Diabetes And Hidden Sugars

Eating foods that contain hidden sugars can sometimes riase the blood sugar of a person with diabetes...

Sugars are one of the major types of carbohydrates.  The other major type of carbohydrate is starch.  Sugars and starches are broken down into glucose and raise your blood sugar.  Research has shown that sugars don't raise the blood sugar any more than a starch or other carbohydrate can.  You can use sugar in your mealplans.  Just be very careful about measuring so you're sure to
get the right portion size.

Sugars occur naturally in vegetables, fruits and dairy products.  Foods that have natural sugars are also usually a good source of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein).

Foods that contain a lot of added sugar may not contain a lot of other nutrients.  Foods such as chocolate, ice cream, cakes and other baked goods can provide a lot of calories and fat, but few nutrients.  It's important to read the Nutrition Facts on food labels to determine if a particular food contains a lot of sugar.

Most sugars contain about 16 calories per teaspoon.  Powdered sugar has 10 calories per teaspoon while fructose has about 12 calories per teaspoon.  Honey has 21 calories per teaspoon and molasses has about 18 calories per teaspoon.  Fructose and sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, etc...) may cause a smaller rise in your blood glucose level than other sugars or starches.

It's important that you recognize sugar on food labels You may be trying to buy foods that don't contain large amounts of sugar but sugar can be disguised.  Here's a list of words to look for when you're reading labels that will let you know a food contains sugar:

Words ending in -ose:    Dextrose
                                      Fructose
                                      Glucose
                                      Lactose
                                     Maltose
                                     Galactose
                                     Levulose
                                     Sucrose

Words ending in -ol :    Mannitol
                                    Sorbitol
                                    Xylitol

Others:                  Beet Sugar
                             Brown sugar
                            Cane Sugar
                            Confectioner's Sugar
                            Corn Sugar
                            Corn Sweetener
                            Corn Syrup
                            Granulated Sugar
                            High Fructose Corn Syrup
                            Honey
                            Invert Sugar
                            Isomalt
                           Malto Dextrins
                           Maple Sugar
                           Maple Syrup
                           Molasses
                           Raw Sugar
                           Sorghum
                           Turbinado Sugar