You’ve always heard people around asking you to cut down on sugar when you say you have diabetes. Although diabetes is caused due to an imbalance in your body’s sugar levels, it doesn’t solve the issue if you just stay away from sweets. The trick here is to know the fact that your body readily accepts natural sugar from certain sources even when you’re diabetic. In fact these foods give the body the essential sugars and help in maintaining a balance. Here are a list of foods that might look like cheat foods but aren’t. They are healthy and perfectly suited for a diabetic lifestyle and come with a lot of benefits when taken in moderation.

1. Dark Chocolate: Pure dark chocolates are rich in flavonoids that help in improving the insulin sensitivity in your body. Research also shows that people who had 10 grams of dark chocolate a day had reduced cravings for sweetened foods.

2. Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants which make them an ideal pick for a healthy sugar substitute. A medium sized sweet potato contains 26 grams of carbohydrate of which 4 grams are dietary fiber. Unlike white potatoes, these sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index which is useful in controlling diabetes.

3. Raspberries & Blueberries: Not all fruits are bad for diabetics. Raspberries and blueberries have a high source of fibre & vitamins. These fruits are loaded with antioxidants that play a major role in eliminating the free radicals responsible in causing damage to our body.

4. Yogurt: Who can say no to yogurt? It is a sweet treat that is rich, creamy and delicious. Being a dairy product, it is rich in Vitamin B2 and calcium and has a lot of health benefits. Make sure you opt for low fat or fat free yogurt that contains good bacteria.

5. Red Grapefruit: Red grapefruit helps maintain the blood sugar and cholesterol levels in your body. Having one of these before every meal has shown to significantly decrease the bad cholesterol in the body. Being loaded with Vitamin C and soluble fibre, this fruit is a yummy treat to satiate your sweet cravings.

6. Melon: You have multiple options to choose from – watermelon, cantaloupe, muskmelon, honeydew, etc. A 1-cup serving is loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins like Vitamin C and A. The advantage of eating melons is that they can be filling even in small amounts due to their rich water content.

Time to go sweet with all these alternatives!
References:

http://www.helpguide.org/artic les/diet-weight-loss/diabetes- diet-and-food-tips.htm

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/ diabetic-food-list-best-worst- foods