Question: A friend of mine is coming over for lunch for her birthday. She has diabetes. Should I serve her a sugar-free cake?
Answer: The best way to handle this is to talk to your friend and see what her preference is. It is important to remember that “sugar-free” does not mean carbohydrate-free or calorie-free and carbohydrates will still raise the blood sugar of someone w/ diabetes.
If you would like to serve a dessert with fewer carbohydrates, I’d suggest buying or making an angel food cake and top it with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Or you might ask your friend what they would like for dessert.
If your friend has had diabetes for some time, they may appreciate your offer, but they should be able to make adjustments if you serve them a regular piece of cake and may enjoy this as a treat. They may ask for a smaller portion, plan for it by decreasing other carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, fruit) in their meal, take more insulin or plan to walk/exercise after a meal to compensate for the additional carbohydrates.
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian
facebook.com/LeahMcgrathDietitian
800-334-4936