You need to watch those "sugar-free" foods. I myself do not eat them.

http://www.joslin.org/info/can_i_eat_as_many_sugar_free_foods_as_i_want.html

Alot of food items that are "sugar free" actually have WAY more total carbs then the regular versions. I have found very few exceptions. I take insulin and I look at ONLY the TOTAL carb count. For me it works quite well using only that number. A diabetic can have ANY food that anyone else can have. We just have to plan for it and adjust in other areas. If you want a cheesecake slice that's fine, just go for a lower carb meal before the dessert. In fact just the other day I had pasta for lunch AND a creamy super rich cheesecake slice (that I shared with my son) for dessert. I got home a few hours later and my numbers were still pretty awesome! but that's because my breakfast was pretty much zero carbs since I knew my lunch would be blown out of the water with carbs.

We don't have to suffer, we just have to plan. And like grannie said I stay away from sugar free foods as well. I think the subs they use aren't super healthy and could possibly cause more damage than good.

you would do better to eat regular foods and learn to make sure the CARBS are included in your daily alloted carbs. and learn to control the amount of sweets you eat.

Carbs are sugars, they are more complex and any simple sugars are included in the total carbs when you read a food label.

I do eat chocolate candies, I have the occasional cupcake or even a small slice of cake and yes I do icecream once in a while...just learn to eat 1/2 of the standard portions etc and not constantly and you will do fine......maybe use the sweets as a reward - numbers good, exercising, weight loss if needed..

Wow, this is an eye opener! Thanks for the heads up!!

You all talk about carb allotment. What diet are you referring to? When you say low carb, what would that be, on the side of the product. What is considered low or a good number? What is too high?

Ask your Doctor or his Dietitian for reading material or go here:

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/

To make sure you get a well rounded meal, take everything you need such as veggies, meat, fruit, and a grain. Between all those things there should be between 30-45 grams worth of carbs which is stated on labels or look up the carb count on a diabetic food site. Usually there are no carbs in say mustard or butter......just watch portion control of the fats and salt as diabetic tend to be more susceptible high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
If you get a canned item with a lot of salt added, you can drain it and rinse it with water to remove as much of the salt as possible. I prefer fresh, but in the winter, it is not always possible.....I usually choose frozen in the winter.

You ca also use the divided plate method which I do most of the time. This consists of filling half a dinner plate with veggies or salad and a fruit. Use another third of the plate for a whole grain......I have one slice of whole grain bread or a small whole grain roll with a little butter and the other third with a 3-4 ounce piece of meat...lean if possible. Voila!
I gave up soda/pop and drink unsweetened tea or just plain water for all meals.
I suffer from general anxiety, so the hot tea helps me relax as well as feel like I'm getting a treat in exchange for soda/pop.

This is tailored for my needs.....it is always best to talk with a dietitian. There is tons of info via the internet on carb counting or using a low glycemic index method.
It will be mostly hit or miss and checking your blood 2 hours after a meal to see if you are on target (blood sugar should be below 160 2 hours AFTER a meal according to my doctor).

Hope this helps :)

Oh....if you don't want a salad (with a little salad dressing). you can have a small sweet potato with a little butter.....I sprinkle a little Cinnamon on it as well....OR.......bake some veggies with a little olive oil and a little sea salt (bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes).

Thanks for the info, Msblank! Is that 30-45 carbs/meal or snack?

it's 30-45 carbs per meal and 15-20 per snack.
I have to eat every 3 hours in order to maintain my blood sugar levels.

I test my blood when I wake up and before breakfast. My doctor wants my fasting blood sugar reading (the one where I wake up/before I eat breakfast) to be no higher than 120.....but sometimes it happens.

I then test my blood around 5 p.m. before dinner. My blood sugar is usually between 95-105.
I also test my blood before bed time.

Until I knew the ropes on knowing what my blood sugar level should be at any given time, I use to test my blood 2 or 3 hours AFTER a meal. I should be no higher than 160. Usually 2 or 3 hours after a meal I am at around 120-130.
I adjust my eating around my numbers.

Have you taken a class or read any books/online info?
Has your doctor given you any guidelines?
Keep track of your A1C blood tests.....they are the best indicator in managing diabetes. This blood test is run every 3 months. Any score 7 or below is good.
Hang in there......you will get the hang of it before you know it!

My doc just says stay away from the sweets, like cookies, cakes , etc. I generally have been for a long time. I'm pre-diabetic at this stage, but inching towards the diabetic stage which I want to avoid if possible. My blood sugar was higher this last blood test and then the nurse mentioned to stay away from lots of carbs. I guess I haven't been keeping track of that as much. I also thought the sugar free stuff was ok to eat a treat daily or so. I guess that's not right either.
I think I have a lot to learn!!

I'm on insulin and I know that everyone's carb allotment is different. Mine is this:
Breakfast 60 carbs
lunch 75 carbs
dinner 60 carbs

Snacks I need to keep under 20 carbs and then there was something about if it's less than 5 carbs and less then Xcalories it's considered free, but I don't remember what it is so I take into account all carbs anytime I eat anything. I find it easy to fit meals into this carb allotment as it seems a little high to me, but it works and my numbers stay good (unless I mess up and don't take a med or don't coundthe carbs)...

There's lots of good reading online..You could also try this site:
ndep.nih.gov/


They even will send you a packet through USPS mail! Makes it super easy.

THanks, Jody. I just visited that site. Must be good, a couple I was interested in were sold out! I wish they had a place to download them and print them on my own computer.

I assume your doc gave you the carb limitations? I gotta talk to mine specifically about that.

I cannot stand sugar free items because of the artificial sweeteners, and like others have stated, the carbs seem to be just as bad, if not worse. Do you have a Trader Joes near you? They have a lot of great "sweets" that are low in carbs. I also found that dark chocolate covered almonds are a great sweet treat - just have a few and don't over do it. I am also a big sweet eater and have only been diagnosed for about 5-6 weeks, so I am still learning. I have lost about 10 pounds and my sugars are well under control. Even when I eat a small sweet, they are still good. My only concern is that sometimes my fasting sugar is a bit higher than it should be because I sometimes eat too late at night. I need to try not to eat after 8:00. You can definitely find sweets out there that are not bad. Like others have said, just try to build them into your entire meal.

Thanks, Topaz! We do have a Trader's joes. I have to check it out.

Seems like the sweets are about 2-3 carbs. The dietician said only 2-3 carbs/meal. So then the sweet is about ALL of my carb allowance for a meal.

There seems to be carbs in EVERYTHING!! I thought fruits were free, but they are not. Frustrating.

Do we JUST worry about the carb content and ignore the sugar amt in the food?