Diabetic Shopping Tips

cookingdiabetes
Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Sherri Thibeaux, RD, CDE, Clinical Nutritionist from UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco, California, cautions her diabetic patients that sugar free is not carbohydrate free.Sugar alcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol and isomalt, are often used in products geared for people with diabetes millitus. Labels may claim that the product is sugar free because technically sugar alcohols are not sugars. However, they are still carbohydrates. Labeling like this can be misleading to the person with diabetes.Sugar alcohols are caloric sweeteners and still contribute to blood glucose. The grams of carbohydrate contributed by sugar alcohols will be listed on the label in the total carbohydrate gram amount, not in the sugars column. When reading the label, be sure to look at the grams of total carbohydrate contained, not just the grams of sugar. Total carbohydrate content is a better indication of the product’s potential to affect the blood sugar level.Many people who consume sugar alcohols complain of gas, bloating and cramping. Sugar alcohols can cause osmotic diarrhea. Those who experience these common side effects may wish to avoid sugar alcohols completely. Sugar alcohols can be identified by looking at the list of ingredients, and are most commonly used for items such as diabetic ice creams and candies.

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII discovered her love of cooking at her grandmother's side, stirring raisin oatmeal on a Saturday morning. By 15 she had her first food service job. At 18 she was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated second in her class, then went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland to study pastry arts and baking. A decade with Hyatt Hotels followed before she founded Food and Health Communications with a single conviction: food that is good for you should taste extraordinary.

Judy holds a Master of Professional Studies in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University (Summa Cum Laude), two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and the CIA's Pro Chef II certification. She has earned the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year award.

Today she develops every recipe on this site, shoots and styles food through her food photography and motion studio, and publishes nutrition education materials for dietitians, schools, extension offices, and health professionals through nutritioneducationstore.com. She uses the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to drive her creativity — whether that means a new twist on fajitas or Italian brownies made with toasted nuts and cooked honey. Her mission has never changed: help everyone make food that tastes as good as it is for them.

https://nutritioneducationstore.com
Previous

Supermarket Lean Tips
Next

Skillet Meals Are Quick!