Diabetes: Snacks/Treats

neelyohara

My friend in the US has Type 1 Diabetes and we routinely exchange gifts. Of course her packages contain the usual US goodies but I've never managed to find her anything nice here. All the 'traditional' Irish goodies are loaded with sugar.

Do you guys have any ideas on where I can get a good variety of treats?

Much thanks in advance

colrow

Nuts are a good

The_Conductor

Hi Neely-

Most Type 1 diabetics control their blood sugars by injecting insulin according to the amount of, and the glycaemic index of, the food they are eating.

Providing the food you send her has detailed ingredients on it- so she can work out how it will affect her blood sugars, there is absolutely no reason why she shouldn't eat virtually anything at all (she will naturally need to check her sugars and respond in an appropriate manner).

I've a type 1 diabetic friend in the states who I do regular exchanges with- he sends me bags of Jelly Belly jelly beans, I send him boxes of Butlers chocolates......

There is no fast and ready rule which forbids type 1 diabetics from enjoying chocolate (which oddly enough is quite low GI), deserts or other goodies like anyone else walking down the street- once they have a good idea of how much carbs and what type of carbs it contains, so they can adjust their novorapid accordingly.

S.

graflynn

I second what Smccarrick said. When I lived in the US I used to crave real Cadbury's chocolate, oh and Honky Dory's Crisps, and McVities HobNobs. I'm sure there was more we used to stuff into our suitcase going back but it's been a little while.

neelyohara

Thanks guys for the responses! It was really helpful

LOL at graflynn... I really want to send her some cadbury's because american chocolate is awful! I don't know what the difference is but it's definitely not real chocolate!

graflynn

neelyohara wrote: »

Thanks guys for the responses! It was really helpful

LOL at graflynn... I really want to send her some cadbury's because american chocolate is awful! I don't know what the difference is but it's definitely not real chocolate!

Thanks so much. I'm back living in Ireland now so Cadbury's Galore!!!

robinph

neelyohara wrote: »

Thanks guys for the responses! It was really helpful

LOL at graflynn... I really want to send her some cadbury's because american chocolate is awful! I don't know what the difference is but it's definitely not real chocolate!

I think according to the EU it is that Cadburys is the one that isn't real chocolate.

Rockery Woman

There are diabetic sweets in Aldi - they do a range of sweets like the Sula brand ones - but much cheaper. You should also try the health-food shops as they also do a variety of diabetic sweets and chocolate. I even saw a diabetic christmas pudding in one shop.

Try Holland and Barrett and a few of the independent health-food shops - you should be able to make up a nice hamper with a variety of sweets and treats!

You could also try baking buns or muffins substituting sugar for sweeteners.

The_Conductor

Rockery Woman wrote: »

There are diabetic sweets in Aldi - they do a range of sweets like the Sula brand ones - but much cheaper. You should also try the health-food shops as they also do a variety of diabetic sweets and chocolate. I even saw a diabetic christmas pudding in one shop.

Try Holland and Barrett and a few of the independent health-food shops - you should be able to make up a nice hamper with a variety of sweets and treats!

You could also try baking buns or muffins substituting sugar for sweeteners.

For insulin dependent type 1 diabetics- providing whatever they are eating is clearly labelled- there is no reason whatsoever that they would need to eat all the 'diabetic' food. I think a lot of these foods are specifically aimed at those with poor sugar control- however you need to realise that they replace conventional sugars with other sugars, which often have side-effects (most commonly diarrohea, but also IBS, if consumed in large quantities).....

On a totally different matter- the EU accepted the UK (and Ireland, Denmark and Sweden's) definition of chocolate (which allows any confectionary product with as much as 5% vegetable fats, other than cocoa butter, be defined as chocolate). The result of this is traditional continental products now have a quality label, defining their cocoa content, and affirming they do not contain vegetable fat. As an aside- in the US, the same definition as that previously used in Continental Europe is the norm- any product with vegetable fat is not allowed to be sold as chocolate. So- your Cadbury's is safe, and can legitimately be sold as chocolate here. If you're sending it to a friend in the US- you have to define it in the custom declaration as a 'sugar based confectionary'- not as chocolate. Everyone is satisfied. You'd never guess where I used work

robinph

Are you to blame for the shape of bananas and cucumbers as well?

The_Conductor

robinph wrote: »

Are you to blame for the shape of bananas and cucumbers as well?

Cucumbers weren't my area- bananas were though