Diabetes has become a public health issue affecting everyone's lives. Many families have members with diabetes, and their diet has become a major challenge, as they fear that eating the wrong foods will cause their blood sugar to rise. Various sugar-free foods have now appeared on the market, all claiming that not only will they not raise blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, but they can also alleviate the condition. Are these sugar-free foods really healthier? Are they truly effective for diabetic patients?
Sugar-free foods are not truly sugar-free
1. They just lack sucrose
Actually, sugar-free foods only lack sucrose. From a technical standpoint, this is an inaccurate claim. They can still raise blood sugar, and diabetic patients should not overconsume them.
2. Starch is also a sugar
Sugar is commonly known as a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates include not only the sucrose we usually eat, but also polysaccharides such as starch and flour.
China's national nutrition labeling standards stipulate that for a food to be labeled "sugar-free," its sugar content (referring to carbohydrates) per 100 grams or 100 milliliters for solid or liquid foods must not exceed 0.5 grams.
Many sugar-free foods on the market are mainly made from flour. Even if no sucrose is added, their main components, such as starch and other carbohydrates, are a source of carbohydrates and can hardly meet the national standard for sugar-free foods.由此可见, sugar-free foods are not "sugar-free" in the true sense of the word.
3. Sugar-free foods may also contain "hidden sugar"
Many manufacturers claim their products are sugar-free mainly because they do not use sucrose, but instead use sweeteners like xylitol. However, this does not mean they contain no sugar at all. More worryingly, while the amount of glucose and sucrose in some sugar-free foods is reduced, they are not short on other types of sugar. For example, sugar-free biscuits and sugar-free lotus root powder contain large amounts of starch; some also add dextrin. These sugars also provide energy and can cause blood sugar to rise.
Moreover, many sugar-free foods, even if they are truly free of sugar and starch, can be very high in fat. Consuming too much fat means taking in too much energy, which is not good for diabetic patients either.
Are sugar-free foods better for diabetic patients?
Not necessarily.
It's important to know that the most critical aspect of a diabetic diet is to control significant fluctuations in blood sugar. Generally, if a sugar-free food uses sugar alcohols instead of glucose or maltose, its glycemic index will be lower than that of its sugary counterpart, making it acceptable to eat.
However, this does not mean sugar-free foods are better. In fact, some food manufacturers add dextrin, refined flour, rice flour, etc., to sugar-free foods. While these may cause less of a blood sugar spike than sucrose, it's only a matter of degree.
How should diabetic patients eat?
1. Eat in moderation
The most basic requirement for a diabetic diet is to control the total energy intake from food. Don't eat too much of any food. For instance, eating a small piece of watermelon won't raise your blood sugar much, but eating a whole large watermelon at once will cause a significant spike. Therefore, the first thing to note is to eat in moderation.
2. Pay attention to food labels when shopping
To prevent blood sugar from rising, you should try to choose foods with a low glycemic index in your daily diet. When shopping, be sure to check the information on the food packaging: besides the "sugar-free" label, you should also look at the ingredient list. If it contains starch, dextrin, cyclodextrin, refined flour, rice flour, etc., you need to be cautious. The earlier these ingredients appear in the list, the higher their content.