Effect of "sugar free" on blood sugar

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-16-2006
Effect of "sugar free" on blood sugar
53
Mon, 07-30-2007 - 1:21pm

I have read that one of the problems with diet soda (for instance) is that the body doesn't know how to differentiate between real sugar and sugar substitutes.  What I read indicated that while diet soda -- carbonated, or non-carbonated like Crystal Light -- may be calorie free with zero carbs, it can still affect blood sugar levels.  On another board I visit, a woman (who is diabetic) said that she noticed this was the case with her.  Crystal Light caused her blood sugar levels to rise and she had confirmed this with her gluco-meter.  I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this.


I'm not diabetic and don't have a blood sugar monitor so I can't track this myself.  But diabetes runs in my family and I have several risk factors, so I've been making an effort to eat better and exercise regularly and lose weight, and one of my primary goals has been trying to keep my blood sugar levels as steady as possible.  (So, for instance, I've gotten familiar with the Glycemic Index and I tend to eat low-GI foods like fruit, veggies, beans, and low-GI grains.)  I do drink Crystal Light at home, and I also have a can of Diet Dr. Pepper most mornings when I get to work.  Obviously, since keeping my blood sugar stable is a goal, I wouldn't want to continue drinking Crystal Light (or the Diet DP) if it can in fact cause my blood sugar to go up. 


(Part of the reason I'm curious about what others have noticed is because my mother has a friend, with Type I Diabetes, who REGULARLY drinks Crystal Light.  Like...constantly.  She's gotten my mother to do it as well.)

 


 


 



 


 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-15-2005
Mon, 07-30-2007 - 4:57pm
Personally, I've not had any issues with sugar free products. I use lots of Crystal Lite and I use Splenda almost exclusively, rather than sugar.


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2007
Thu, 08-02-2007 - 5:25pm
Hi, I am a diabetic and have No trouble when I drink Crystal Light,in fact it keeps my sugar lower then normal.Also I drink kool-aid grape with no sugar and my sugars are just fine. Dr says keep up the good work.I also eat ice cream, manly Edy's chocolate chip mint,with no sugar,or any ice cream as long as sugar is low.I also test 4 times a day.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2007
Thu, 08-02-2007 - 7:55pm
YA KNOW........I AM ABOUT AS SERIOUSLY DIABETIC AS THEY COME. IF IT WERE NOT FOR CRYSTAL LIGHT, AND DIET DRINKS, IT WOULD BE A BORING WOILD IN PART. I REALLY HAVE TO SEE A STUDY ON WHETHER DIET DRINKS DO RAISE GLUCOSE TESTED LEVELS. IT HAS TO BE AN EXCLUSIVE STUDY. I BELIEVE THAT A STUDY OF HABITS, AS THEY RELATE TO AN ASSOCIATION OF THE EFFECTS OF A DIET DRINK IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT MATTER. IT CAN BE MISLEADING AND THUS CAUSE "MISINFORMATION". WHEN YOU ARE A DIABETIC, ONLY REAL FACTS BACKED UP BY DOCTOR INFORMATION CAN BE ACCEPTED. IF CARAMEL ADDITIVES ALLEGEDLY CAUSE BLOOD SUGAR RAISES, I WANT TO SEE THE PROOF. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I DO. .........BY THE WAY, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT POO-POO DIET DRINKS, BASED ON "THAT STUDY" BE AWARE!! THOSE "GOOD FRUITS" CAN REALLY MESS UP A DIABETIC. ONLY YOUR DOCTOR CAN BE THE JUDGE OF DIATERY HABITS. THAT IS WHY ONE SHOULD HAVE A GOOD SPECIALIST IN DIABETIC ISSUES FOR YOUR DIABETES DOCTOR . ;-] P.S.; IF YOU KNOW OF A SITE THAT POSTS SOME SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT CARAMEL IN DIET SODAS DO RAISE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, PLEASE LET ME, AND OTHERS KNOW ABOUT THIS. IT IS VITAL INFORMATION TO FOLKS LIKE ME.................ENJOY RESPONSIBLE EATING...HERBIE
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2007
Thu, 08-02-2007 - 8:06pm

..................OH, NIFTYBERGIN, ..I TOTALLY FORGOT TO MENSHUN IF YOU HAVE THE FAMILY INDICATORS FOR DIABETES, GET YOURSELF A GLUCOSE METER!! I DID NOT HAVE ONE WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD THIS HELLISH DESEASE WHEN MY SON-IN-LAW TESTED ME WITH HIS MOTHER'S UNIT. I HAD NO INSURANCE AT THE TIME, AND THEREFORE I LAPSED ON REGULAR DOCTOR VISITS. I WIEGHED IN AT 162 LBS. WHEN I DID GO TO A DOCTOR, I GOT THE OFFICIAL BAD NEWS. FROM HC1, AND OTHER TESTING, WE FIGGURED OUT THAT I HAD THE DESEASE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. .............IT IS ONLY A "PRICK ON THE PINKIE" ONCE IN AWHILE, AND IT COULD SAVE SOME YEARS OF YOUR LIFE........;-]

Avatar for grammyellen
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2007
Fri, 08-03-2007 - 11:48am
i was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago.

my sweetner is splenda, i drink caffeine free diet pepsi, crystal light and other non carbonated drinks.

i have also used foods that are either sugar free or no sugar added.

in that time i have never had a problem with anything raising my blood sugar.

i hope this helps.






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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2007
Sat, 08-04-2007 - 1:22pm
Hello. I need to let you know that I have type 2 Diabetes which is usually pretty well controlled. I started drinking Crystal Light about two months ago. Well, within a month my fasting (first thing in the morning) blood sugar shot up from around 140 to 350 and after eating it went from around 230 to over 500 (very dangerous level.). I went to my doctor and told him what was going on and that I couldn't understand why,as I was not eating any differently. He had to put me on insulin for the first time. It didn't help. AT ALL. I was really getting scared and stopped to think "What was I doing differently??" I traced it to the Crystal Light. Even though the label said sugar-free and no carbs it did have Nutrasweet, so I did a search online for the side effects of Aspartame (the generic name of Nutrasweet) and got pages and pages of negative side effects, including sending blood sugar soaring and a host of others. I quit drinking it and within a few weeks my blood sugar returned to near normal. This stuff is VERY bad and I don't recommend ANYONE use it. It's a shame that these sugar substitutes are so unhealthy because it seemed like such a good idea. I hope you and your loved ones will give it up because you'll feel so much better. Good luck. Lisa
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Sat, 08-04-2007 - 11:44pm
If you are drinking crystal light they have TWO different sweetners they use. bottled stuff uses splenda. the powdered stuff uses nutrasweet
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2007
Tue, 08-07-2007 - 9:47am

I can't say that I've ever noticed an effect on my blood sugar levels, but then again, I'm not a big soda (pop for us Brits) drinker. I may have to start drinking it, and then testing my blood sugar levels. I do like to know things about my diabetes, and how it can be affected.

If you do continue to drink sugar free/diet drinks, do please bear in mind that artificial sweeteners do tend to have a laxative effect. That's exactly the same with 'diabetic' foods, too.

I hope you don't go on to develop diabetes, but even if you do, it'snot the end of the world. It can usually be managed quite well.

Best of luck to you.

Mick
x x x x
x x x

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-07-2007
Tue, 08-07-2007 - 7:20pm

Hi Nifty,

I have been a type II diabetic for 27 years. I am now on insulin along with some other oral med to keep my blood sugar under control.

To answer your questions about the effect of sugar free drinks, typically, it should not effect your blood sugars, but NOT ALL PEOPLE are the same. What may make yours go up and mine go up is different. Like for example, I can not eat beans, (lima, navy, pinto, etc) because I know my blood sugars go way up. I can drink diet cokes and crystal light with no effects. Also, I can't eat white bread, because my blood sugars go WAY up. I have to eat 100% whole grain as pure as I can get. Because even bread now on the shelves that say they are whole grain have so many darn additives that just are not good for you. I know, because my sugars are way high. Go to a health food store and get ezekial 4:9 bread. It is from sprouted grains and is much better for you and it has very little effect on my blood sugars. Also, I would recommend a book that is called Sugar Busters. My diabetic educator nurse told me to get it and it really helps a lot.

If you do have family members that have diabeties, it is good now to start a good food program with exercise like you are doing to keep diabeties at it distance. Meaning you may or may not get it, but may get it much later in life. I have had six sibblings and four of us are diabetic and things even effect each of us differently.

Every year around the fall, so many places give away meters and they come with test strips. Try testing your blood sugar after certain foods, or really your fasting blood sugars about once or twice a month. If they are 70-120 you are ok. If below the 70 you might develope hypoglycemia, (low-blood sugar). I did for several years before I became diabetic. If they are over the 120 you should talk to a doctor, Also, I am not a doctor or even a health care professional. I am a diabetic. This is just from my own experiences.

Good Luck,

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 1:34am

Hi Mick,


Welcome to the board. We don't often have folks from England visit us. Canada and Australian are more usual.


It is the sugar alcohols which cause diarrhea and also cataracts. I try not to eat much manitol which is one of the common sugar alcohols. Most commonly for me is to use Splenda and it doesn't have these problems. But basically I try to not use much of any of the artificial sweeteners. I Hhaven't't been to England for about 4 years. When I was last there it was hard to find Splenda. Is that still the case?






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