WHAT CANDY CAN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES EAT, AND HOW MUCH IS SAFE?

Candy is definitely not a health food, but experts say that it doesnt need to be completely off-limits if you have diabetes.

I encourage people with diabetes to remember that a diabetes diet is really just a healthier diet, says Rainie Robinson, RD, CDCES, a director of clinical nutrition at Childrens of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama.

Moderation is the key. Robinson suggests thinking of candy as a dessert rather than a snack.

Changing that mentality allows people to think about eating candy in smaller portions, she says. We are typically fuller from the meal and therefore eat less candy or sweets than we would have before.

If you can limit your overall added sugar intake, a little candy can fit into a diabetes-friendly diet. And for people with a risk of low blood sugar, candy can even be an occasional medical necessity.

How Much Candy Can You Eat?

You can enjoy some sweets and hit your nutrition goals, but only if the rest of your snacking and eating habits remain on target.

Our bodies need carbohydrates throughout the day and candy can be a delicious, festive, enjoyable source of it on occasion, says Meg Salvia, PhD, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, nutritionist and diabetes educator in private practice.

Sugar-Free Sweets

Sugar-free sweets arent necessarily low in carbohydrates either. These products may contain flour and other starches. Always check the nutrition label before trying a new treat.

Candy Can Help With Low Blood Sugar

If you use glucose-lowering medications that carry a risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), candy can actually be an important medical treatment.

Insulin and sulfonylureas can cause your blood sugar to dip below a healthy range, and you may be instructed to keep a source of fast-acting carbohydrates on hand at all times if you use these medications.

• Take about 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates.
• Check your blood sugar after 15 minutes.
• Treat yourself with another 15 grams if your levels havent increased to a safer range yet.

If you dont address it, hypoglycemia can become dangerous, eventually leading to diabetic seizures. At less severe levels, it can impair your judgment and ability to think clearly when performing tasks such as driving.

Tips for Eating Candy With Diabetes

• Make dessert a special occasion, not a daily habit.
• Choose sweets that feature healthier ingredients, such as real fruit or dark chocolate.
• Keep portions small. For a lot of people, measuring portions is the tricky part, so I would recommend sticking with fun-size portions and walking away from the candy bowl after a treat, Robinson says.
• Think about dessert as just one element of your meal. If youre planning to eat something sugary for dessert, you might want to skip starches such as rice, pasta, or potatoes at dinner.

Diane Norwood, RD, CDCES, who is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, also suggests checking your blood sugar level before eating any sweets.

If the blood sugar level is already higher than recommended, it is not a good idea to eat high-carbohydrate foods, including candy, she says.

Experimenting with your blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose monitor can help you determine which candies are less likely to send your glucose out of range. Norwood says that even if your blood sugar level is normal, its still a good idea to test it right before eating the candy, then again two hours later, to determine if the portion size was acceptable. Doing so will also tell you whether you need additional insulin to correct high blood sugar if youre insulin-dependent.

The Takeaway

• Candy doesnt need to be off-limits for people with diabetes, but its important to enjoy it in moderation, as part of a balanced diet.
• Candies with artificial sweeteners are a potential alternative, though they may contain sugar alcohols that can raise blood sugar and cause side effects, such as digestive discomfort.
• If you are taking medications that may lead to low blood sugar, simple candies such as gummy bears or jelly beans may help resolve low blood-sugar issues quickly.
• Generally, its a good idea to keep desserts to a minimum and treat them like any element of your meal, choosing healthy ingredients and small portions.