Diabetes Education and Research Center
Tips for Managing your Diabetes



Use of Sucrose (Table Sugar)


It has been a widely held belief that in the dietary treatment of diabetes, simple sugars (sucrose or table sugar) should be avoided and replaced with complex carbohydrates (starch). It was thought that simple sugars were more rapidly digested and absorbed than starches, causing sharper rises in blood glucose.

Research has shown that the use of the simple sugar sucrose, as part of the meal plan, does not impair blood glucose control in individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, sucrose and sucrose containing foods must be substituted for other carbohydrates, and not simply added to meals.

In making substitutions, consider that many sucrose-containing foods are prepared foods (baked goods, breakfast cereals, frozen desserts) which are often calorie-dense and may contain added fat.


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