With more than a thousand flavors to choose from, ice cream remains the #1 dessert for many people. It comes with added syrups, cookies, and candies – all of which can make your blood sugar skyrocket. The question is, can people with diabetes eat ice cream?
Managing hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) with diabetes can be a challenge. Especially when it comes to picking the right foods for your diet. People with diabetes are often devastated when they find out that they need to cut back on their sugar intake.
But, that doesn’t mean that you should completely remove desserts from your list. Diabetics can eat ice cream as long as their blood sugar stays stable. The key to eating ice cream with diabetes is to consume it in moderation and be mindful of its sugar content.
When you buy ice cream at your local grocery store, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. Here is all you need to know about eating this sugary treat when you have to manage your glucose levels.
Diabetes and Ice Cream
Can diabetics eat ice cream? Diabetics can eat ice cream depending on their current blood sugar control. Managing diabetes is all about balancing carbohydrates in your meal plan. This helps the body maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
You can absolutely enjoy ice cream if you monitor the portion sizes and avoid the super-sweet toppings. For this dessert to fit safely into your meal plan, you should count the carbs, fat content, and calories. Here is what you are often getting in one scoop of ice cream.
Chocolate ice cream (100 g)
- Calories – 216
- Carbohydrates – 28.2 g
- Fat – 11 g
- Protein – 3.8g
- Sugars – 25.36 g
Vanilla ice cream (100 g)
- Calories – 201
- Carbohydrates – 23.6 g
- Fat – 11 g
- Protein – 3.5 g
- Sugars – 21.22 g
The total amount of carbohydrates consumed has the biggest impact on glycemic response. Most Americans with type 1 or type 2 diabetes report consuming moderate amounts of carbs, about 45% of their total energy intake.
Studies show that optimal carb intake varies from person to person. The recommended calorie intake ranges based on your overall health, weight, medications, etc. It’s best to consult a doctor or nutritionist to figure out what caloric total works best for you.
According to the Diabetes Council, people with type 2 diabetes are often advised to eat no more than 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. Type 1 diabetics should follow a diet that provides roughly 16 calories per pound of body weight per day. This type of calorie restriction can help maintain healthy eating habits and support weight management.
Carbohydrate and calorie intake should focus on nutrient-dense food sources. Such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, veggies, etc. If you plan on eating ice cream, then it is best to focus on eating filling low-carb foods, but still get the caloric requirements your body needs.
One ice cream serving with 15 g of carbs is equal to 1 serving of carbs. An ideal ice cream portion for diabetics is often half a cup. Any carbs in this dessert count towards the total carb goal for the day, which varies for everyone. Fat and protein in ice cream can help slow sugar absorption.
So, you might want to choose ice cream higher in fat and protein, than the lower-fat variants. In the meantime, monitor your blood sugar levels and watch your saturated fat intake. Full-fat ice cream can be high in saturated fat.
How Often Can a Diabetic Eat Ice Cream?
Ice cream can be a good occasional treat. Enjoying a vanilla waffle cone or ice cream sundae once in a while shouldn’t be too bad for your blood sugar levels. But, if diabetics eat ice cream every day, they can throw their blood sugar management out of control.
Most ice creams have a ton of added sugar and artificial sweeteners. So, you are better off limiting the intake if you want to manage your diabetes. In moderate amounts, ice cream is not off-limits for diabetic patients.
Does Ice Cream Raise Blood Sugar?
If you eat a sensible portion of ½ a cup of ice cream, the extra sugar and carbs might cause a modest increase in glucose levels. After eating, the blood sugar can increase within the next 15 to 30 min.
According to research, a modest amount of ice cream can be added to weight management diets for insulin-dependent diabetics. Small doses of fast-acting insulin can help prevent the negative effects of ice cream on blood sugar control.
So, what is a normal blood sugar level for diabetics? Most adults with diabetes have a glucose level of below 180 mg/dL, 2 hours after a meal. But, your age, health state, diabetes type, and whether you are using insulin can cause different blood sugar levels. Talk to a specialist to keep your diabetes stable.
What Kind of Ice Cream Can Diabetics Have?
When you are looking for the best ice cream for diabetics, you can’t go wrong with the low calories, low-sugar, sugar-free, or diabetes-friendly variants. You can enjoy a range of flavors that are low on carbs, higher in fat, and good for a keto diet. Some of the most popular flavors include chocolate ice cream, butter pecan, vanilla, chocolate peanut butter, and more.
Can Diabetics Eat Ice Cream Sandwiches?
In an ice cream cookie sandwich, you are often consuming 143 calories, 21.75 g carbs, 5.6 g fat, and 2.61 g protein. This treat has fewer calories and carbs than you would get in a 100 g serving of regular chocolate or vanilla. So ice cream sandwiches tend to be a light treat with a delicious feeling. If you plan to include it in your diet, make sure to watch your calorie and carb intake.
Conclusion
People with diabetes can eat ice cream in moderation. As long as they don’t overindulge. The goal is to keep the glucose levels within a healthy range. The best ice cream for diabetes is one that is low in calories and sugars, but high in protein.