Living with Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes: Sweet Alternatives

It can be hard to safely satisfy a sugar craving when you have Type II diabetes. Most of the options on the market are packed full of added sugar or other non-diabetic friendly ingredients, but if you do your homework and scour store shelves, you can find healthy snacks that not only satisfy the craving for something sweet, but also give you a daily serving of fruit.

I’ve found that snacks such as dried apricots from Sun-Maid or free-dried fruit mixes from Crunchies® do an excellent job of satisfying my sweet tooth. I also enjoy the vitamins and fiber that fruit offers over candy. For instance, a 1.2ounce bag of Crunchies® freeze dried Mixed Fruit offers 3% carbs and 8% fiber per serving. This is a big difference when compared to candy.

Although healthier than candy and other sweets, I realize that I can’t over-indulge as fruit contains natural amounts of sugar, which can be detrimental to my glucose levels. At the end of the day, even though dried fruit is approximately 3 times the cost of a bag of candy, I know that I’m on a healthier track by choosing fruit instead of candy.