Diabetes mellitus involves many restrictions for the patient, one of which is sweets. But nutritionists say that if you control glucose levels, then sometimes you can feast on them. And the absolute world champion in confectionery skills, the author of many culinary bestsellers Alexander SELEZNEV shares the preparation of such desserts.
A bread unit as the basis of a dessert
In diabetes, carbohydrate accounting is necessary. This allows you to adhere to the prescribed diet or correctly calculate the dose of insulin. Carbohydrates are calculated in grams or bread units (XE), servings equal to 12 g of carbohydrates. This is the amount contained in one slice of bread.
Another indicator that affects the increase in blood glucose levels after a meal is the glycemic index (GI) of the product. It determines how quickly, compared to pure glucose, glucose from a carbohydrate product enters the bloodstream. On this basis, all carbohydrates are divided into good — low GI, medium and bad — high GI.
High GI is typical for sugar, white bread.
Rice, bananas, grapes, rye bread differ in the average GI.
Vegetables, milk, apples, nuts are low GI.
• Permissible consumption of a bread unit (XE) at one time — 3 XE, but not more than 10 XE per day.
• Monitor your condition closely after eating dessert and take appropriate preventive measures.
Culinary Tips for Making Diabetic Desserts
Any hostess knows: the basis of sweet pastries is flour and sugar. Products that in the diet of such patients should be absent. However, their substitutes should also be chosen with great care.
Sweeteners can be used in moderation and only when the product needs to be sweetened. But it happens when the quality of the dessert depends only on the added sugar. If for 500 ml of base use 50 ml of sugar syrup or 3 tbsp. l. sugar, then a small amount of it will remain in the dough after baking, and will not significantly affect the increase in blood glucose.
Wheat flour contains 42 to 52% carbohydrates. Patients with diabetes should avoid it. But if you cook pastries with the addition of wholemeal flour, nuts, seeds and other cereals, its glycemic index will decrease. Moreover, it will become a source of B vitamins and minerals useful for the body.
For diabetics: desserts only on holidays
Dessert should be served after a meal, based on the amount of carbohydrates that is calculated for this meal. This will lengthen the time of their absorption and will not provoke a sharp jump in blood glucose.
When treating with insulin, in the case of a dessert eaten in excess of the planned amount of carbohydrates, it is necessary to calculate for it and introduce an additional dose of "food" insulin.
It is important to control blood glucose levels before and after meals. This will allow you to understand how insulin (own or introduced from the outside) copes with the carbohydrate load, and also allows you to adjust it in time.
• No matter how low-calorie the dessert is, for a diabetic patient, it should remain a festive table dish.
Sweet recipes for diabetics by Alexander Seleznev
The suggested recipes contain a minimum amount of sweeteners, but are not fully approved for diabetics. Be sure to consult with your doctor first, and follow the strict portioning of meals.
Candies "Angel"
0.5 XE (bread unit) in 1 serving
For 15 servings: 200 g dark chocolate with fructose, 200 ml water, 50 g hazelnuts, cocoa. Melt the chocolate in a water bath, pour a little warm water into it and mix. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours. Form balls from the chocolate mass, placing a nut in the center of each. Roll the sweets in cocoa and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Useful components of cocoa protect blood vessels from high blood sugar.
• Ordinary dark chocolate contains at least 75% cocoa, so of all types it is worth giving preference to it.
• Unsweetened chocolate is healthier than special, diabetic chocolate, which is made without sugar, but with fructose or sweeteners.
Stuffed pears
2 XE in 1 serving
1 large pear, 100 g fat-free cottage cheese, 70 g cashew nuts, 1 tbsp. l. ten percent sour cream, 1 tsp. lemon juice, a pinch of cinnamon.
Cut the washed pear in half and take out the pulp with the core along the entire length with a spoon. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Prepare the filling: mix cottage cheese with sour cream, add nuts, jam, mix everything. Stuff the pears with this mass, wrap them in foil and bake for 30 minutes at a temperature of 180°; C.
• This dessert is especially useful, because in addition to cinnamon, it contains cashew nuts. They gently normalize sugar and allow you to keep the disease in remission.
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