Healthy Alternatives for People with Diabetes - Natural Substitutes for Sugar

Diabetes need to pay attention to the glycemic levels of the carbohydrates they eat and plan their meals around low glycemic foods. What is a glycemic level? It is an index of foods based on how each food item affects the blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic level burn up fast in our bodies and raise our blood sugars levels too quickly. If a food item has a low glycemic level it moves slowly through our bodies, slowly but surely releasing glucose into our bloodstream. To explain it another way low glycemic foods keep the diabetic on an even keel with out extreme highs or lows in the blood sugar levels; which is much easier on the body and healthier.

Low glycemic foods also help diabetics (actually everyone) to lose weight, keep those mood swings down to a minimum, make us feel full and keep our energy levels balanced. Its okay to eat high glycemic foods, but do not eat a meal that is completely made up of high glycemic foods. Someone with diabetes needs to balance out the effects of eating high glycemic foods by including low glycemic foods in their meals. Not only do diabetics need to be careful of the glycemic index of their foods, but so do athletes and people who are hypoglycemic or on a diet.

To find the glycemic index level of most foods, go to http://www.glycemicindex.com/. Click on "GI Database" then type in the name of the food item you want to know more about in the search box. The scale is from 0-100, with 100 being the highest level (0-55 low ; 56-69 medium ; 70-100 high).

Below are several healthy choices for diabetics to use to sweeten their food. All are considered low glycemic foods and all are natural foods. Check for yourself how each affects your blood sugars. Test your blood sugar levels before the meal then two hours after. If your blood sugar levels are within your target range then you can use that particular sweetener.

Agave nectar

Agave nectar or syrup is made from Blue Agave, a plant that looks like a cactus, but really is from the lily family. It looks a little bit like a soft brown version of honey, but it isn't as thick. Agave nectar is 25% sweeter than regular sugar, so you don't need as much to sweeten your food. I actually find that I only need about ½ a cup of agave for every cup of sugar. Besides being a healthy sugar substitute I have found that pure agave nectar is great as syrup for pancakes. Experiment with agave and find out what your taste buds want. Depending on the type of agave nectar you use the glycemic index is between 11 and 19.

Apple juice, unsweetened:

Apple juice is good for you and it makes excellent substitute for sugar, it also can be used as a substitute for wine in a recipe. When you are buying apple juice make sure it is unsweetened and does not have corn syrup. If your recipe is a little dry and needs to be a little sweeter, then apple juice would be a good substitute. You will need to experiment to figure out how much apple juice should be used. A little warning though, apple juice can produce high blood sugar levels for some diabetes. A good number of apples have a glycemic level of 40.

Applesauce, unsweetened:

We use homemade applesauce at our house. Just peel, wash, then slice the apples, put them in a pot and cook on low heat. Do not add water, there is enough water already between the natural water in the apples and the water you used to wash the apples. This is all you do if you want to use it as a sweetener, but if you want a great homemade applesauce add cinnamon to the pot - it depends on your taste buds how much. Once the apples are cooked, use a potato masher for chunky applesauce or a mixer for smooth applesauce. We make up our applesauce then freeze it so it's ready when we need it.
Applesauce is not only a healthy sugar substitute but you can use it as an oil/shortening substitute, which is a good way to cut down on the fat in a recipe. It depends on what type of apples you use on the glycemic level, but it will probably be in the 40s. For some reason mashing apples give it a higher glycemic level.

Bananas:

Mashed bananas are a good sugar substitute; use one cup of mashed bananas for one cup of sugar. A couple of warnings: bananas have a strong flavor and will affect the taste of the recipe; and this is another substitute that a diabetic needs to be careful of, because it can raise your blood sugar levels too high. Test yourself before eating a recipe using bananas and a couple of hours later to see how it affects you. The glycemic level is 51.

Stevia:

Stevia is made from the leaves of a plant from South America called stevia rebaudiana; it is a member of the daisy family of flowers. It is much sweeter than sugar, some say as much as 300 times. Substitute 1 teaspoon of liquid stevia or 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons for every cup of sugar the recipe lists. That's not a typo, 1 teaspoon versus one sugar; stevia is that much sweeter. Be careful not to use too much stevia, if you use too much it has an awful bitter taste. Stevia is a good substitute for sugar, but you must understand that you do not need to use much of it otherwise you will ruin your recipe. Note: Stevia is only sold as a dietary supplement in the United States because the FDA has banned the use of stevia as a sugar substitute. Stevia's glycemic level is 0.

Sources Used:
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
http://www.carbs-information.com/glycemic-index.htm
http://www.daveshealthnotes.org/Glycemic%20Index.htm
http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/glycemic.asp
http://www.sweetleaf.com/category.php?subcat=whats_stevia&subpage=steviafaq