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Sweeteners

CarlyB

Well-Known Member
Messages
97
Location
Watford, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Tomatoes, snobby behaviour
Hi,

Do sweeteners increase bg levels?

Yesterday evening my bloods were 7.6 2 hours after my meal. I had a cup of tea with a sweetener in it. An hour later I tested before going to bed and saw that my bloods had increased to 8.2.

Would it have been the sweetener that did it?

TIA
 
Doubt it @CarlyB , I don't take sweeteners in my tea/coffee but not noticed them effecting my bg levels when having a diet drink.
 
No, they shouldn't do. If you had milk in the tea it would have been that, otherwise it was probably a delayed rise from your meal.
 
Ok. I have lactofree milk which my dietician said is really low on sugar so I doubt it was that. So as you said it must have been a delayed rise. Thank you
 
It's possible that your bg for both was really the same (say 7.9) & both readings would be well within the tolerances (+/- 15%?) for your meter. Frustrating, but something we all have to live with.
 
Can you taste the unsweetened almond milk when its in tea/coffee? I use skimmed milk but very little of it in tea,hate milky tea and coffee.
 
Studies show that Sweeteners do put some people's BGs up. They taste sweet and the liver gears up in anticipation of a sugar rush.
Aspartame makes my finger joints swell up painfully, and it takes days to wear off. Sacralose seems harmless from that point of view.
Aspartame also implicated in dementia, banned in some countries but in virtually all soft drinks.
 
It could just be due to the margin of error on your meter. Sometimes I can test two times in a row and get two different readings.

I don't find sweeteners raise my blood sugar personally.
 
I hope not, I have sweetener on everything..

Except fish, because that would be weird..
 
nessals946 said:
Can you taste the unsweetened almond milk when its in tea/coffee? I use skimmed milk but very little of it in tea,hate milky tea and coffee.
Click to expand...

It tastes different, but to be honest it's quite nice in tea!! Even nicer in low carb hot chocolate (asda's own brand light instant 3.5g carbs!!). Not sure about coffee as I drink it black.
 
I use 'Stevia' sweetener in my coffee and cereal - does not affect my BG levels. Not sue if it is available in the UK.
 
I get liquid stevia on eBay or Amazon. The best taste is English Toffee I think.
Also, I am Type 2, but my BGs rise all evening. No idea why. Just my giddy liver.
 
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