‘Diabetic’ foods

You may have seen foods advertised as ‘diabetic’ or ‘suitable for diabetics’. These foods have no benefit, can be just as high in calories and fat, are more expensive, have a laxative effect and can still impact on blood glucose levels.

This laxative effect is caused by sugar alcohols used as replacement sweeteners such as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, and maltitol. These don’t get absorbed into your bloodstream like glucose does, but they can pull water into your digestive tract, leading to diarrhoea and bloating.

As of 2014, you shouldn’t see food in the UK marketed as ‘diabetic’. However, some of these products may still be on sale as ‘low sugar’. While some low sugar products can be of benefit when you have diabetes, you should make sure to look at all of the nutritional information to check these are really a better option than traditional varieties.

Low sugar options can still be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.