Diabetes shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying a small portion of your favorite holiday dessert. What does matter is exactly how many carbohydrates you consume at one meal or snack. A typical diabetic meal may allow for approximately 45 grams of carbohydrates (one sliver of pie may contain 15-20 grams of carbohydrates). Keeping this in mind, means you may need to limit other food choices which contain carbohydrates in order to allow for a small serving of dessert. For example, a meal may consist of plenty of turkey (0 carbs), vegetables (very few carbs), a small portions of your favorite side dishes such as sweet potatoes (increased carbs), and cornbread dressing (increased carbs), so you can leave just enough room for your dessert carbohydrates. If you do choose the side dishes and dessert, you will most likely need to say no to the bread.
Happy holidays and remember to check with your physician or registered dietitian to know your number of carbohydrates recommended at meals and snacks to maintain good blood sugar control.
