Yogurt is touted as a good dairy product that helps replenish beneficial bacteria to the body. But, what are the benefits of serving frozen yogurt for diabetics? Can diabetics eat frozen yogurt for desserts? Read on to find out.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, in which the patients afflicted with it are either unable to produce sufficient amounts of insulin, or the body cells do not assimilate insulin appropriately as they should. While diet is not the exclusive reason for this chronic ailment, it does contribute a lot to developing diabetes. Thus, the need for consuming a balanced and well-planned diabetic diet is obvious for diabetes management. The list of foods to be avoided in this therapeutic diet include fatty, sugary and carbohydrate rich items.
Patients with diabetes have to restrict themselves from consuming sugary foods, fatty foods and many other food items. But, is frozen yogurt included in the same list? Can a diabetic patient consume frozen yogurt? The answer to both questions depends upon which type of frozen yogurt you are referring to, and whether you are using additional ingredients or not. Otherwise, yogurt rich in beneficial bacteria and proteins is good for health in a number of ways. For diabetic patients with recurrent bouts of yeast infections, consuming plain yogurt is an effectual remedy to combat such infections in the natural way.
Sugar Content in Frozen Yogurt
Before we have a discussion about frozen yogurt for diabetics, let’s take a brief look at the importance of diabetic diet and sugar content in yogurt. According to the disease pathology, diabetes is further categorized into type 1 diabetes (insulin not secreted sufficiently), type 2 diabetes (body cells not responding to insulin) and gestational diabetes (developed during pregnancy). But, a condition apparent to all diabetic patients is elevated glucose concentration in the blood. Adding more sugar and carbohydrate in the diet puts a risk for further increase in the blood sugar levels.
The correct diabetic diet is thus, planned in a way that food items required for the diabetic patient are included in sufficient amounts. Regarding sugar content in frozen yogurt, it is a main ingredient for majority of the product brands. In ½ cup serving size of low-fat, regular frozen yogurt, the quantity of sugar accounts to 19.6 g. For this dairy product based on curdled milk, sweetening agent is added to reduce tart and tangy taste. Fortunately, sugar-free frozen yogurt is also available in the market. Of course, it tastes tangy for many people. But, controlling blood sugar is a priority for diabetic patients, rather than having tasty foods.
Is Frozen Yogurt Good for Diabetics?
Well, the answer is ‘yes’, but under the condition that frozen yogurts have low-fat and are sugar-free. Hence, before adding yogurt in the shopping cart, read the nutrition label. Finalize the one that contains negligible fats and sugar. Speaking about incorporating frozen yogurt for gestational diabetes patients or those with other types of diabetes, one can enjoy it in a specific serving size for snacking in between meals. The ideal serving amount of fat-free, sugar-free frozen yogurt for diabetics is strictly half cup and not more than that.
If the fat-free frozen yogurt tastes sour and unpalatable, consider adding zero calorie, natural sweetening agent, which is specifically formulated for diabetic patients. Also, improve flavor by topping it with small amounts of chopped nuts and fresh berries. Likewise, one can surely create variety to the taste and flavor of plain frozen yogurt, and enjoy tasty snacks. For diabetics, eating this frozen yogurt is a simple way to satisfy cravings for sweet goodies and desserts. Other options of good snacks for diabetics, especially for patients who have a sweet tooth are fat-free ice cream (small servings), crackers, fig bars, popsicles and diet soda.
To sum up, every diabetic patient should first understand what are the foods to be included and what should not in the daily diet plan. Identify and eliminate food items that contribute to increased sugar level in the bloodstream. And instead of depriving oneself of all types of sweet goodies, it is better to end meals with a small serving of sugar-free and fat-free desserts. That way, controlling blood glucose will no longer be a challenging objective for diabetic patients.
