Type 2 Diabetes - Can I Still Have Sugar As A Diabetic?

Diabetes is a disease of high blood sugar, so people often think it's caused by eating too much sugar. In the case of Type 1 diabetes this is not true as Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. It's not so straight forward in the case of Type 2 diabetes. Sugar may not directly cause the disease but sugar may play a role. People who indulge in drinking sodas and sweetened drinks are more likely to be overweight or obese... this is a trigger of Type 2 diabetes.

Everyone knows though foods that send glucose or sugar into the bloodstream quickly, foods such as sodas, candy, potatoes, white bread and foods made with refined flour, and diabetes do not go together. Although it's really about your body's response to sugar and its inability to process it correctly, it's a little like adding gasoline to a fire. You start out with an explosive beginning and then soon find yourself in the middle of a rapid descent into nothing. But it is not reasonable to expect diabetics to completely give up the white stuff. There are ways around this dilemma as long as you use the term that all diabetics have grown accustomed to: moderation.

Sugar does not have to be completely avoided as long as the person with Type 2 diabetes uses good judgment when making their decisions. The key here is counting everything. No matter whether you are talking about calories, sugar or other carbs, it is not only important, but it is vital to make sure that everything is to account.

This is especially good news for diabetics since it is unreasonable to ask them to totally give up sugar altogether. Human nature dictates if you take something away, the body craves it... it only tends to intensify the cravings. This can be a dangerous scenario as it will often lead to engulfing huge quantities of sugar or carbs once the "go-ahead" has been issued.

Allowing reasonable treats here and there will not cause irreparable harm, as long as the person with diabetes considers their intake when they make their other food choices. After all, sweet tea with white potatoes, macaroni and cheese, bread and meat is not balancing things out.

It is important to understand that sugar, while it has its effects on blood sugar, also comes with an additional concern. Since it holds very little nutritional value a little goes a long way. Consuming carbs that have a much higher nutritional rating will allow you to eat more without going overboard. Plus, it will halt those sweet cravings at the same time.

The best course of action is to talk it over with your doctor to determine what is a safe and responsible amount of sugar to have. Your doctor may even recommend you sit down with a dietitian to go over how much carbs or sugar is hidden in your favorite foods. This is often misleading and results in unknowingly ingesting more carbs than we should. Pinpointing all the areas where sugar can be derived will allow you to eat what you want without causing undue damage. At the same time, it tends to help you not to overeat.