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Sugar, sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners may be safely used by children and teens with diabetes. Such sugars may be nutritive or non-nutritive sweeteners.
Nutritive Sweeteners: Sugars that contain calories. Some products are on the market as “sugarless” but contain nutritive sweeteners such as fructose or sorbitol. These sugars can be used between meals if the product that contains them has <20 calories per serving or with meals or snacks if the product has over 20 calories per serving.
Non-Nutritive Sweeteners: Sugar substitutes that do not contain calories. Presently saccharine, aspartame* and acesulfame K are the only non-nutritive sweeteners on the market. These sugar substitutes can be used during and between meals.
Okay to use anytime in moderate amounts:
Acesulfame K
Brand Names – Sweet One, Swiss Sweet 200 times sweeter than sugar. Can be used in cooking/baking. Recommended limit of 15 mg/kg of weight per day. 50 mg/packet of sweetener.
Aspartame
Brand Names – Nutrasweet, Equal, Nutrataste 200 times sweeter than sugar. Do not use in foods cooked longer than 20-25 minutes. Recommended limit of 50 mg/kg of weight per day. 35 mg/packet of sweetener.
Saccharin
Brand Names – Sweet ’n Low, Sucaryl, Sugar Twin 300 times sweeter than sugar. Not commonly used in cooking. Recommended limit of 1000 mg/day for adults and 500 mg/day for children. 20 mg/packet of sweetener.
Sucralose
Brand Name – Splenda 600 times sweeter than sugar. Can be used in cooking/baking. Recommended limit of 5mg/kg of body weight per day. 12 mg/packet of sweetener.
* Note that aspartame and other non-nutritive sweeteners are sometimes found in products together with nutritive sweeteners. A “sugar-free” product is not always a free food.
For use in meals and snacks as part of your meal plan:
Carob
75% sugar
Chocolate
Including milk chocolate, 30-40% sugar
Corn Syrup
100% glucose
Fructose
Naturally present in fruit, also known as Levulose
Honey
Has glucose and fructose in it
Lactose
Naturally present in milk
Molasses
50-75% sugar
Sucrose
Also known as brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, powdered sugar, table sugar. Sugar – 50% glucose, 50% fructose
Sugar Alcohol
Includes: sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol May cause gas and/or diarrhea if moderate to large quantities are eaten.
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh One Children’s Hospital Way 4401 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
With MyCHP, you can request appointments, review test results, and more.
For questions about a hospital bill call:
To pay your bill online, please visit UPMC's online bill payment system.
Interested in giving to Children's Hospital? Support the hospital by making a donation online, joining our Heroes in Healing monthly donor program, or visiting our site to learn about the other ways you can give back.