If you have diabetes and celiac disease, you should go gluten-free. It’s the only way to avoid the pain and damage caused by eating even a little gluten. Consult a dietitian who’s also a certified diabetes educator about switching to a gluten-free diet.

Glucose syrup is gluten free. It can be derived from wheat, however the production methods involve a high level of hydrolysation, meaning there is no significant gluten content in the sugars. The final ingredient is gluten free and foods with glucose syrups can be eaten by people with coeliac disease.

Gluten-containing ingredients to avoid: malt, malt flavor, malt extract, malt vinegar, brewer’s yeast, and ingredients with the words “wheat,” “barley,” or “rye” in the name or in parentheses after the name. Examples of ingredients to avoid: dextrin (wheat), wheat starch, malt extract (barley).

Instead, the syrup is made by breaking down glucose molecules in starchy foods through hydrolysis. This chemical reaction yields a concentrated, sweet product with a high glucose content ( 3 ). Although corn is the most common source, potatoes, barley, cassava, and wheat can also be used.

Both products are made from corn starch, but regular corn syrup is 100 percent glucose, while high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has had some of its glucose converted to fructose enzymatically. So read labels carefully or stick with Karo, which does not add HFCS to their products.

Dextrose (glucose powder) — Dextrose is less sweet than refined sugar and the texture is like coarse icing sugar. For a straight substitution, multiply the weight of sugar in the recipe by 0.7 for the amount of dextrose needed.

In this article, we look at seven of the best low-calorie sweeteners for people with diabetes.

1. Stevia. Share on Pinterest Stevia is a popular alternative to sugar.
2. Tagatose. Tagatose is a form of fructose that is around 90 percent sweeter than sucrose.
3. Sucralose.
4. Aspartame.
5. Acesulfame potassium.
6. Saccharin.
7. Neotame.

Oatmeal offers a host of health benefits and can be a great go-to food for those with diabetes, as long as the portion is controlled. One cup of cooked oatmeal contains approximately 30 grams of carbs, which can fit into a healthy meal plan for people with diabetes.