You are expecting guests—and one of them has diabetes. Don’t fret—simply share your menu and ask for suggestions to modify for their diet. Don’t be surprised if what you would fix normally is just on their menu plan.

However, I frequently get questions on adapting recipes so they are “sugar-free” or suggestions for refreshments for a guest with diabetes. While at one time sugar was the forbidden food/ingredient, times have changed.

The “in” word is carbohydrates or carbs for short. Each diabetic has their specific menu plan to follow and their balance of carbs, fats and proteins to eat—regularly. Whether we’re talking about a medium apple (about the size of a tennis ball) or nearly five teaspoons of sugar, they both have about 20 grams of carbohydrates. And at four calories per gram, that is equal to 80 calories. To a diabetic, is doesn’t make any difference if the carbs were from sugar or a “natural” food. Carbs are carbs and they are a part of their plan.

Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source, powering everything from jogging, to breathing, and even to digesting food. Actually, glucose is the main form of carbohydrate used for energy. Because it circulates in your blood stream, it’s often called blood sugar.

Your body doesn’t turn all of its blood sugar into energy at the same time. As blood sugar levels rise above normal, insulin (a hormone from your pancreas) signals your liver, muscles, and other cells to store the extra. Some gets stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, a storage form of carbohydrate. Some glucose may also be converted to body fat—if you consume more calories than your body needs.

When blood sugar levels drop below normal, another hormone called glucagons triggers the conversion of glycogen to glucose. That’s how blood sugar levels stay within normal range between meals. Once glucose is back in your bloodstream, it’s again ready to fuel your body cells.

Whether from sugar or complex carbohydrates (like starchy foods) one gram of carbohydrate fuels your body with the same amount of energy—four calories per gram. Other energy sources are protein with four calories per gram and fat with nine calories per gram.

So, instead of counting teaspoons of sugar (pre 1994 era) for a diabetic menu plan, now we count carbohydrates—and every person’s amount is different depending on their lifestyle, health style, and medication. It is extremely important to follow your doctor and dietitian’s prescription for your diet.

In addition to counting carbs…include these tips into your eating and lifestyle habits. These habits fit everybody!

ü Eat three meals a day

ü Fill up on “free foods” such as lettuce, celery, broth, etc.

ü Avoid high consumption of fruit juices, especially in the morning (they are mostly carbs!)

ü Include beans (without added fat) in your meals at least twice a week.

ü Eat a high fiber cereal that contains 6 grams of fiber per serving for breakfast; avoid those cereals that are high in sugar.

ü Avoid adding sugar to beverages or cereal.

ü Try a vegetarian entrée for supper.

ü Take 30-minute walks on most days of the week.