But there are different alternatives of sweeteners for diabetics such as sweeteners and sugar substitutes. These include Stevia and erythritol, for example, which are popular with diabetics because they have no calories and do not affect insulin levels.

If you are looking for alternatives to sugar, you can find answers to common questions about sweeteners here.

Since sweeteners provide almost no calories and do not affect blood sugar, diabetics should sweeten drinks such as coffee or tea with sweeteners rather than sugar.

However, the situation is quite different with the sugar substitutes fructose, sorbitol or xylitol. Fructose has just as many calories as sugar. Sorbitol and xylitol have slightly fewer calories, but much less sweetening power. Sugar substitutes only cause a slight increase in blood sugar. When calculating the insulin dose, smaller amounts up to 30 grams do not have to be taken into account.

Sugar substitutes such as erythritol and Stevia can be found in many diet products.

Stevia for diabetics is 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar and does not increase blood sugar levels. Used in moderation, Stevia offers many benefits for diabetics because its ingredients are natural and do not promote tooth decay like sugar.

For diabetics, Stevia and erythritol expand the range of sweeteners and sugar substitutes. Steviol glycosides do not raise blood sugar levels and may even lower elevated blood pressure. For diabetics who do not want to give up sweets, Stevia and erythritol can be a good alternative.

Diabetics should also pay attention to the other ingredients of the food and drinks when buying products, as there are very big differences in terms of quality and ingredients.

Although the extracted steviol glycosides of the Stevia plant are about 400 times sweeter than ordinary table sugar, the blood sugar level is not affected. For this reason, Stevia is excellently suited for diabetics when used in moderate doses.

The statement "A life without sweets is possible but pointless" is often ridiculed, but it does contain a kernel of truth. Because even diabetics have the opportunity to enjoy Stevia, for example.

Up to 400 times the sweetening power of white household sugar

The Stevia leaves of the plant, which comes from South America, have been used by the indigenous people there for centuries for sweetening. The plant itself is only partially approved in Europe. The steviol glycosides contained in the leaves were already approved by the European Union in 2011 as a food additive and sweetener.

With Stevia, not only diabetics have a sweetener that brings many advantages. The blood sugar level is not affected by the consumption of Stevia. In addition, the sugar alternative is particularly tooth-friendly. Stevia can therefore greatly reduce the risk of tooth decay. There is even evidence to suggest that Stevia may lower blood sugar levels in the treatment of type 2 Diabetes.

In a nutshell:

Steviol glycosides can basically be found everywhere. For example, the sweet ingredient from the Stevia plant is also found in a variety of foods such as confectionery, fruit and vegetable preparations, jellies and jams. This is also the only harmlessness of the natural sweetener.

Many diabetics lull themselves into a sense of security when they eat a cake sweetened with Stevia, for example. The real problem here is not Stevia, but possibly the white flour used for baking, which affects blood sugar levels.

A daily maximum of four milligrams per kilogram of body weight has been recommended for Stevia. This value should not be exceeded if possible. When buying Stevia products, be sure to check the ingredients. Manufacturers often add cheap fillers or even sugar to Stevia in order to mask the bitter aftertaste of liquorice, which is not uncommon.

For example, look for labels such as "with Stevia". These products often do not contain pure Stevia and are neither sugar- nor calorie-free.

Even though there are many reasons for using Stevia, most professional associations consider the natural sugar substitute to be neither worse nor better than other sweeteners. One of the reasons for this is that it is still unclear what happens to our bodies when we overdose on Stevia.

Professional associations see Stevia as one of many ways for diabetics to sweeten food and drinks. Nevertheless, they warn against overdosing. It is still not certain what exactly happens to the body when the recommended daily maximum is significantly exceeded.