People with diabetes weigh their options carefully when it comes to what they eat. Sugar and sweeteners are no exception to that rule.

Some people may prefer the taste of table sugar (sucrose) to other sweeteners. But, they also know the harmful effects that sugar can have. When people with diabetes eat too many sugary foods, blood glucose levels can skyrocket dangerously. Over time, elevated sugar levels can lead to permanent damage of the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and other organs. For this reason, many people choose to substitute artificial sweeteners for some or all of the sugar in their diets.

What benefits do artificial sweeteners have? First and foremost, many have no calories and do not raise blood glucose levels. Second, many foods made with low-calorie sweeteners have fewer calories due to the reduced amount of sugar. Always be sure to read nutrition labels carefully; “reduced sugar” or “sugar free” doesn’t necessary mean “reduced calorie” or “low fat.”

Artificial sweeteners on the market today in the United States have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a decision backed up by the American Diabetes Association. Some of the most common artificial sweeteners are these:

• Saccharin is found in products such as Sweet N Low, Sweet Twin, and Necta Sweet. Saccharin may be used in both hot and cold food and drinks.
• Sucralose is sold as Splenda. It retains its sweetness during baking and cooking, making it appropriate for cold and hot food and drinks.
• Aspartame is the sweetener contained in NutraSweet and Equal, and can lose some sweetness if subjected to high temperatures.
• Acesulfame-K (potassium) is found in products like Sweet One, Swiss Sweet, and Sunett. It may be used in baking and cooking.

Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener for many centuries in South America amongst various indigenous tribes. Many people prefer to use it because it is all-natural. Stevia can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, and has a long-lasting sweetening effect.

Another type of sweetener is in a category of its own: sugar alcohols. Despite the name, sugar alcohols contain no alcohol. Sugar alcohols have about half the calories of sugar. Some sugar alcohols are sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and manitol.

If you’d like more information about the use of sugar and other sweeteners, speak to your health care provider.

American Diabetes Wholesale offers several artificial sweeteners to help you reduce the amount of sugar you consume. These versatile sweeteners are great not only for drinks, but for baked goods and other foods, too.

DiabetiSweet
DiabetiSweet Original Sugar Substitute and DiabetiSweet Brown Sugar Substitute are great for baking and cooking. Each one measures the same as regular sugar or brown sugar, but with no negative effect on your blood sugar. DiabetiSweet sweeteners have zero glycemic response, so your blood glucose and insulin levels do not increase. With the same taste and texture as sugar, and no aftertaste, DiabetiSweet can help you work those favorite dessert recipes back into your eating routine.

EZ-Sweetz Liquid Sucralose Sweetener
EZ-Sweetz Liquid Sucralose Sweetener comes in a convenient dropper bottle for you to sweeten hot or cold drinks anywhere you go. Just one drop is as sweet as two teaspoons of sugar, and it’s both sugar-free and calorie-free. EZ-Sweetz can also sweeten your baked goods and other foods, as well.

D-Lectable Somethin’ Sweet
D-Lectable Somethin’ Sweet is an all-natural sugar substitute that is just right for people who don’t want to use sugar, but don’t care for artificial products, either. This zero-calorie sugar substitute is high in fiber and has a low GI of only 18. It contains no sugar or sugar alcohols, no gluten, and no trans fats, so it is a good choice for people on restricted diets. Also try D-Lectable sweetener in bulk-- a measure-for-measure sweetener that’s great for cooking and baking.

Stevita - Stevia
Stevita products are made with stevia, an all-natural sweetener that has been in use for centuries among indigenous tribes in South America. Stevia is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar and, as promising medical research suggests, may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce hypertension. Try Stevita Spoonable Stevia in jars or in packets and enjoy its clean, sugar-like taste. Stevita Spoonable is easy to measure for cooking thanks to erythritol, a bulking agent made from natural ingredients. Also try Stevita Simply-Stevia, the purest stevia on the market. With no added fillers or other ingredients, Simply-Stevia has a more honey-like herbal taste than Stevita Spoonable Stevia. Each single-serve packet of Simply-Stevia dissolves easily in liquid and has zero calories, zero carbohydrates, and a zero glycemic index rating.

Angela Tustin's Smoked Duck and Candied Ginger Salad

Serves: 8

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1/8 recipe):
Calories: 140; Calories from Fat: 60; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 30mg; Total Carbs: 20g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 4g

Food Exchange: 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetables, 3 Very Lean Meats, 1 Fat

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shallots, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and julienne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, granulated
• 1/4 cup rice or white vinegar
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves quartered
• 1/2 cup Belgian endive, julienne leaves
• 1 cup red onion, sliced thin
• 1 fennel bulb, leaves and stems removed, sliced into thin rings
• 1 pint blackberries
• 1/2 cup crushed black walnuts
• 2 large Asian pears
• 24 ounces prepared, smoked duck breast

Preparation:

1. Combine shallots, ginger, olive oil and Splenda® in a medium saucepan. Sweat shallots and ginger over low heat until soft and shallots are translucent. Turn up heat and add vinegars.
2. Cook until mixture reduces by 1/3 then stir in a solution of water mixed with corn starch and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add mustard. After dressing cools, strain out ginger and shallots.
3. Toss all remaining ingredients together in a large salad bowl except for blackberries and duck breast. Dress salad with candied ginger vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide evenly onto 8 chilled salad plates. Slice duck breast and fan 3-4 oz of duck around each salad. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette onto duck breast and garnish with a few blackberries.

Note: Smoked duck breast is available at gourmet groceries.

Visit www.CooksRecipes.com for many more delicious diabetic recipes.
Recipe courtesy of Splenda, Inc. Splenda® is a no-calorie sweetener made from sugar that is suitable for diabetics. For more information regarding this product, please call 1-800-777-5363 or visit their website at www.splenda.com.