Sugar
Susie Schleicher, Registered Dietitian
MeriterIt's best to eat sugar in moderation. Eaten in larger amounts,
sugar may have a more noticeable effect on your blood sugar.
Sweet foods, such as candy, cookies and soda pop, also have
little nutritional value. You receive empty calories devoid
of the nutrients your body needs to function. In addition,
those extra calories can lead to weight gain.
The key with
sugar is moderation, not deprivation. You can have your candy
and eat it too as long as you:
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- Eat a reasonable amount (around 75 calories per day)
- Eat it as part of a meal. Your body really can't tell
the difference between sugars (simple carbohydrates) and
starches (complex carbohydrates) when you eat them as part
of a mixed meal with protein, fats and other nutrients.
For years, medical professionals assumed that sugars (simple
carbohydrates) found in honey, candy and other sweets would
raise your blood sugar faster and higher than fruits, vegetables
or foods containing starches (complex carbohydrates). All carbohydrates
affect blood glucose in about the same way, but
carbohydrates that contain fiber seem to have less of an
impact on blood sugar levels. Sweets don't produce
an exaggerated rise in blood sugar, provided they're eaten
with your meals and counted as a carbohydrate.
Count candy as part of a meal. The easiest way to do this
is to figure out the exchanges. Below are exchanges on some
popular candies.
| Candy |
Amount |
Calories/
Exchange value |
| Chocolate kisses, plain |
7 pcs. |
160 calories
2 fat exchanges
1 starch exchange |
| Chocolate kisses with almonds |
7 pcs. |
160 calories
2 fat exchanges
1 starch exchange |
| Assorted chocolates, boxed |
2 pcs. |
160 calories
1 fat exchange
2 fruit exchanges |
| Truffles (Lindt) |
3 balls |
230 calories
3 fat exchanges
1 starch exchange |
| Pecan and caramel turtle |
1.25 oz. |
120 calories
3 fat exchanges
1 starch exchange |
| Lollipop |
1 lollipop |
60 calories
1 fruit exchange |
| Jelly Beans |
6 pcs. |
60 calories
1 fruit exchange |
| Red Hots |
1 oz. |
60 calories
1 fruit exchange |
| Frosted sugar cookies |
3 inch/1.5 oz. |
200 calories
1 fat exchange
1 starch exchange
1 fruit exchange |
Exercise caution with regard to candy labeled "sugar-free."
The sweetening agents (sorbitol, invert sugar, fructose, dextrose)
in sugar-free candy still contain calories and must be counted
as part of your meal plan. Also, foods labeled sugar-free
may still be high in carbohydrates, fats and calories. Another
problem is that some people are sensitive to sugar alcohol
- a type of low-calorie sweetener used in some sugar-free
candy - and may experience gas, bloating and diarrhea if their
sugar intake exceeds 75 calories per day. Sugar alcohols include
sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol.
Sugar travels under many guises, depending on how it's formed
and how it's produced. Regular sugar is also called sucrose.
Basic table sugars include:
- Molasses
- Beet sugar
- Cane sugar
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Confectioners' sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Raw sugar
- Maple syrup
Other kinds of sugars include:
- Glucose (dextrose)
- Fructose
- Lactose
- Maltose
Sugar alcohols include:
- Sorbitol
- Xylitol
- Mannitol
When you're shopping, look for these names on product labels.
A sweet food may not simply state "sugar" on the
label.
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