Diabetic Substitutions

People with diabetes must control their weight and blood sugar. It is not enough to eliminate sugar from your diet, you must also control carbohydrates and fat. According to researchers at Oregon State University, high glycemic carbohydrates cause faster increases in blood sugar levels than low glycemic foods. A registered dietitian should help you develop a meal plan. However, some common diabetic substitutions can allow you to enjoy your food without jeopardizing your blood sugar levels.

Sugar

• Use artificial sweeteners in foods and recipes instead of sugar. Artificial sweeteners do not brown or add bulk to baked goods as sugar does, so you may have to adjust recipes accordingly. For those who prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners, some plant-based natural sweeteners also work well. Many people use stevia, a very sweet plant, in coffee, tea or other beverages.

Pasta

• Pasta made from white flour places high on the glycemic chart. Use chopped cauliflower instead of macaroni in baked macaroni and cheese to lower the carb count and add nutrition. Use spaghetti squash, rather than pasta, with spaghetti sauce and meatballs.

Mayonnaise and Sour Cream

• Many diabetics must control the number of grams of fat in their diets. Fat-free yogurt can take the place of mayonnaise or sour cream in almost all recipes. Usually you will not notice the difference. Although yogurt contains some carbs, they are low glycemic carbs and you will reduce the amount of fat in the recipe.

Hard Candy

• Often you crave candy because you want something in your mouth. To quell this craving, suck on frozen fruit pieces in the evening while watching television or reading. Fruit contains some carbs, but not the high amount found in candy, which is often nearly pure sugar. A handful of frozen grapes or berries will not spike your sugar levels as badly as a handful of candy.

Potatoes

• White potatoes are a food staple that places very high on the glycemic index and can spike blood sugars when eaten in any quantity. Replace mashed potatoes with a combination of cooked cauliflower and garbanzo beans. Mash them with a dab of butter, seasoning and cream cheese to taste. The cream cheese adds some fat and the beans provide some carbs. However, this low glycemic dish provides many nutrients.

  Replace french fries with sweet potatoes. Cut them into strips, toss with olive oil and seasoning and bake at 425 degrees until brown. The glycemic count for sweet potatoes is 48 while a baked white potato registers 78.

Salty Snacks

• Put away the potato chips and pretzels and reach for the popcorn instead. Just be sure to limit the butter and salt. You will have to check the carb counts in the brand that you purchase, but two cups of air-popped popcorn typically equals about 13 grams of carbohydrate.