Be Certain It's Sugar Free
Some food items that carry the label "sugar free" truly are,
and they are also carbohydrate free, which is just as important. Sugar-free
Jell-O gelatin is a good example. But sometimes a product that is labeled
as sugar-free obviously can't be. If you go to the candy store and they
have sugar-free chocolate-covered raisins, you know the label is just
plain wrong. The chocolate might be sugar free, but the raisins are
not. They contain natural sugars.
At buffets, sometimes the dessert section contains sugar-free selections.
Again, the gelatin is probably OK. But beware of the "sugar-free"
cake. Although it might not contain actual sugar, there are plenty of
fast-acting carbohydrates that are just as bad for diabetics as the
real thing.
Examples of "Sugar Free" Foods that Aren't
Brand: Murray
Item: Chocolate Sandwich Cookie
Claim: "Sugar Free"
Total Usable* Carbs: 13 grams
Brand: Murray
Item: Chocolate Chip Cookie
Claim: "Sugar Free"
Total Usable* Carbs: 13 grams
Brand: Store Generic
Item: Blueberry Pie
Claim: "No Sugar Added"
Total Usable* Carbs per Slice: 28 grams
Sugar: 6 grams
Brand: Fifty 50
Item: Wafer Cookies
Claim: "Sugar Free"
Total Usable* Carbs: 13 grams
Brand: Blue Bunny
Item: Ice Cream Sandwiches
Claim: "No Sugar Added"
Total Usable* Carbs: 19 grams
Sugar: 3 grams
Brand: Blue Bunny
Item: Chocolate Ice Cream
Claim: "No Sugar Added"
Total Usable* Carbs: 16 grams
Sugar: 5 grams
*Usable Carbs were calculated by subtracting the fiber and any sugar
alcohols from the "Total Carbohydrates" as shown on the Nutrition
Facts Label. Only the usable carbs affect blood glucose levels. Using
the Fifty 50 "Sugar-Free" Wafers as an example, and assuming
a diabetic's blood glucose level increases by 3 points for each gram
of usable carbs consumed (a close approximation for many people), only
one serving of "sugar free" wafers would increase the blood
glucose level by 39 points!
