Can You Have Sweets with Diabetes? Learn the Smart Ways

We all know that diabetes is the condition that we have to deal with if our body is not able to process the glucose we consume, in a timely and effective manner. As to how this can happen- there are a few possibilities- either your body is not making enough insulin (Type 2 Diabetes) or insulin amounts are fine but the cellular mechanism is not able to detect it adequately (Type 1, due to autoimmune disorder) and the last- the huge hormonal fluctuations that come with pregnancy can change metabolism massively, causing blood sugar spikes (called Gestational Diabetes).

Best Ways To Control Sugary Cravings If You Are Diabetic

It’s getting a little old now, but there is no need for you to stay a mile away from your favourite sweets. It is festival season, and life can be pretty nightmarish for us folks with a sweet tooth- everyone offers sweets as prasadam whenever we visit them, right? Strategizing is the best solution for this not-so-sweet issue at hand. The best thing you can do is watch what you eat, how much you eat and space all meals properly. Don’t forget to exercise and stay active everyday.

Tips To Reduce Sugar Cravings For Type 2 Diabetes

Since those cravings won’t go away any time soon, let us help you with some genuinely helpful pointers:

• Snacking is completely okay, as long as it is healthy- like fruits, dark chocolate, nuts- anything that is not artificially sweetened is your friend here. This will ensure that your blood glucose levels don’t spike randomly, and cause issues.
• Timing meals should not be too tricky- don’t skip meals. When you do, you tend to overeat to compensate. That is bad.
• Get into the habit of doing some meal planning- you don’t need a 5 course well thought out, beautifully plated meal but a meal with nutrition- good amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre- all balanced in a proper manner.
• If you really cannot get a good handle on your sweet tooth, then eat that dessert, but be sure to portion control your meal beforehand.
• You can opt for sugar substitutes like erythritol or stevia- these won’t be metabolised in our body and just be excreted.
• Being dehydrated is also a complete no-no. So make sure to hydrate regularly, as your body can mistake a water shortage as hunger which could translate to cravings.
• Exercise is the best thing you can invest in- 150 minutes of physical activity of any kind every week will keep your blood glucose levels in control and also keep your heart pumping and have you feeling young and full of vitality.
• Don’t deprive yourself so much that you just lose it and binge eat some day. Just not worth it. So, just don’t!
• Most of these so-called ‘sugar free’ snack options are made of carbohydrates like wheat flour. So, be careful and choose wisely and portion control is your best buddy here.
• Try to create a healthy and mindful relationship with eating- you should not eat because you have had a hard day at work or failed an assessment.

Healthy Alternatives To Satisfy Sugar Cravings For Diabetics

Now, let us look at some decent alternatives which are healthy and won’t completely wreck your blood glucose levels. Fruits, berries, dark chocolate, sugar-free mint gum, and eating properly in time can help. It is more a combination of what to eat, when and how to also indulge occasionally.

Conclusion

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects millions in India every year, and the numbers keep going up every year. But one thing is for sure- our lifestyle has changed drastically over the last couple decades. We don’t move much, we sit and work the whole day and don’t get any exercise either. Food delivery and snacking has become super convenient for us too. So, managing our cravings with so much available all around takes some serious effort. But, isn’t being healthy something to actively strive for? Let’s do just that!