Three Tips for Keeping Sweets in Your Diet

Despite common beliefs, you don’t need to completely deprive your sweet tooth if you have diabetes.

You can keep sweets in your diet by staying informed about your needs and practicing moderation. After all, everyone should watch his or her sugar intake, diabetic or not.

Use these simple tips as a starting point for maintaining a healthy diet. Remember to consult a doctor or dietitian when making any extreme changes.

Don’t Over-Indulge

Not everyone with diabetes follows the same diet. It’s important to speak with a doctor about your recommended diet and to establish healthy eating habits. The key for most diets lies in portion size. It’s not impossible for you to eat sweets so long as you eat them in moderation. That amount changes from person to person but you can take comfort in the fact that there’s no food item you can’t eat – you just have to monitor how much of each item you eat. Consuming too many sweets can not only worsen your diabetes, but it can also lead to other health problems.

Watch Your Carbs

Many people with diabetes set a certain carb limit for each day. That means that no matter what they eat, they cannot surpass a certain number. Some dietitians suggest replacing one source of carbs with a treat of your choice. However, it is best to consult with your doctor about this option because it’s important to maintain a balanced diet.

For example, exchanging the carbs you eat at lunch for the ones in a huge slice of cake isn’t a healthy choice. Ask your dietitian or doctor if you can switch out some carbs – it is a possibility, but not something you should immediately decide to do on your own.

Re-think Sweets

Perhaps most challenging – but very important – is changing what you consider a sweet treat. Shift your perspective of certain food items and you can create new treats for yourself. See the value in some sugar-free snack you perhaps didn’t give much attention to before. Get accustomed to sugar-free alternatives and make them your new treats, desserts and snacks.

Eat these items less often so that you can stay excited about indulging in them. Also notice that your cravings might change – some sugary items might now seem too sweet to enjoy. You can also speak to your dietitian about the possibility of incorporating a few of your favorite items into your diet through alternative methods, like tweaking recipes you love.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, CNN and LiveHealthy MD

Photo by aussiegall

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