Dear Lynn:

I have diabetes and control it with diet. Since honey is fructose, is it okay to eat? Thanks,
Trea

Dear Trea:

This is a common question. Sweeteners are divided into two categories: nutritive and nonnutritive.

• Nutritive means that the sweetener contains some type of nutritional value such as carbohydrates, calories or small amounts of vitamins or minerals.
• Nonnutritive means that the sweetener is basically calorie-free and doesn't contribute to the nutritional value of the diet.

Nonnutritive sweeteners include saccharin (found in Sweet'n Low), aspartame (found in NutraSweet or Equal), acesulfame-K (found in Sunett) and sucralose (the newest artificial sweetener on the market, found in Splenda). These "sugar substitutes" may help people with diabetes decrease total carbohydrate intake.

Nutritive sweeteners include sugar, corn syrup and other corn sweeteners, fructose, dextrose, honey, lactose, concentrated fruit juice, and sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol; often found in sugar-free gum or candy). These sweeteners do not cause blood sugar levels to rise any more than similar amounts of carbohydrates in complex starches, such as breads, cereal and pasta. The total amount of carbohydrates in a food is the key, not the amount of sugar.

Honey and fructose are both nutritive sweeteners; both contain carbohydrates and calories and can be eaten by people with diabetes, but, as with any carbohydrate-containing food, larger amounts may raise blood sugar levels. High levels of fructose have been known to cause diarrhea and may, in fact, raise the levels of blood fats.

Since each person reacts differently to foods containing carbohydrates, your best way of determining the sweetener that's right for you is to test your blood sugar levels before you eat and again two hours later. If you notice a significant increase when you use honey or fructose, try a nonnutritive sweetener instead. This can be a complicated process, and I encourage you to find a registered dietitian in your area who specializes in diabetes to help you plan a diet that meets your individual needs.

Sincerely,
Lynn Grieger, RD, CD, CDE

RESOURCES:

• Post your questions and comments on the Diabetes Information message board.
• My dad has diabetes and won't eat right. What should I do?
  
• Find out more information on diabetes in iVillageHealth.
• Is Honey Better Than Sugar?