Diabetes is a disease that affects your ability to maintain normal blood glucose levels. The foods you eat, especially those that contain carbohydrates, alter the amount of sugar in your blood stream and the amount of insulin necessary to process the glucose. The safe amount of carbohydrates can vary for each individual with diabetes, making it important to work with your doctor or nutritionist when creating meal plans. Although you must be careful when consuming sweets, you can enjoy an occasional dessert immediately after eating dinner.
Blood Glucose Levels
The main consideration in choosing foods is the way they affect the levels of sugar in your bloodstream. While a healthy body automatically produces more insulin in response to rising blood sugar levels, an individual with diabetes can experience a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels after eating. Complications from diabetes may lead to kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and death. Controlling your blood sugar levels using diet and medicine can help minimize the serious risks of this disease.
Carbohydrates
Although controlling diabetes used to mean avoiding sweets that contained sugar, research shows that the amount of carbohydrates in your diet is more important than the type of carbohydrates you consume. People with diabetes often manage their diets by making carbohydrate exchanges, a method of monitoring the total amount of carbohydrates, rather than the specific varieties of food.
Carbohydrate Exchange
Substituting small amounts of sugar for other types of carbohydrates allows you to enjoy a variety of food choices while maintaining your blood glucose levels. When counting carbohydrates, consider the total amount of carbohydrates in foods, including all starches and sugars. A carbohydrate exchange list can help you determine which desserts may fit into your meal plan. For instance, 2 oz. of unfrosted angel food cake has an exchange value of two carbohydrates, while three gingersnap cookies have an exchange rate of one carbohydrate, according to MayoClinic.com.
Desserts
Most desserts are carbohydrate-dense, meaning small servings contain large amounts of carbohydrates. Frequently substituting desserts in exchange for other carbohydrates, such as vegetables and grains, can mean limiting your intake of nutritious foods. You may be able to enjoy an occasional, small dessert immediately after eating, as long as your meal does not contain too many carbohydrates. Consuming your dessert during or immediately after your meal helps slow the rate at which your blood sugar rises.
