Can people with diabetes drink sugary soda?

While many people don’t spare a second thought before drinking a can of soda, people with diabetes need to put extra thought into what they’re putting into their body.

Though experts say that people with diabetes, regardless of the type, can drink the occasional sugary soda, the large amounts of added sugar in a beverage often considered “empty calories” isn't without risks.

When a person eats or drinks carbohydrates, the body breaks it down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. In people with diabetes, the body can’t effectively manage glucose, making it important to keep blood glucose levels within a healthy target range.

A regular can of soda, which often contains large amounts of added sugar, can complicate this. Because liquid carbohydrates are absorbed into the bloodstream so quickly, a typical can of soda, containing about 10 teaspoons of added sugar, causes blood glucose levels to rise rapidly, said Toby Smithson, a senior manager of nutrition and wellness at the American Diabetes Association.

“Regular soda can make blood glucose management more challenging and is best limited or avoided as an everyday beverage,” Smithson said.

This doesn’t mean you need to toss out soda entirely. Sarah Hormachea, a diabetes care and…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/life/