Can people with diabetes eat cakes? Yes, you can. Just think about your portion sizes and how often you have them – you could also try eating your desserts with some fruit, such as berries, to make them more filling and nutritious.
You can have your cake and eat it too! We often think that people with diabetes are forbidden from eating sweets, but that is a myth. If you have diabetes, you can still eat sweets once in a while without feeling guilty. The key is moderation.
Choose Lower-Carb Options
Choosing a lower-carb option allows you to literally have your cake and eat it too AND keep your diabetes management plan intact. You may also be able to use less insulin and lower your chances of spiking your blood sugar.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), if you have diabetes, you can absolutely include sweets and desserts in your diet, as long as they're part of a healthy eating plan and you don't overindulge.
Sweets like candy and cake are off-limits if you have diabetes.
Just because you have diabetes doesn't mean you can't enjoy chocolate cake as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Good-quality chocolate actually contains some beneficial antioxidants and phyto-nutrients but it should be eaten in moderation because it's high in fat and sugar.
Your blood sugar level rises immediately after eating a meal or snack (Figure 2). In a healthy person, insulin then starts working, and the blood sugar level returns to the pre-meal level 2 hours after eating.
How often can a people with diabetes have a cheat meal? “Cheating once a week for normalcy is acceptable. However, cheating every other day can become an issue”, Shilpa added.
The leading bakeries offer several diabetic-friendly options. So, go with a chocolate cake where instant pudding and fat-less whipped cream have been used, replacing the traditional sugar-heavy ingredients. Speaking of chocolate cakes, you can also buy experimental fusionist options like a banana chocolate cake.
“It is fine to have treats. It is fine to have cake and ice cream,” says nutritionist Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, “but that has to be balanced out with the healthy stuff: the fruits, the veggies, the whole grains, the lean proteins.”
A skipped meal alters the balance between food intake and insulin production, and can cause your blood sugar levels to eventually drop. “For diabetic people dependent on insulin or blood sugar–lowering medication, skipping meals can be more dangerous because it can lead to low blood sugar,” says Pearson.
There's a myth about chocolate and diabetes. But you can eat chocolate, just in moderation and not too often. Try not to eat a lot in one go as it affects your blood sugar levels. If you snack on chocolate regularly it may start to increase your cholesterol levels and make it more difficult to manage your weight.
How Much Bread Can You Eat with Diabetes? "People with diabetes can eat bread as long as it fits either their meal plan or within their carbohydrate counting allowance," says Kitty Broihier, M.S., RD, LD. "In general, that means choosing a slice that has 15 grams of carbohydrates for sandwiches."
While there are some extra things to consider, ice cream can be included in a healthy meal pattern even if you have diabetes. It's best to eat ice cream in moderation and to choose an option with lower saturated fat, lower carbs and no or low added sugar.
If you have been diagnosed with any diabetes type, you can consider including millet cookies, multi-grain sugar-free cookies, sugar-free biscuits, oats and almond cookies, etc. Britannia nutrichoice is also a good biscuit choice for diabetics.
While there are myths that state those with diabetes should not consume dairy, these products, including cheese, can actually be beneficial when consumed in moderate amounts. Cheese, in particular, can actually be great at helping to manage blood sugar levels because of its low glycemic index.