Consuming too many carbs and too much sugar can cause insulin levels in people with diabetes to soar, so it is important that they watch their intakes carefully. Fortunately, those managing diabetes do not have to go through life without sweets—they can utilize low-calorie sweeteners to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Low-calorie sweeteners are added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness without adding a lot of calories. They are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than sugar; therefore, they can be used in very small amounts.
The five US approved low-calorie sweeteners are: acesulfame-potassium (or Ace-K), aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose. These sweeteners have been studied extensively and approved as safe food ingredients by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Most low-calorie sweeteners are not metabolized by the body and contribute few to no calories. As a result, people with diabetes can use them to regulate carb and sugar intake, as well as help with weight loss. "A typical 20-ounce carbonated beverage may have 16 teaspoons of sugar. Drinking a diet soda instead of a regular soda can save about 256 calories and 64 grams of carbs." (Diabetes Care and Education handout "Sweet Taste, Without the Calories")
According to the American Diabetes Association, low-calorie sweeteners "make food taste sweet, and have no calories and do not raise blood glucose levels. They do not count as a carbohydrate, a fat, or any other exchange."
Low-calorie sweeteners can play a safe and important role in healthful food choices for people with diabetes. Their use can provide alternatives for individuals concerned with calorie and carbohydrate intake and are safe for the general public, including people with diabetes.
