Wilton Recipes & Projects

Sweets and a Diabetic Diet

By Carrie Gianotti, RD, LDN

Celebrations are a tough time when you've recently been diagnosed with diabetes or even if you've had diabetes for years. Diabetes should not get in the way of enjoying these special occasions, like parties and vacations. You just need to do a little extra planning. By doing this, you will have the opportunity to enjoy yourself while allowing yourself to get caught up in the festivities, the decorations, and the gathering of friends and family!

At these special occasions, people with diabetes are able to enjoy all the same types of foods as everyone else. They just have to regulate the amount they eat, an appropriate time to eat, and of course closely watch their blood sugar levels. They especially have to watch their carbohydrate levels, the preferred fuel for their bodies that raises blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrates can be found in a variety of sources from pastas and bread to candies and cake. In the past, people with diabetes were warned to avoid sugar, but that has all changed. Foods with sugar can be incorporated into their diet, as long as they work them into a meal plan, as they would any other carbohydrate containing food. Reading nutrition labels and checking carbohydrate levels has become a vital part of managing diabetes.

Not everyone with diabetes has the same meal plan or the same nutrition goals. One person may be able to eat a slice of cake with frosting and sprinkles while the next person should eat the cake but skip the frosting. It's about knowing what your body needs and adjusting the carbohydrate levels and foods appropriately.

Diabetes is demanding disease. It is there all the time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no way to perfectly manage all the factors that affect blood glucose levels. However, working with your healthcare team to establish realistic goals and incorporating for favorites foods can help. You can enjoy yourself and take good care of your diabetes at the same time!

*This information does not take the place of dietary guidelines and plans designed for diabetics by a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator.

For more information, see the American Diabetes Association web site at www.diabetes.org or the American Dietetic Association web site at www.eatright.org.