Artificial sweeteners can replace sugar to sweeten a variety of foods and beverages. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes do not have to completely forgo all added sugar. You may include artificial sweeteners on a diabetes diet, but use in moderation. Sugar-free foods may contain unhealthy amounts of fat and refined carbohydrates.
Calories and Carbohydrates
Artificial sweeteners fall into the category of free foods on a diabetes diet. Free foods contain fewer than 20 calories and no more than 5 g of carbohydrate per serving. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners do not contain any calories or carbohydrate. Your diabetes diet plan should promote a healthy weight, so choosing calorie-free artificial sweeteners may help you reach your weight goal. Because artificial sweeteners do not contain any carbohydrate, consuming them will not cause your blood glucose levels to rise.
Deceptively High Calories
The fact that artificial sweeteners are calorie-free and carbohydrate-free may lead you to falsely believe that choosing foods prepared with artificial sweeteners is a healthier alternative to foods prepared with sugar. Special diabetic desserts made from artificial sweeteners may actually contain just as many -- if not more -- calories than the original version made with sugar. Read nutrition labels before purchasing commercial foods that contain artificial sweeteners.
Empty Calories
Artificial sweeteners typically appear in foods filled with empty calories, such as desserts, baked goods, candy and sweetened beverages. These types of food items offer little or no nutritional value. For this reason, consume sweets occasionally. When you do indulge in a sweet, keep your serving size small. Your diet should emphasize nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.
Types of Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration include acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and neotame. You can also substitute stevia for sugar, but it is a natural, plant-based sweetener rather than an artificial one. Stevia enjoys GRAS status -- generally recognized as safe by the FDA. Many store-bought foods contain artificial sweeteners or stevia. You can also purchase sugar substitutes in granular form and use them at home for your own baking.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Sugar and Desserts
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Artificial Sweeteners
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Cutting Calories and Carbohydrate
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes -- Exchange List: Free Foods; May 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate.gov: Empty Calories: What Are Empty Calories?
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