Sugar free?
Several family members are meeting up for Christmas, and we all bring parts of the meal, our contribution is the trifle.
The preferred recipe involves trifle sponges, jelly and custard.
One of the family has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, so we are looking to have less sugar in the desserts so they can still partake.
Is sugar free jelly available? What about the custard? And the trifle sponges? Any advice appreciated!
Comments
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Yes - sugar free jellies are usually readily available. I buy them from our local Tesco. Good for weightwatchers too.
Not seen sugar free custard though; only low fat which probably contains more sugar than the standard version.
Would something like this recipe, using sugar substitute, help?
Can't help with sugar free sponges unless you make your own.
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Thanks, good news on the jelly front!
For the custard I usually just use Birds Custard Powder, so will need to check what that contains. I could certainly replace the added sugar with Splenda.
DD is the sponge cake expert in the family, so I will ask her about the possibility of making some sponges using Splenda.
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My brother in law is diabetic, and we always have Christmas dinner together as a family and then a Boxing Day meal together with 'cold cuts', pork pie, etc. My sister makes her own Christmas pudding, (I can share any recipes with you if you want) and we have rum sauce sweetened with 'Diabetic sugar' (or Splenda) We've tended not to have trifle any longer because it's so sweet, but make a fresh fruit salad instead! Much healthier and no problem for diabetics.
However, having just seen Brue's link, I'm tempted to suggest that we try this, this year. It looks a lovely recipe and I'm sure my brother-in-law would enjoy it!
Your family member may have to change his dose of insulin as Christmas Dinner is a very high calorie meal in itself - he/she should ask his diabetic nurse about this in preparation so that he can enjoy Christmas without worries.
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I have used sugar free jelly in trifle for nearly 40 years ever since I bought it by mistake and my family preferred it. Not sure about the sugar content of Birds custard powder but I have use the powder with no, or very little sugar as my kids were brought up that way and I usually find made custards and custards when out too sweet. When I have a pudding out I have often asked for a custard without sugar ans it has been provided. As K suggests there are replacements available for sugae.
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The family member is our daughter-in-laws dad,and we are not really sure exactly what the situation is.
We have experience with 2 fully diabetic people, my sister and a good friend, both use insulin, so we are used to finding low sugar foods for them, just not at Christmas!
We are a bit bamboozled by this (very recent) diagnosis, he has not been prescribed any pills, let alone insulin, and all he he has been told is to cut down on sugar.
It has even been suggested that it is OK to "fill up" with bread and potatoes!
From speaking with our friend, we know that apparently the NHS advice on diabetes is very poor in many areas. Actually in this case sounds like the advice is totally wrong.
We are aware that carbs mean sugar, so bread and potatoes need to be restricted.
Dad is being pointed in the direction of a diabetes group, just hope he gets better advice there.
When we told DIL what we knew she immediately became very worried.
Are there any books we could get him to help with the real facts?
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I have used sugar free jelly in trifle for nearly 40 years ever since I bought it by mistake and my family preferred it. Not sure about the sugar content of Birds custard powder but I have use the powder with no, or very little sugar as my kids were brought up that way and I usually find made custards and custards when out too sweet. When I have a pudding out I have often asked for a custard without sugar ans it has been provided. As K suggests there are replacements available for sugae.
LOL, about 3 years back, I totally forgot to add any sugar to the Birds Custard recipe, OH was worried, but nobody actually noticed!,
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Try the site I suggested, Diabetes UK.
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he has been told is to cut down on sugar.
It has even been suggested that it is OK to "fill up" with bread and potatoes!
Are there any books we could get him to help with the real facts?
Somebody may know of some books. I asked for an appointment with a dietician. The info on Diabetes UK is not very good IMO. It gives no indication of portion sizes for many things and particularly for starchy foods.
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He's probably been diagnosed with borderline Type 2 diabetes - which sometimes doesn't need treatment with pills. However it's important that he gets good advice about diet - changes to diet can make a real difference, and even bring blood sugar levels
down to normal. Obviously the first thing is to cut down on added sugar - but that's not the only thing he can do. I think he needs to go back to where his diagnosis was made, and ask for further guidance - it is important that he gets good advice.There are plenty of books out there - just google 'book for Type 2 diabetes' and you'll get all types - but I'm not sure how good the advice is, in any of them! Basically he should 'eat healthily' - but that is interpreted differently by everyone you speak
to!0 -
Diabetes Uk does give quite detailed advice about food in the "living with Diabetes" section. There is a big range of food advice ranging from types of food, portions and carb counting etc It depends on what type of diabetes someone has and the severity. A GP should be able to print out diet and food advice sheets. As EasyT says an appointment with a dietician can be useful.
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One of the problems is that the NHS produces guidlines suggesting basing meals around startchy food - preferably with a leaning to those with a low glycemic index. Diabetes UK suggest that this is not a good idea and particularly so for those with type 2
diabetes.No main UK group seem to offer simple advice such as 5 medium slices whole meal bread a day or so many grammes of cereal. 100g of potato or pasta equivelants etc.
For me I had no great problems but would reiterate the value of seeing a diatician. They can usually provide reasonable guidance.
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Good luck with the Trifle! I would like to say that I have been Low Carb for some years and the forum with my particular brand was amazing in that many many people with diabetes had amazing results with their blood sugar levels going right down. It seems
that the "low/no sugar" products can confuse the body quite badly and should be avoided where possible. Obviously Christmas is an exception to the rule - but I definitely prefer my food as natural as possible without added chemicals. It is interesting that
since the fads of low fat and low sugar hit the world - obesity has risen and risen.
Lets stick to natural and not too much! 0 -
So much of the advice given to "Diabetics" is in the nature of General advice, but we are all individuals and as such need the information tailored to suit us and our particular life style.
There is little point telling, say, a tree feller to take more exercise or to cut down on the 'Carbs' nor telling a full time 'Carer' to get out for long walks.
So the advice to get a decent length two-way talk with the Dietician must be the place for anybody to start, surely
As for portion sizes, thats a mine field I'm too old to try to cross
Brian Type 2 ( NIDD) since circa 1990
{ Purely personal note :-- The dietician I had at the start of my journey, was approx 45 years old perhaps and could easily hide behind a ball-point refill ! At this time of the year she smiled and said ( I kid you not ) :- Don't stint yourself at Christmas, you can have A mince pie you know !! }
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Oh dear Brian, I can imagine how you felt! My friend's husband has Type 1 and we've often had meals with them that had to be calculated to keep everything ticking over properly. In some ways they've had a very healthy diet over the years but it can be restricting. I hope you'll enjoy this years mince with gusto!
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I would suggest talking to a nutritionist, definitely not a dietation in our local hospital! A friend wasn't fancying food no appetite etc and got sent to dietation. Advise given eat high calorie food, cheese, hot chocolate with the full works, it'll sort
itself out . Local nutritionist far more help, sadly had to pay to see her, but results amazing.Natural is best, as Pippah45 suggests. More vegetable than fruit, lots of nuts and seeds. As no diet has been recommended I'd suggest its borderline, ?syndrome x? And an eating change plus exercise could make a huge difference, but agree so guidance needed.
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We have a friend in his 70s who is type 2, he doesn't take anything for it YET! but trying to get him to take it serious is hard work. He knows that he has to reduce his weight but he will just not give up things like chips, crisps, whiskey, cream cakes.
All his food is either fried or roasted and the fat from the meat is poured over the meal. When we have tried to point out that its not healthy he always comes back with' I eat 2 oranges a day' it really islike talking to a brick wall. Not only does he have
type 2 but heart problems, high blood pressure etc. I think even the health services have had enough of him
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I have been type one diabetic for 40 years, I can honestly say it has never restricted my life, no-one has ever had to calculate a meal for me. Lots of people seem to enjoy making a drama out of a crisis. Cut out added sugar and be sensible with natural
sugar, learn to say no when you have had enough and you will learn your blood sugar levels. It's Christmas so enjoy it, don't make yourself ill by over indulging but at the same time don't make others around you fret over it. There are lots of good NHS people
out there happy to help you understand your treatment, ask for help & take it. Diabetes is not a death sentence so don't treat it like one.0 -
TG, the day after I was diagnosed the Doc sent me to Leighton Hospital, Crewe for Blood tests and the first Clerical Testing Staffer person I saw was the wife of my footballing mate, so she bunged me to the head of the queue
, and I saw her there regularly 'til the Testing Service was out-shopped to the G.P.s surgery.6 months ago I saw that mate trudging with sticks to the corner shop. I spoke & he told me he had lost two toes as a result of his uncontrolled type 2, and that it had killed his lady a year earlier !
It seems you can have all the available knowledge & back-up to hand but you have to use your own wit & wisdom to look after yourself, 'cos they won't be around to take the bad stuff off your plate or out of your fridge !
A little more light hearted but same theme -- I did all the work around food etc for years for myself & my father until he died, so I've got the skill if not always the will ! I always have my Single Mince Pie at Christmas as per instructions but I also comply with the old adage :- One Mince Pie In Each House I Visit { Purely for Luck Of Course }. I do of course get the required exercise from chasing off them pesky Carollers
!B
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It sounds to me that the person concerned in in the pre diabetes stage rather than actually being a diabetic. It is possible that careful management of diet and lifestyle may prevent the a full diagnosis of type 2 diabetic especially if they have not been offered medication. Margaret has been type 2 diabetic for years and whilst we don't indulge too much in things that contain a lot of sugar we don't not eat things with sugar in them. It's a question of moderation and we wouldn't expect anyone we were visiting to make special arrangements on her behalf, except for perhaps sugar free soft drinks. The individual has to have the courage not to over indulge!!! Likewise knowing someone is possibly a diabetic you should be careful about offering "seconds" and making it sound as if it would be an insult if refused!!!
David
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