Is honey allowed in type 2 diabetes?
People with type 2 diabetes avoid sweets and sweeteners as they can cause a spike in their blood sugar levels.
Since honey, although a natural product, also contains sugars, should this also be avoided?
As you probably know, not all sugars are created equal. The white sugar we put in our coffee or that contained in packaged pastries is more processed and therefore more harmful compared to the natural sugars of fruits and vegetables, stevia or honey.
To keep their blood sugar levels safe, diabetics should limit their daily intake of sugars (carbohydrates) to 45-60 grams per meal or less. One tablespoon of honey provides at least 17 grams of sugars. Although this amount seems small, it can help to exceed the aforementioned limit if combined in the same meal with other sources of sugar, such as white bread or white cereals.
Because it is impossible, and even unhealthy not only for diabetics but for all of us, to completely eliminate carbohydrates from our diet, what we need to take care of is to take them in as little processed form as possible or in products that also combine other beneficial ingredients – such as fiber, which helps to better process sugars.
Note that honey is sweeter than sugar, so you can achieve the same taste result by using less amount. Also, honey has a glycemic index of about 55, so it is considered a food with a low glycemic index. White sugar has a glycemic index of 68.
Therefore, honey definitely has a place in the life of the diabetic, as long as it is combined with disciplined medication and a healthy lifestyle in general.
Source: OnMed.Gr (Original Source: Medical News Today)
