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For years people with diabetes were told to avoid all sweets, but that's changed. One
of our viewers wants to know, "What are the ground rules for someone with diabetes to
be able to enjoy dessert?" So, if you wanna have dessert or a sweet treat other than fruit,
you need to compensate for the amount of carbohydrate in that sweet treat within your meal plan.
So, let's say, for example, you want a small cupcake after dinner. So what you would need
to do is reduce the amount of carbohydrate within that meal. So it would be less potato
or starch to be able to roughly compensate for the sweets. Sweets are allowed because
it's the total amount of carbohydrate that counts. Now obviously it's better to have
carbohydrates that have fiber in them such as whole grains and fruits and vegetables,
but on occasion, you can have that sweet treat as long as you you compensate for it by reducing
the amount of carbs within that meal. So you do it within the meal. Not on an empty stomach.
Within the context of having lots of other nutritious and good for you foods. So it's
okay on occasion, but remember that most sweet treats, if you're not choosing fruit, are
gonna to be empty calories. So they're just gonna to add extra calories. So that's why
you wanna keep it on occasion, but what research has found is it's really the total amount
of carbohydrate that will impact your blood sugar. So there's no reason to feel guilty.
You can enjoy it on occasion. Just keep the portions small, and check your blood sugar.
And it's always a good idea to check with your registered dietitian, when you're looking
at your meal plan, for some good places where you might be able to make that substitution
without any harm. So enjoy your sweet treats. Just do it occasionally.