Reduce the risk of diabetes with the help of a teaspoon
With new statistics1 revealing that the rising level of obesity has sent diabetes cases soaring by almost three quarters in just six years, now’s the time to start making steps towards reducing our sugar consumption. - 1. Diabetes UK
One of the government’s key recommendations is to reduce sugar intake whilst adopting a healthier lifestyle, which in turn may help lessen the number of newly diagnosed diabetes sufferers. Giving up the sweeter things in life can be a struggle for many and often means making sacrifices and changing lifelong habits. With only 10% of the calories but all the taste of sugar, SPLENDA® low calorie sweetener is the perfect solution for those looking to reduce the sugar in their diets. Reducing sugar consumption, even by just a teaspoon a day, would save 4lbs or 7000 calories' worth of sugar over a year
Sugar and sugar laden foods tend to raise blood sugar levels and trigger the body to produce excess insulin which in turn prompts the storage of fat. Replacing sugar with SPLENDA® or other low calorie sweeteners limits these effects within the body providing a guilt-free way to occasionally satisfy a sweet tooth.
Whilst a healthy diet and lifestyle is recommended for everyone, it is especially important for people with diabetes. Low calorie sweeteners such as SPLENDA® are also suitable for people with diabetes as they normally contain only a fraction of the calories and carbohydrates of sugar. Sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA® is not recognised by the body or broken down for energy, so it has no effect on insulin or blood glucose levels.
At SPLENDA® we believe that small steps can make a big difference, that’s why we’ve teamed up with Diabetes UK, to help raise vital funds to support Diabetes UK in continuing its work providing support and services to the growing number of people with the condition.
Marking their 75th birthday this year, Diabetes UK have a long and established history of providing the right support and care to people living with the life threatening condition of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the main health challenges facing the UK today, someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 3 minutes and there are currently around 3 million people with the condition in the UK and this number is rising at an alarming rate. By 2025 predictions2 are that there will be four million people with diabetes in the UK. If untreated, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness.
Helping around 3 million people living with Diabetes could be as simple as making a cup of tea. SPLENDA® Low Calorie Sugar Alternative is supporting leading charity Diabetes UK’s ‘Care for a Cuppa’ fundraising campaign.
SPLENDA® are encouraging everyone to become hosts and hostesses and organise a tea party to help Diabetes UK raise vital funds to support research projects. Together SPLENDA® and Diabetes UK are aiming to help support 1,000 parties and raise £150,000 by the end of 2009.
The proceeds from Care For A Cuppa will help Diabetes UK to continue its work providing support and services to the growing number of people with the condition. People who participate in Care For A Cuppa parties will not only enjoy a relaxing and rewarding event, they will also be backing a very important cause.
A Care For A Cuppa party is easy to plan - for more information and to receive a fundraising pack, please visit www.careforacuppa.org.uk or call the Care for a Cuppa team on 020 7424 1000 or email careforacuppa@diabetes.org.uk
If you or your patients are interested in making low-sugar carrot cake muffins – ideal to accompany a cuppa – follow the delicious, nutritionally balanced recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins using SPLENDA® below.
Carrot Cake Muffins with SPLENDA®
Makes 10 (enough for a small tea party!)
300g wholemeal plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon salt
50g ground almonds
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100ml sunflower oil
100ml semi-skimmed milk
12 tablespoons SPLENDA® granulated sweetener
finely grated zest of 1 orange
350g carrots, peeled and finely grated
50g raisins
For the icing:
150g low fat soft cheese
1 tablespoon SPLENDA® granulated sweetener
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Place ten paper muffin cases into a muffin tray, or use squares of greaseproof paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl.
Stir in the ground almonds. Beat together the egg, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, milk, SPLENDA® and most of the orange zest. Add the grated carrots and stir well.
• Tip the wet ingredients and raisins into a bowl with dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Avoid over-mixing and do not beat.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper muffin cases. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.
• To make the icing, mix together the soft cheese and SPLENDA® until smooth. Top the muffins with the icing and sprinkle them with the reserved orange zest. Then serve and enjoy!
References
1. Diabetes UK
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/feb/24/diabetes-rise-obesity-health-uk
Published in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing's Practice Nurse Association
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