# Are there any sweets we can safely stuff?



## chili (Mar 8, 2016)

As above:- i am a true sweet fanatic wine gums toffee choccy am drooling as i type  so are there any real sweets we can eat?


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## trophywench (Mar 9, 2016)

Well we can eat any of them.

However all will increase our blood glucose - so please yourself whether to be strong with yourself now - or go blind, have your kidneys fail etc later?

Entirely your own decision!  LOL


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## Redkite (Mar 9, 2016)

If you're on insulin you can try and match the carbs in the sweets/choc with extra insulin, but this is no easy task (my 15yo is always trying!).  Otherwise, stick to lower carb treats in small amounts (dark choc is better than milk choc), and have it at the end of a meal rather than as a between-meal snack.  Better still, if you're going to indulge, do so when you're just about to do some energetic exercise (helps increase your insulin sensitivity and thereby limit the rise in blood glucose.  A sensible approach (if you can't do without) is to have a "treat day" once a week.  Do you have a glucose meter and test strips?  Keep an eye on your BG levels


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## DeusXM (Mar 9, 2016)

Unfortunately, the clue's sort of in the name. Diabetes is a condition whereby you cannot safely eat sugar (well, carbohydrates really) without control, so by definition, there are no sweets that you can safely stuff yourself with. You may be able to include sweets as an additional extra in a controlled quantity alongside other meals, but the reality is you can't just dip into a bag of wine gums without thinking if you want to enjoy long-term health.

This also goes for 'sugar-free' sweets too. Although they might be sugar-free, some people find that the sweeteners they use still raise their blood sugar quite a lot anyway, and almost everyone will find they're a useful way of giving your digestive tract a thorough and potentially painful spring clean.


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## chili (Mar 9, 2016)

that was what i was thinking my worst case scenario  no sweets..................................


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## pottersusan (Mar 9, 2016)

It amazes me how many carbs are in sugar free sweets.


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 9, 2016)

The sugar free sweets I've tried have no effect on my BS, but I only have 1 or 2 a day.  Daren't have any more, if you know what I mean.


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## Lynn Davies (Mar 9, 2016)

You need to think about sugar free low carb desserts.

You can buy sugar free meringues online.  Whip up some double cream with some powdered sweetener to taste.  Add some chopped strawberries and mix.  Sprinkle over some crushed sugar free meringues (only a bit mind) and you have a lovely Eaton Mess.

Keep this as a treat though


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 9, 2016)

I buy the sweet waffles from Lidl. They are 11g carbs each. Top with squirty cream & berries. Lovely.


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## AndBreathe (Mar 9, 2016)

Lynn Davies said:


> You need to think about sugar free low carb desserts.
> 
> You can buy sugar free meringues online.  Whip up some double cream with some powdered sweetener to taste.  Add some chopped strawberries and mix.  Sprinkle over some crushed sugar free meringues (only a bit mind) and you have a lovely Eaton Mess.
> 
> Keep this as a treat though



Where do you buy your sugar-free meringues, Lynn?  I have often toyed with trying to make them, but never quite got around to it.  They could probably allow a fairly decent Faux Eton Mess or Pretendy Pavlova.

We entertain a fair amount, and I'd like to out a few more SF/Low Carb desserts into the options.


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## Lynn Davies (Mar 9, 2016)

I got mine from Avidlite many years ago (Atkins Days).  They were a great treat on special occasions but blooming expensive!

http://www.avidlite.co.uk/acatalog/Krunchy-Melts-Sugar-Free-Meringues-57g-tubs-ALK316Z.html#SID=30


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## DeusXM (Mar 9, 2016)

chili said:


> that was what i was thinking my worst case scenario  no sweets..................................



Don't worry, I didn't say 'no' sweets!

You can still include these in smaller quantities. For instance, if you have a very low-carb meal with plenty of fat in it, a couple of wine gums afterwards isn't really going to do anything. It's just we can't stuff ourselves with sweets without giving any thought to the quantity we are eating...which was always the case anyway even before we all had diabetes, we just didn't realise it (even people without diabetes shouldn't be regularly tucking into sweets).



> We entertain a fair amount, and I'd like to out a few more SF/Low Carb desserts into the options.



If you're entertaining, you're probably looking at something a bit more high-brow, but I learned the hard way that sugar-free Angel Delight contains almost as many carbs as the regular version! Always check the label.

Sugar-free jelly is usually pretty good though - I also like 'strong' jelly so I usually make it with about half the water you're supposed to, which makes it taste much stronger and set much more firmly. A good gummy sweet substitute!


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## Lynn Davies (Mar 9, 2016)

Oh DeusCM dharling! Eaton Mess is very high-brow

I have used 2 packets of sugar free jelly and made up with one pint of wate to make for a stronger taste and a more robust jelly. 

Using lime and strawberry jellies. Make the lime ones first and leave to set. Make up the strawberry ones and pour over the lime and leave that to set.

Oh! I forgot to say to line the container with cling film.

Once set, remove from container and cut into chunks.  Mix them with fresh berries for a pretty looking dessert. You can even make it more decadent by pouring cream before serving.


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## AndBreathe (Mar 9, 2016)

DeusXM said:


> Don't worry, I didn't say 'no' sweets!
> 
> You can still include these in smaller quantities. For instance, if you have a very low-carb meal with plenty of fat in it, a couple of wine gums afterwards isn't really going to do anything. It's just we can't stuff ourselves with sweets without giving any thought to the quantity we are eating...which was always the case anyway even before we all had diabetes, we just didn't realise it (even people without diabetes shouldn't be regularly tucking into sweets).
> 
> ...



Thanks Deus.  We do OK for desserts from ditchthecarbs.com and the like, usually, but Eton Mess is a distinct favourite of my OH.  If I could comfortably achieve it and I could have some too, it'd be a double winner.

Thankfully, on a day-to-day basis we don't have desserts.  At home we have them rarely, and here, unless entertaining, being entertained or out, we simply never do.


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 9, 2016)

My low carb cheesecake was excellent.  Can't remember what website I got it off now, but it was very simple & even though I had a larger portion than recommended, still didn't affect my BG.  It consisted of cream cheese mixed with a sugar free lemon & lime jelly.  The base was almond flour, desiccated coconut, sweetener & butter.


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## Copepod (Mar 9, 2016)

chili said:


> As above:- i am a true sweet fanatic wine gums toffee choccy am drooling as i type  so are there any real sweets we can eat?


Going back to original question about sweets, not desserts...
It's your choice - a few sweets after a meal will have less effect on blood glucose levels than sweets in between meals. Lowest sugar content sweets are generally the smallest eg Tic Tacs and Polo mints, which last a while, assuming you suck them, and have strong flavours.


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## Matt Cycle (Mar 9, 2016)

Redkite said:


> If you're on insulin you can try and match the carbs in the sweets/choc with extra insulin, but this is no easy task (my 15yo is always trying!).  Otherwise, stick to lower carb treats in small amounts (dark choc is better than milk choc), and have it at the end of a meal rather than as a between-meal snack.  *Better still, if you're going to indulge, do so when you're just about to do some energetic exercise (helps increase your insulin sensitivity and thereby limit the rise in blood glucose*.  A sensible approach (if you can't do without) is to have a "treat day" once a week.  Do you have a glucose meter and test strips?  Keep an eye on your BG levels



This is very true.  Not that I'd suggest you eat a large pack of wine gums then do a few squat thrusts!  I'm not much of a sweets person myself but will keep my levels topped up with both simple and more complex carbs when out on the bike.  It's surprising sometimes how much is required to keep things ticking over when exercising.  Testing is crucial of course.


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## pat.y (Mar 11, 2016)

I'm not a sweet lover but now and again I really enjoy sucking an aldi sugar free cappucino one and they have no effect on my blood sugar.


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## Mark Parrott (Mar 12, 2016)

I've found some nice travel sweets that dont effect my BS at all. Rhubarb & custard flavour. Usual polyol warnings apply.


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## Carolg (Mar 13, 2016)

Lynn Davies said:


> Oh DeusCM dharling! Eaton Mess is very high-brow
> 
> I have used 2 packets of sugar free jelly and made up with one pint of wate to make for a stronger taste and a more robust jelly.
> 
> ...


Sonnds yummy,remember when you used to use the flted jelly moulds. Or when you blitzed tohe half set jelly to make jelly froth


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