What sweeteners can I use if I have Type 2 Diabetes?

We know sugar is a problem, and we don't really want to eat or drink that because of the inflammation and the effect on insulin and all of that other stuff.

So the question is, what can we use? Some people will turn to artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame or saccharin or Splenda, those types of things.

There are two big problems with those types of sweeteners. The first one is they are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar.  So when you are using those on a regular basis, you're resetting your sweetness level or taste in your brain.

When you eat regular sugar or fruit that's naturally occurring sugar, your brain goes, nope, not sweet enough. I need more. I need more. And in fact, people who use a lot of artificial sweeteners tend to gain more weight.

Second, they have a negative effect on our microbiome, in the gut. Our gut bacteria is really crucial for so many functions, but also for weight management. So when that system is disturbed, then we have problems with weight!

So what can we use?

Sometimes people will say, well, you know, you have diabetes, so you can't really use anything. But sometimes, you want something sweet, like a piece of candy or something that you can enjoy without too many problems with your metabolic system.

So I'm going to suggest considering sugar alcohols.

These are naturally occurring chemicals that are also processed and manufactured, and there are several of them. There's sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, glycerol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, xylitol - and several others. But the two I want to really talk about are xylitol and erythritol.

Xylitol's sweetness is the same as sugar and erythritol is about 25% less sweet than sugar.  They have half the calories in a gram of sugar alcohol than in a gram of sugar. (All sugar alcohols do) They don't raise blood sugar very much. The body uses very little insulin to manage that. So there's a big plus.

Now xylitol is great. It's in a lot of sugar-free chewing gum. And the great part about it is the bacteria in your mouth doesn't feed on it. So there's no tooth decay, nothing like that. You just get that sweet taste. And you don't have any downside to it.

Erythritol is also very good because with some sugar alcohols, because of the way they're absorbed and partially metabolized, sometimes they can cause gas and bloating. Erythritol is one sugar alcohol that is absorbed, but it's excreted virtually unchanged. So you get the benefit of the sweetness without the digestive after effects.

So there's a lot of good things about them, half the calories absorbed, but fully excreted. I would also suggest that you use them in moderation. It's great to have a treat once in a while, and try to find some sweets that have this sugar alcohol as a sweetener.

There's a link down below for my free 30 day guide to managing or reversing your type two diabetes. Please click on this link download the guide. I think you'll enjoy it.

Thank you,

Dr. Elaine

Click this link to download my free 30 Day Guide to Managing or Reversing Type 2 Diabetes: https://www.drelainestewart.com/30-day-guide

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider for advice about a specific medical condition.