My dad has type 2 diabetes. He’s had it for a few years but after spending some time in the hospital recently for nearly slipping into a diabetic coma, he finally has decided to take it seriously (thank GOD).

I’ve been trying for years to help him out by making sugar-free treats, since he’s quite the sweet tooth, but I’m realizing I need to learn more. When I look at the nutrition labels, I don’t know what’s healthy and what’s not. What’s considered an “okay” amount of calories and carbs? I know the lower the better, but how low is that? It seems impossible to avoid them altogether.

Specifically this is bothering me right now because he’s got a birthday coming up and I’m throwing him a surprise party, and I would love to make him some chocolate cupcakes. I think he should be able to enjoy his favorite food on his birthday, just not at the cost of his health. What amount of calories, carbs, and sugar is safe for him to eat in a dessert?

Thanks in advance for the help.
I don’t know if this makes a difference, but he’s 46, he doesn’t exercise but he walks a LOT during the day at work. He’s had his blood sugar around 100 for the past couple weeks.
The reason I’m making cupcakes is so he’s not tempted to eat more than one serving size. I plan on making just enough for all the people at the birthday party.
For the desserts I try to use stevia rather than aspartame or other fake sugars.

My dad has type 2 diabetes. He’s had it for a few years but after spending some time in the hospital recently for nearly slipping into a diabetic coma, he finally has decided to take it seriously (thank GOD).

I’ve been trying for years to help him out by making sugar-free treats, since he’s quite the sweet tooth, but I’m realizing I need to learn more. When I look at the nutrition labels, I don’t know what’s healthy and what’s not. What’s considered an “okay” amount of calories and carbs? I know the lower the better, but how low is that? It seems impossible to avoid them altogether.

Specifically this is bothering me right now because he’s got a birthday coming up and I’m throwing him a surprise party, and I would love to make him some chocolate cupcakes. I think he should be able to enjoy his favorite food on his birthday, just not at the cost of his health. What amount of calories, carbs, and sugar is safe for him to eat in a dessert?

Thanks in advance for the help.
I don’t know if this makes a difference, but he’s 46, he doesn’t exercise but he walks a LOT during the day at work. He’s had his blood sugar around 100 for the past couple weeks.
The reason I’m making cupcakes is so he’s not tempted to eat more than one serving size. I plan on making just enough for all the people at the birthday party.
For the desserts I try to use stevia rather than aspartame or other fake sugars.

this really isnt a question. but its a way for me to vent and see if others out there are dealing with the same thing. im 24 and i found out im type 2 diabetic last feb. i was really sick when i found out and since have had many problems dealing with it. the doctors put me on meds and pretty much gave me the diet and exercise lecture. i didnt take them too seriously then. no one in my family is diabetic and none of my friends. i kept it to myself pretty much. but within the past several months many other health concerns came up. occasional high blood pressure and high cholesterol. i started to lose a little weight. but eventually put it back on plus a couple. within the past couple months i finally put my foot down and said i need to change my health or im going to kill myself at this rate. im not a kid anymore and i cant continue to gain weight and eat the way i do..

i am trying to hard to change my ways. but its hurting my relationship with my boyfriend. i dont have prescription coverage. so my meds and test strips are out of pocket. in order to eat better i have to spend a little more for lean meats and more veggies. even when we eat out it can be a little more expensive cause i have to make a lot of changes to the meals. places charge you extra to sub the fries or add a salad sorta thing. but my boyfriend doesnt see the entire picture. i have to do these things. he will go grocery shopping and buy hot dogs and chicken tenders and mac and cheese and wonder why i get so upset. he gets mad when im not making cookies and brownies. i cant have the junk food around me cause then i want to eat it. cant lose weight and manage blood sugar with all the wrong foods around me. he will still bring home pizzas and want to eat out all the time. it gets so frustrating. we have been dating 9 years. i love him alot. but i cant get him to understand how serious my health problems are. im not going to die if i eat an occasional slice of pizza or share a dessert. but i cant do it all the time. we have been trying to get pregnant for a year now as well. i keep having to tell him that i need to get my problems under control if we plan to have a healthy child.

i have to always educate people on the disease as well. i dont like to talk about it and make it center of attention. but its hard when im eating out and they switch my diet soda for a regular. or when i want to grab something quick and all these places seem to have is fried this and plain nothing exciting salads. i will go to friends houses and they will make excellent meals. but its hard to explain that sometimes i cant eat alot of what they make and it seems like they get offended. the other day a friend made the most excellent mexican food. tortillas, rice, beans, the works. i didnt turn the meal down. but ate very little of it. when she asked me why i wasnt eating, i had to explain the carbs and diabetes and there it was again. the long explanation of the do and donts of diabetes. many people just don’t understand that it isnt all about sugar. its the carbs as well.

ugh.. it can get frustrating. can anyone relate to me here without being mean and putting me down?
i couldnt agree more with what you both said and thank you.

Okay, my mother went to the doctor a week ago for some blood work and her results said that she was a diabetic. On the paper it said that her blood glucose was 121 and the normal was 105. But I’m just wondering if that necessarily makes her a diabetic. We had an early lunch so before she went and got her blood checked we had just ate (dessert included). I mean, couldn’t her results be high because of that? Or, maybe she’s just hyperglycemic. By the way, what the difference?? Also, they didn’t tell which type she had. They just gave her a device to check her blood sugar with.
We went to the doctor as soon as we got finished eating lunch. My mother told her doctor that we had ate and asked her was it okay or should she reschedule for another day, but her physician said that it was okay. By the way, diabetes does run in our family.

Hi, i am doing Food technology GCSE and my coursework is to design and make a range of products suitable for a diabetic that could be sold in the healthy eating section of a supermarket. Part of my research is to produce a diabetic questionnaire asking relevant questions which would help me with my coursework. Since i do not know anybody with diabetes it would be very helpful if anyone with diabetes could complete the questionnaire.

Many Thanks x

1. What type of dish do you enjoy most?

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Dessert Snack I don’t mind

Other

If ‘Other’ please specify……………………………………………………………..

2. What do you have most difficulty in finding to eat?

Snacks Meals Desserts Nothing

3. How much would you be willing to pay for yourself for any of these certain
meals?

Main Dish Dessert Snack
₤1-₤3 ₤1-₤3 ₤1- ₤3
₤4-₤6 ₤4-₤6 ₤4- ₤6
₤7-₤9 ₤7-₤9 ₤7- ₤9
₤10-₤12 ₤10-₤12 ₤10- ₤12

Other Other Other

If ‘Other’ please specify.
Main Dish: ₤……………
Dessert: ₤………………
Snack: ₤………………..

3. How much would you be willing to pay for your family (serving 4) for any of
these certain meals?

Main Dish Dessert Snack
₤1-₤3 ₤1-₤3 ₤1- ₤3
₤4-₤6 ₤4-₤6 ₤4- ₤6
₤7-₤9 ₤7-₤9 ₤7- ₤9
₤10-₤12 ₤10-₤12 ₤10- ₤12
₤13- ₤15 ₤13- ₤15 ₤13- ₤15

Other Other Other

If ‘Other’ please specify.
Main Dish: ₤……………
Dessert: ₤………………
Snack: ₤………………..

4. How many portions would you want for yourself for any of these certain meals?

Main Dish Dessert Snack
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4

Other Other Other

If ‘Other’ please specify.
Main Dish………………
Dessert…………………
Snack…..………………

5. How would you want to buy your meal?

Frozen Cook-chilled Fresh Other If ‘Other’ please specify………

6. How would you prefer your meal to be reheated?

Microwave Oven Other If ‘Other’ please specify……………………

7. Do you find it easy to find ready-meals for these certain meals? (Please circle)

Main Dish: Yes Dessert: Yes Snack: Yes

No No No

Thank you, for completing my questionnaire.

As a 47 man who lives alone my doctor just advised me to take up a diet to prevent diabetes, he said my glucose level was 6.9 & I should cut sweet things out, along with pasta, potatoes, bread, eat more vegies than fruit, but as a basic Australian diet I dont eat any take away foods at all, I cook everything. I use healthy olive & canola oils for cooking what else can I do, is thier a web site that I could find diabetic friendly recipe’s? I tried google but that was as much help as hip pockets on a G’string! (a thong in USA) thanks for all the help.

my mother has “diabetes tendency” which I think is like, ‘eat one too many donuts and you’ll become diabetic.’ she doesnt eat desserts much anymore

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Offering straight-shooting advice about how to live well within a diabetic management program, this unorthodox book for diabetics and their families stresses the importance of diet in diabetes management. Dr. Juliano shares his hard-earned experience with the day-to-day challenge of party food and drink, eating in restaurants, travel food, and holiday food…. More >>

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I posted this question under diseases and health but then realized that I might be more likely to get the answers that I need from a food category. Thanks!

A friend’s husband has diabetes – he needs injections and became very ill last year from an infection.

I would like to make them a Christmas present of a homemade cookbook with great recipes she can make for him that are safe for his diabetes.

They love my dog and often take care of him so I figured that I would add pictures of my dog and I thought that it might look cute to make it look as though he wrote it!

PLEASE — help! I don’t know very much about diabetes but would love to help her out with tasty, healthy recipes she can easily make.

THANKS!!!

Im having a guest over who is elderly and a diabetic who is also allergic to wheat. I would like a nice recipe of something healthy to cook for her.