Diabetic sweets : A myth

                   Normal sweet

                   sugar   40%
                  
                   Khoa    60%
                   
                   Calories : 750

                  Diabetic sweet

               No sugar                     (Artificial sweetener)
               Khoa      95%

              Calories : 950

The space for the sugar is occupied by khoa in diabetic sweet and hence it contains 200 more calories.

 Since it is a diabetic sweet, the patient thinks it is safe to consume more,and thus more calories are eaten. There are varieties of diabetic sweets like chocolates,deserts,candies, jams,jellies. It is a big and growing market. The message is that a diabetic can enjoy these sweets without any guilt. 

Calories should be restricted (not only sugar)

In a party, a diabetic enjoys idli,vada, samosa, pakodas, burger etc consuming around 800 calories. When the tea is served at the end, he says "No sugar please, I am a diabetic"

He feels by avoiding sugar he is controlling his diabetes.

One teaspoon sugar has only 20 calories. He has already eaten 800 calories and hence 20 more calories from a teaspoon sugar will not make much difference. But we are obsessed with only sugar.

Ideally he should eat less of vada,samosas,pakoda,etc

(400 calories) and enjoy his tea with a spoon of sugar. In fact a diabetic can consume about 4 teaspoons of sugar, if he restricts his calories,.

If a diabetic controls his diet and consumes less than 1500 calories,then he can eat a normal sweet also without any guilt  He should know calories in different foods and plan his diet and enjoy a sweet every day.