(BlackDoctor.org) -- You've probably encountered this misperception before: people think that since you have diabetes, you can never have sugar again. Or, if you're trying to lose weight and shed fat, sugar is THE enemy. Sound familiar?
As you probably know, the American Diabetes Association published their latest dietary guidelines, table sugar and other forms of sweeteners (honey, molasses, brown sugar, etc.) can be included as part of a diabetes/weight loss meal plan.
What's important is that you keep close track of your total grams of carbohydrate every day.
Sugar and Sugar Substitutes in Diabetic Recipes
Sugar. Sugar provides sweetness, tenderness, and color in baking. With most recipes, you can reduce the sugar by at least one-third without changing the taste and texture.
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Fruit Juice. Fruit juices and frozen fruit juice concentrates may be used to sweeten baked goods. Since these baked goods are high in carbohydrate, it important to eat these treats in moderation and to count every gram of carbohydrate, not exceeding your recommended total for that meal.
Sugar-Free Products. Sugar-free products can give you added flexibility in your meal plan because they tend to contain few grams of carbohydrate and frequently are lower in fat and calories.
Artificial Sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners provide almost no calories and will not affect your blood sugar levels. However, not all artificial sweeteners can be used for baking and prolonged cooking. Read the labels and only use those that say the product can be used for baking.
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How Substitutes Measure Up
Most dieticians recommend using the one-to-one sugar substitutes. Two are readily available on most supermarket shelves: Splenda and Sugar Twin (the later comes as both white sugar replacement and brown sugar replacement).
Another favorite is DiabetiSweet, which is available online and in many supermarkets, drug stores, and discount stores.
All of these sugar substitutes are excellent for prolonged cooking and baking. Neither leaves that tell-tale bitter or metallic aftertaste that many sugar substitutes have when heated. These are all measured out just like sugar, one cup for one cup, 1 tablespoon for 1 tablespoon, etc.
