these events is not too often, you can adjust your diet for special occasions so you too can have some of the treats available.
The hardest part about preparing for a special occasion is if you do not know what is going to be served. If this is the case, a quick call to your host or hostess can be made. Most people will not mind you asking especially if you have dietary needs that need to be taken into consideration. Once you do know what is being served, plan your meals for that day accordingly. You may want to have fewer carbohydrates with your breakfast and snack to make up for the extra ones you will have at a birthday party where pizza is being served.
For family favorites and traditions, be creative and look for ways to make the same dishes with less fat or sugar. You can do this by substituting regular sugar for sugar substitutes or choose whole wheat flour instead of white for the extra fiber content.
During the holidays and other occasions, closely monitor your blood sugars. Even with extra care, the change in your diet can still result in a blood sugar that is too high or low.
The food industry has come up with a solution for people on diets or with diabetes that have a sweet tooth. They are known as artificial sweeteners and they are used in everything from chewing gum, coffee sweeteners, and even baking. There is some controversy over the use of them as some of them are totally synthetic and others are derived from the actual sugar plant. But to a diabetic who doesn’t want to give up on their favorite pop or chewing gum they can be a life-saver.
The four different kinds of artificial sweeteners are: saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Each of these types can be found under various product names and brands. Not all are made the same way and they have different uses. Some you can buy in liquid or powdered form for baking needs and others like aspartame is only found in foods that you purchase pre-made.
The use of these artificial sweeteners will not raise blood sugar and are safe for a
diabetic to use. Care and attention is still needed because the food items you put sugar in
or on most likely will have an affect on your blood sugar. Still follow your diabetic diet
but use some artificial sweeteners to make it a little sweeter.
Some diabetics may want to use honey as a substitute for sugar. You certainly can make this substitution, however, honey is very similar to sugar in carbohydrate content and the effects it will have on your blood glucose level. It is best to enjoy honey in small moderations if at all.
Aspartame has been linked in some medical studies with Alzheimer’s disease. Speak to your doctorabout the benefits and risks of using any of the artificial sweeteners if you have any concerns about the potential health risks.
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