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| health > diet & fitness > story page |         |
Sweet holiday news for diabeticsNovember 24, 1999
By Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. 
(WebMD) -- Many people find it hard to refuse the onslaught of sweet and creamy temptations during the holiday season. Diabetics, who must watch their sugar intake, are no different. They may say "No thank you" to the department-store Santa offering a candy cane but succumb to the pumpkin pie, Grandma's cheesecake and maybe the fruitcake that inevitably serves as the finale of any traditional holiday feast. But with a game plan, diabetics can maintain their blood sugar without completely depriving themselves. In the old days, doctors warned diabetics to avoid sugar at all costs, based on the assumption that sugar enters the blood rapidly and aggravates already temperamental blood-sugar levels. However, there has been little scientific evidence to support this recommendation. In fact, studies have found that blood sugar rises no higher in response to sugar than it does to white bread, rice, carrots, potatoes and many other foods. Although various types of foods do cause levels of blood sugar to respond differently, the total amount of carbohydrates consumed is more important than the type. Because of these findings, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) loosened its recommendations on sugar. According to the ADA's 1999 recommendations, sugar and sugar-containing foods can be a part of a diabetic diet, but they shouldn't be simply added to the diet. Rather, they should be substituted for other carbohydrates already in the diet. And while the green light may be music to the ears of anyone with diabetes, it is not a license to go overboard. That's especially true during the holidays, when worrying about gaining weight can itself raise blood-sugar levels. In other words, if you want a small serving of pumpkin pie, then you must give up the baked potato with toppings at dinner. You can't have both. If you're taking insulin, you must eat at consistent times synchronized with the action of the insulin used. If you're not taking insulin, spreading your food intake -- such as the day's allotment of carbohydrates -- throughout the day can help avoid large increases in blood sugar. The goal during the holidays is to budget your sweets. That requires:
Here are some ways to put those guidelines into action:
Almost any holiday dessert recipe can be revised to be healthier without sacrificing taste. Cut the sugar by one-third to one-half in a recipe, and increase the use of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and other sweet-tasting spices and flavoring. Many sweet desserts are also high in fat, so replace fat with pureed fruit, such as applesauce or baby-food prunes, in recipes for chocolate brownies, cakes or cookies. You'll also find you don't need as much sugar, since fruit supplies sweet taste. (You still must keep the portion small, since replacing fat with fruit increases the carbohydrate content, which must be monitored closely.) Sugar substitutes are another alternative for just about everyone, including diabetics. People with diabetes can look forward to the holidays, with their seasonal traditions and social celebrations, as long as they remember that the game plan doesn't start at the dining table; it includes the entire day's food intake as well as exercise. Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., is a registered dietitian and the author of several books, including "Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy," "Food and Mood," "Nutrition for Women: The Complete Guide," and "The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals." She is editor in chief of Nutrition Alert!, a newsletter that abstracts current nutrition research from more than 6,000 journals.
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