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What Are the Different Types of Sugar Free Desserts for Diabetics?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

The different types of sugar free desserts for diabetics can be categorized into baked goods and frozen sweets. Sugar free baked desserts include cookies, cakes and pies. Some frozen diabetic desserts are sugar free ice cream, ice pops and fudge bars. There are also sugar free gelatin and pudding products available on many grocery shelves that are suitable for diabetic desserts.

Sugar free puddings may be available both ready made in cups and in powdered form to prepare at home. The type of pudding to make at home may be used to create cream pie sugar free desserts for diabetics. For example, sugar free cookies, another diabetic dessert item, can be crushed and mixed with melted butter to form a pie crust. After the cookie crust is pressed into the bottom of a pie pan, baked and cooled, it may be filled with prepared, sugar free pudding. The completed pie, which may be chocolate, vanilla or another flavor, should be kept refrigerated until serving time.

Sugar-free vanilla pudding can be enjoyed by diabetics.
Sugar-free vanilla pudding can be enjoyed by diabetics.

Pies as well as cakes that are sugar free are often available in freezer sections of grocery stores. The selection may include plain pound cakes as well as cake varieties frosted with sugar free icing. With packaged artificial sweetener designed for baking, home bakers can also prepare different types of sugar free cakes for diabetics. There are also sugar free versions of brown sugar available for bakers to use for baking diabetic cakes, cookies and other desserts.

Brownies can be made with stevia so that diabetics can have them.
Brownies can be made with stevia so that diabetics can have them.

It's important to note that when fruit is used in dessert recipes, such as in blueberry or other types of coffee cake, it doesn't become totally sugar free although diabetics can usually still eat it. The same can also be said for milk added to sugar free desserts for diabetics, as it contains lactose. Fruit contains the natural sugar glucose that can raise blood sugar, yet typically only larger amounts of fruits or juice or milk used in desserts will have as big an effect on the body as refined sugars used in regular desserts. Diabetics should always check with their dietitian or other knowledgeable health professional when choosing sugar free desserts.

Non-sugar gelatin offers a low calorie, light choice for sugar free desserts for diabetics as well as dieters. Prepared gelatin may be served as is or with fruit added if that is permitted. Non-dairy, sugar free whipped topping is often a favorite addition to all flavors of non-sugar gelatin including lime, strawberry, raspberry, grape, orange, peach and lemon.

Discussion Comments

anon307055

Wow--very silly! Saying that agave nectar is not sugar is like saying that honey is not sugar. Both provide a shot of high glycemic energy into the blood stream much like a spoonful of refined white sugar. This discussion is incredibly incomplete without an examination of glycemic index. Unfortunately, many people remain ignorant of basic foods that cause a destructive rise (and subsequent fall) of blood glucose that can be disastrous to diabetics, pre-diabetics, and dieters. I recommend that the serious reader look into glycemic indexes and why they're important.

ddljohn

I'm so glad the article mentioned that not all diabetic desserts are sugar free. I would like to add that not all sugar free recipes are good for diabetics.

I've been reading about diabetic diets to help my mom. I learned that carbohydrates also turn into sugar in the body. Carbohydrates like flour, rice and potatoes are not allowed for diabetics for that reason.

A scoop of regular ice cream is probably better than a sugar free chocolate chip cookie. Because the milk and fat in the ice cream will cause the sugars to be absorbed slowly. But the white flour in the cookie is going to turn into sugar and will absorbed pretty fast.

Do you see what I mean?

bear78

@fify-- Can you get a hold of stevia leaf or agave nectar?

There are sugar-free natural sweeteners that can be used instead of artificial sweeteners like aspartame. And you can buy these in bulk and easily substitute it for sugar in recipes.

I make really sugar free cookies and muffins for diabetics with agave nectar. I just use the nectar instead of sugar and add sugar-free chocolates. It's also great for milk desserts like homemade ice cream, whipped cream and puddings.

It tastes really good, it doesn't have a bad aftertaste that some sweeteners leave behind. Plus, you don't crave more sugar after eating these that happens with artificial sweeteners that confuse the body.

My grand-kids love my agave nectar cookies too. They don't have a sugar restriction, but too much sugar is never good for anyone!

fify

I'm currently working abroad and have been diagnosed with diabetes. I've always loved sweets and now I can't eat the foods I love the most. The bad part is that where I live, there is little to no dessert options for diabetics.

I hadn't realized before how lucky we are in the US because there really are so many dessert options for people who can't have sugar. Grocery stores are full of sugar-free options of many sweets like jello, pudding, ice bars and ice cream. The grocery store I used to shop at even had sugar free birthday cakes, cheesecake and brownies for diabetics.

I wish I had these options here! The most I can do here is make jello with some fruit juice and sweetener. But it doesn't taste the same! I don't have access to large baking sweeteners either. The sweeteners come in little packs just for drinks.

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    • Sugar-free vanilla pudding can be enjoyed by diabetics.
      By: kuvona
      Sugar-free vanilla pudding can be enjoyed by diabetics.
    • Brownies can be made with stevia so that diabetics can have them.
      By: Kimberly Reinick
      Brownies can be made with stevia so that diabetics can have them.