Our Guide to Valentine’s Day

All holidays involve indulging to celebrate, but Valentine’s Day is especially difficult because of the association with chocolate and candy. Here’s how to get through Valentine’s Day unscathed!

By Susan B. Sloane, BS, RPh, CDE

As Valentine’s Day approaches, it seems that candy and sweet treats are everywhere. The bad news: most holiday snacks and treats can send your blood sugar soaring. The good news: there are ways to have treats without causing blood sugars to go wild by using good judgment and realizing that moderation is the key.

Remember, sweets don’t have to be unhealthy. There are tons of other options besides chocolates and sugary candies; think about naturally sweet foods like fresh fruit.

Sugar-free labeled products can be tempting especially considering the fact that sugar-free candy and other sweets are available everywhere you look. Some are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, but others should be avoided. Some of these which have been FDA approved are aspartame, sucralose, and neotame.

You need to be aware of what’s inside the food you’re eating. Recent studies have shown that certain artificial sweeteners have been found to actually contribute to weight gain, so don’t overdo it.^[1] As always, moderation is key!

In addition, reading nutritional labels is extremely important to understand what the food you’re eating contains and how healthy or unhealthy it actually is.

A great feature of the newest version of the Dario app is that you can scan barcodes of common packaged items so get an accurate reading of the nutritional content and to automatically import that information into the app.

Despite their labels, many products labeled “sugar-free” are actually quite high in calories and fats. In addition, a lot of these products are sweetened with what are known as sugar alcohols. These sugar alcohols – like mannitol and xylitol – may not cause large blood glucose spikes but can cause stomach irritation, especially when consumed in excess. Use these products sparingly!

Artificial sweeteners provide almost no calories and will not affect your blood sugar levels in the same way that sugar will. You cannot cook or bake with all of them, but some can be used in baking and can work well to reduce the amount of sugar and calories in the foods you’re preparing at home.

If you are baking on this Valentine’s Day, it’s important to understand exactly how to bake with sugar substitutes. Here are some tips, do’s and don’ts when it comes to using sugar substitutes:

1. When using sugar substitutes for cakes, you may want to add nonfat dry milk powder and baking soda to the dry ingredients for the best results. For example, try using ½ cup of sifted nonfat dry milk powder and ½ teaspoon of baking soda with every cup of artificial sweetener. For exact ratios, check the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. When baking bar cookies, brownies, muffins, and quick breads, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 cup of artificial sweetener used.
3. For some cakes and muffins, you can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or molasses for extra flavor and moistness.
4. Try reducing the amount of artificial sweetener you would generally use in order to achieve the desired amount of sweetness.

The takeaway here is to take all things in moderation, whether it be carbohydrates, sweets, or artificial sweeteners. Also, don’t forget that you can have natural sweets that taste amazing and are healthy. Examples include fresh berries with a yogurt topping or homemade frozen yogurts. Just be sure to understand how these items can fit into your own dietary plan.

Overall, Valentine’s Day is not only about indulging on candy and chocolates. It’s also about spending time with your loved ones and partner. Spa days, romantic getaways, and just plain relaxing with a glass of white wine are great ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day without the chocolate and candy! Whatever your pleasure, be sure to enjoy and remember to stay healthy!