13 healthy desserts for diabetics with carbohydrates per serving

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Even if you are trying to cut down on sugar or you have diabetes, that doesn’t mean you have to give up all desserts and treats straight away. Just use a few simple tricks and you will have healthy desserts that fit even into a diabetic diet.

After all, the idea of never again enjoying a single sweet treat doesn’t sound particularly positive or appealing. An “all or nothing” mentality isn’t necessary. What’s more, strict bans often don’t last.

You will do better if you don’t deprive yourself of your favourite treats and simply make them with slightly smarter ingredients. Their effect on blood sugar will then be smaller than that of a classic dessert.

Short answer. You can have dessert with diabetes, but you need to count it towards the carbohydrates you eat in a day. For people who adjust their insulin dose according to carbohydrates, the Czech Diabetes Society (Česká diabetologická společnost, ČDS) states that ordinary sugar can be part of the diet, usually up to 10% of daily energy intake. At 2,000 kcal, that is about 50 g of sugar. Your doctor can tell you what applies to you.

According to the ČDS, simply swapping sugar for sweeteners will not improve diabetes control. What helps is a smaller portion, more fibre, protein and nuts, and less white flour and sugar. How many carbohydrates you can have in one meal will be set by your diabetologist or dietitian based on your treatment.

In this article you will find 13 recipes, ten classic ones and three for autumn and Christmas, each with approximate carbohydrates per serving. None of them treats diabetes. They simply help you fit sweet foods into your diet more sensibly.

Which healthy desserts are suitable for people with diabetes?

There are many ways to make delicious healthy desserts that don’t send your blood sugar soaring as much. The secret lies in choosing the right ingredients. This means the dessert should contain fewer carbohydrates than a classic one, and instead of sugar it is worth using sweeteners (stevia, chicory syrup, and erythritol and xylitol in moderation, see below).

Try one of these recipes and discover the magic of delicious flavour even in a slightly more nutritionally friendly treat. This way you can enjoy good healthy desserts while keeping your blood sugar more stable.

Everyone needs to satisfy their sweet tooth now and then. These wonderful healthy desserts will help you do that without causing big swings in your blood sugar. From a delicious cake to a refreshing fruit dessert, all of it can be whipped up in a diabetic-friendly version. 

How to count carbohydrates in a dessert

Of all nutrients, carbohydrates affect blood glucose the most, so with a dessert you need to know how many there are in a serving. According to the ČDS nutritional recommendations, published in 2025 in the journal DMEV, they can be counted in grams or in exchange units, and both methods are comparable.

In the Czech Republic, one exchange unit (VJ, výměnná jednotka) contains 10 g of carbohydrates. However, the ČDS points out that there are also units with 12 or 15 g, so for tables and apps, check which value they use, and ask your doctor which one applies where you live. Grams are more often used with a flexible insulin regimen, exchange units with a fixed meal plan.

Add up the carbohydrates from all the ingredients and divide the result by the number of servings. On a Czech or European label, take the Carbohydrate figure as it is. Under EU Regulation No 1169/2011, fibre is no longer included in it and is listed on a separate line, but polyols such as erythritol do count as carbohydrates.

For products sweetened with erythritol, the number on the label will therefore be higher than the amount of carbohydrates that actually raise blood glucose. Only subtract polyols from it after agreeing this with your diabetologist or dietitian, so that you don’t underestimate your carbohydrates.

The US food database USDA FoodData Central, by contrast, lists carbohydrates including fibre. Fibre needs to be subtracted because, according to the ČDS, it is not broken down into simple sugars and does not significantly raise blood glucose. So only subtract fibre for US data, not a second time for a Czech label.

At first, the ČDS recommends weighing some foods, as estimating by eye tends to be inaccurate. Work out with your diabetologist or dietitian how many carbohydrates or VJ you should have per meal and how to work with them as part of your treatment.

Here is an example using the apple crumble below. According to USDA, two medium apples (about 364 g) contain around 41 g of carbohydrates after subtracting fibre, and a cup of rolled oats (81 g) around 47 g. With almond flour, juice and nuts, the whole dish comes to roughly 109 g, which is about 12 g and just over one VJ for each of the nine pieces.

How to read the recipe information

Under each recipe you will find the number of servings, the time, approximate carbohydrates and energy per serving, and the approximate amount of erythritol. We calculated carbohydrates from the USDA FoodData Central database and subtracted fibre, so the figures correspond to the Carbohydrate value on a Czech label. We did not count erythritol and stevia towards carbohydrates or energy. Under EU rules, erythritol has 0 kcal.

Chicory syrup is not in the USDA database, and its composition varies by manufacturer. For recipes with it, we therefore give a range. The lower figure applies without the syrup, the upper one assumes it has as many available carbohydrates as honey, which according to USDA is 82 g per 100 g. You will find the actual value on the label.

The recipes use a US cup with a volume of 240 ml. Converting cups to grams is our estimate. For erythritol, it is based on the density of sugar and icing sugar in USDA. The real figures vary depending on the size of the fruit and the type of chocolate or flour. Treat them as a rough guide, not as exact figures for insulin dosing.

Counting is covered in more detail in the article carbohydrates in foods and how to start counting them. How quickly blood glucose rises after a meal is explained in the article what is the glycaemic index.

1. Flourless chocolate cookies

Even though these cookies contain no flour, they still have just the right volume, which comes from whisked egg whites (like meringues). This makes them a gluten-free and, above all, very tasty treat. The chocolate pieces in every bite create a blissful feeling in your mouth and a paradise for all chocoholics.

You will need

• ¾ cup powdered erythritol,
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa,
• a pinch of salt,
• 2 egg whites,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
• ½ cup chopped dark chocolate pieces (at least 70% cocoa).

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper straight away.

Mix the erythritol, cocoa and salt. Whisk the egg whites with the vanilla into stiff peaks, then fold them into the cocoa mixture with a rubber spatula until everything is nicely combined. Finally, add the chocolate pieces.

Spoon the dough onto the prepared trays, leaving small gaps between the cookies. Bake one tray at a time until the cookies start to crack on top, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let them cool slightly on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, though they certainly won’t last that long.

Servings and carbohydrates. From the dough you will bake about 16 small cookies, which makes 8 servings of two each. Preparation takes 15 minutes, and baking the two trays one at a time takes 20 to 30 minutes. One serving has approximately 4 g of carbohydrates and 75 kcal, with most of the carbohydrates coming from the dark chocolate. Each serving contains around 11 g of erythritol.

2. Crunchy peanut butter balls

Do you love anything crunchy? Then you have to try these peanut butter balls, which need just 4 basic ingredients. Children and adults alike will love this healthier treat. Ideal as a small snack, a travel snack or a homemade gift. And if peanuts aren’t your thing, you can swap them for any other nut butter.

You will need

• ½ cup peanut butter (or another nut butter),
• ¾ cup spelt puffs,
• 1 teaspoon chicory syrup,
• 100 g melted dark chocolate

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix the peanut butter, spelt puffs and chicory syrup. Shape the mixture into balls, using about 2 teaspoons for each. Place them on the prepared tray. Put the balls in the freezer until firm, for about 15 minutes.

Then coat the balls in the melted chocolate. Return them to the freezer for about another 15 minutes, until the chocolate has set.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. They will keep longer in the freezer.

Servings and carbohydrates. The mixture makes about 16 balls, which is 8 servings of two each. The work takes 15 minutes, plus two 15-minute spells in the freezer. A serving has approximately 8 to 9 g of carbohydrates including the syrup, and 175 kcal. The chocolate coating provides more than half of the carbohydrates. We counted the spelt puffs as puffed wheat, which is listed in the USDA database.

Choose peanut butter with no added sugar and salt. The only ingredient should be peanuts. If you want fewer carbohydrates, coat the balls in chocolate only halfway.

3. Frozen yoghurt with fruit and chocolate

Lightly sweet Greek yoghurt with delicious strawberries, raspberries or blueberries and pieces of dark chocolate, with an icy touch. Once frozen, it is broken into pieces to make a wonderful dessert that is especially welcome on hot summer days, but just as good at any other time of year. This colourful snack or healthy dessert is ideal for children and adults alike. Use full-fat yoghurt to make the bark as creamy and tasty as possible.

You will need

• 3 cups plain full-fat Greek yoghurt,
• ¼ cup chicory syrup,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
• 1 and ½ cups chopped strawberries, raspberries or blueberries (or a mix),
• ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate.

Line a rimmed baking tray or baking dish with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix the yoghurt, syrup and vanilla. Spread over the prepared tray or dish. Arrange the fruit on top and sprinkle with the chocolate.

Freeze for at least 3 hours, until the mixture is firm enough. Then break into pieces and serve.

It keeps for up to 1 month in an airtight container in the freezer. Leave it at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Portions and carbohydrates. Break the tray into roughly 8 portions. Preparation takes 10 minutes and freezing at least 3 hours. With strawberries, a portion has approximately 7 to 16 g of carbohydrates depending on the chicory syrup, and 130 kcal, with blueberries slightly more. The syrup accounts for a large share of the carbohydrates here, so it is worth reading its label. Choose plain Greek yoghurt with no added sugar.

Flavoured yoghurts usually contain considerably more carbohydrates. If chicory syrup or sugar alcohol sweeteners tend to leave you bloated, try a smaller amount.

4. Apple crumble

The basic crumble has a dual role: it serves as the base and, enhanced with nuts, also covers the delicious apples. It is a very simple healthy dessert, but that takes nothing away from its flavour. Oats contain soluble fibre, but they also provide the largest share of carbohydrates in the whole crumble, so stick to the recommended portion.

You will need

• 1 and ½ cups almond flour,
• 1 cup rolled oats,
• 3/4 cup erythritol,
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest,
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder,
• ½ teaspoon salt,
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon,
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg,
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil,
• ¼ cup apple juice,
• 2 apples, 
• ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a 20 × 20 cm square tin with butter.

Mix the flour, oats, erythritol, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Then work the coconut oil and apple juice into the mixture by hand until it forms a crumble.

Press half of the crumble into the prepared tin. Arrange the peeled and sliced apples on top in three rows. Stir the walnuts into the remaining crumble and then sprinkle it evenly over the apples.

Bake until golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Then leave to cool on a wire rack or serve while still warm, ideally with quark or Greek yoghurt.

Portions and carbohydrates. Cut the 20 × 20 cm tin into 9 squares. Preparation takes 20 minutes and baking 30 to 35 minutes. One piece has approximately 12 g of carbohydrates and 235 kcal, of which about 5 g of carbohydrates come from the oats and 4.6 g from the apples. Each piece contains around 17 g of erythritol, or about 11 g with ½ cup instead of ¾.

If you want to reduce the carbohydrates, replace half of the oats with chopped nuts and the apple juice with water and lemon. You do not need to peel the apples, as some of the fibre is in the skin.

5. Pumpkin pie 

This low-carb crustless pumpkin pie is a suitable dessert for people with diabetes. Above all, you need pumpkin purée, which is easy to make: halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds, cut it into pieces, boil until soft, drain and blend. Let the purée cool before adding it to the batter.

You will need

• 400 g pumpkin purée,
• ⅓ cup erythritol,
• 2 tablespoons honey-flavoured chicory syrup,
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (gingerbread spice also works),
• 2 eggs,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla,
• ¾ cup milk.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a 20 cm diameter tin with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin, erythritol, chicory syrup and spice. Then add the eggs with the vanilla and stir again. Gradually stir in the milk as well. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

Before serving, let the pie cool in the fridge, ideally overnight. Serve with quark, Greek yoghurt or cream, sprinkled with your favourite nuts.

Portions and carbohydrates. Cut the pie into 8 slices. Making the purée takes about 30 minutes, the batter 10 minutes and baking 45 to 50 minutes, then the pie cools, preferably overnight. One slice has approximately 4 to 9 g of carbohydrates depending on the chicory syrup, and 45 kcal, calculated using raw pumpkin flesh. Each slice contains around 8 g of erythritol.

You can also make the purée from roasted Hokkaido pumpkin. It will be thicker and, for the same weight, will contain more carbohydrates, so the portion will come out higher. You will find more ideas in our overview of healthy autumn pumpkin recipes.

6. Strawberry ice cream

Especially in summer, you may often crave ice cream, but as a person with diabetes you probably should not eat the classic version, full of added sugar, very often. This delicious strawberry cream is a great, healthy alternative to this popular treat. Its sweetness comes from the fruit alone. What is more, making it takes just a few minutes if you freeze the fruit in advance. 

You will need

• 500 g fresh strawberries,
• 2 medium bananas,
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice,
• ¼ cup cold water (or as needed).

Wash the strawberries and cut them into small pieces. Peel the bananas and slice them into rounds as well. Then freeze until solid, ideally overnight.

Once frozen, blend the fruit with the lemon juice into a smooth cream. If needed, add cold water or milk to reach the desired consistency. Stop the blender as needed to scrape down the sides of the jug. Serve immediately or, for a firmer texture, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for another 30 minutes.

Tip: Ideally, enjoy the ice cream with quark or Greek yoghurt to give your body some fat and protein as well. Fruit on its own would make your blood sugar fluctuate more. For more tips on taming blood sugar swings, read this article.

Portions and carbohydrates. The recipe makes 4 portions. Chopping takes 10 minutes, the fruit freezes overnight and blending takes 5 minutes. A portion has approximately 19 g of carbohydrates and 95 kcal, which is almost two carbohydrate exchange units, because the two bananas provide almost 48 g. With one banana, a portion comes to about 13 g.

So do not see sugar-free fruit ice cream as an unlimited treat. For more refreshing ideas, see the article healthy desserts with fruit.

7. Chocolate pudding cake with a coffee crust

When you suddenly crave a comforting dessert, try this chocolate pudding cake, which forms its own richly flavoured coffee crust as it bakes. The coffee flavour gives the chocolate pudding much greater depth of flavour overall.

You will need

For the pudding layer

• ½ cup almond flour,
• ½ cup coconut flour,
• 3 tablespoons erythritol,
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder,
• 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder,
• ½ teaspoon salt,
• 1 egg,
• ½ cup milk,
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil,
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,
• ¾  cup dark chocolate pieces (optional).

For the coffee crust

• 1 and ⅓ cups hot brewed coffee,
• 3 tablespoons erythritol,
• ¼  cup chopped walnuts or pecans,
• powdered erythritol for dusting (optional).

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease a 1.5 to 2 litre baking dish with butter. In a large bowl, mix the flours, erythritol, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil and vanilla, then pour this liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is nicely combined. Finally, add the chocolate if you like. Pour the finished batter into the prepared dish. 

For the topping, mix the hot coffee with the erythritol and pour the mixture over the batter. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts. As it bakes, a crust forms on top with a pudding layer underneath.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 30 to 35 minutes. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes. You can dust it with powdered erythritol and serve while still warm.

Portions and carbohydrates. The cake makes 8 portions. Preparation takes 15 minutes and baking 30 to 35 minutes. Without dark chocolate, a portion has approximately 4 g of carbohydrates and 155 kcal, with the optional chocolate about 10 g and 250 kcal. Most of the carbohydrates here come from the coconut flour and milk.

Compared with the original recipe, we have cut the erythritol to roughly a third, so a portion contains around 9 g instead of 25 g. Both the cake and the crust will be less sweet, and a few drops of stevia will make up the missing sweetness.

8. Low-carb cheesecake

This low-carb cheesecake is also gluten-free, among other things. Its flavour and rich, creamy texture will pleasantly surprise you. It is one of those delicious healthy desserts that are ideal for people with diabetes, but also for everyone else. So feel free to share it with family and friends or with anyone you like. 

You will need

For the base

• 1½ cups almond flour,
• ⅔ cup desiccated coconut,
• 4 tablespoons melted butter,
• a few drops of stevia,
• a pinch of salt.

For the filling

• 500 g full-fat quark (foil-wrapped block),
• 200 g whipping cream,
• 3 eggs,
• 1 cup powdered erythritol,
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line the base of a cake tin with baking paper. 

In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, desiccated coconut and salt thoroughly. Melt the butter, then pour it into the dry ingredients and sweeten with stevia to taste. Stir until everything is well combined and a crumbly dough forms. When pressed between your fingers, however, it should almost stick together. Transfer the dough to the tin and press it down in an even layer.

Bake at 180 °C for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust starts to darken around the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. 

For the quark filling, whisk the cream with the quark and sweetener in a large bowl. Then gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time. Finally, add the remaining ingredients.

Pour the filling into the tin over the cooled base. Tap the tin on the worktop to remove any gaps or bubbles.

Bake at 180 °C for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the top turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature.

Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. Covered, the cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tip: Do not try to slice the cheesecake until it has had time to cool and set in the fridge. Otherwise it will not hold its shape and will fall apart.

Servings and carbs. Cut the cheesecake into 12 slices. Preparation takes 30 minutes, baking the base and filling about an hour in total, and chilling at least 4 hours. A slice has roughly 3 g of carbohydrates, but around 270 kcal, and 10 g of erythritol. The USDA database does not list quark, so we used the closest equivalent, cottage cheese. You will find more versions in the article how to make a healthy cheesecake.

9. Caramelised spiced pears

These caramelised pears will delight your taste buds. Even though they are sweet fruit, they will not hurt once in a while and, above all, they will satisfy your cravings. They also taste great as a topping for crêpes, pancakes, waffles or French toast. 

You will need

• 3 pears, sliced,
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice,
• 2 tablespoons butter,
• 3 tablespoons erythritol,
• ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves to taste,
• a pinch of salt.

In a bowl, toss the cored pears with the lemon juice. Melt the butter in a deep frying pan  and add the pears. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix the sweetener, spices and salt in a small bowl. After 10 minutes, stir this mixture into the pears. Increase to a medium heat and sauté, stirring often, until the pears soften and caramelise, about 5 minutes depending on the variety and firmness of the pears.

Serve warm with yoghurt, quark or cream and nut butter. Dark chocolate melted over the pears will also taste great.

Servings and carbs. The recipe makes 4 servings. Preparation and caramelising take 25 minutes in total. A serving has roughly 16 g of carbohydrates and 130 kcal, and the carbohydrates come almost entirely from the pears. Each serving contains around 9 g of erythritol. According to the USDA, a pear has around 12 g of carbohydrates per 100 g after subtracting fibre, so with yoghurt or quark, a smaller serving is enough.

10. Chocolate brownies

Besides being low in carbohydrates, these moist chocolate brownies are also gluten-free and sugar-free, and what is more, you make them in one bowl. They are a good sweet treat for people with diabetes and others will enjoy them too.

You will need

For the wet ingredients

• ½ cup water,
• ½ cup coconut oil,
• ¼ cup Greek yoghurt,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed.

For the dry ingredients

• ½ cup coconut flour,
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder,
• ½ cup erythritol,
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda,
• ¼ teaspoon salt,
• ¼ cup dark chocolate pieces,
• ½ cup chopped walnuts.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a 20 × 20 cm square tin with baking paper. Grease the sides with butter and set the tin aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the water, oil, yoghurt, vanilla extract and flaxseed. Leave to stand for 15 minutes so that the flaxseed swells and binds everything nicely. 

Once thickened, add the coconut flour, cocoa powder, erythritol, bicarbonate of soda and salt and stir until a dough forms. Then add the chocolate pieces and walnuts and stir gently. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly to the edges with a spoon. Press a few extra chocolate pieces into the top of the brownies.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until almost set, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Put in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight so that the dessert sets fully. It will then become a delicious treat.   

The brownies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Servings and carbs. Cut the 20 × 20 cm tin into 16 pieces. Preparation takes 15 minutes, soaking the seeds 15 minutes, baking 15 to 20 minutes and chilling at least 3 hours. A piece has roughly 3 g of carbohydrates, 130 kcal and around 6 g of erythritol. You will find another version in the article healthy brownie recipe.

Autumn and Christmas desserts for people with diabetes

In autumn, pumpkins, apples, pears and plums are in season. Fruit is healthy, but naturally sweet, so count fruit desserts towards your carbohydrates too. According to the USDA, after subtracting fibre, apples have around 11 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, plums 10 g, pears 12 g and raw pumpkin only 6 g.

Of the recipes above, the apple crumble, pumpkin pie and caramelised pears suit autumn well. Three more recipes add seasonal fruit and Christmas baking. For fruit, the Czech Diabetes Society (Česká diabetologická společnost, ČDS) recommends whole pieces, preferably fresh, or stewed fruit without added sugar.

Baked apples with quark and walnuts

For four servings you need four smaller apples (about 600 g in total), 125 g quark, 30 g walnuts, a teaspoon of cinnamon and a tablespoon of erythritol to taste. Core the apples, fill them with quark mixed with the walnuts and cinnamon, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 180 °C.

Preparation takes 10 minutes. One filled apple has roughly 19 g of carbohydrates and 160 kcal, which is just under two carbohydrate exchange units, so it works better as a snack on its own than as a dessert after a filling lunch. The quark adds protein to it.

Baked plums with Greek yoghurt and almonds

For four people take 500 g stoned plums, a tablespoon of butter, a teaspoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of erythritol, 250 g plain Greek yoghurt and 40 g almonds. Halve the plums, place them in a baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon and sweetener, add knobs of butter and bake for 20 minutes at 180 °C.

Serve warm with a spoonful of yoghurt and chopped almonds. Preparation takes 10 minutes and a serving has roughly 16 g of carbohydrates, 200 kcal and around 6 g of erythritol. If you freeze the plums, you can make the same dessert even in winter.

Almond flour vanilla crescents

For about 30 crescents prepare 100 g almond flour, 50 g wholemeal spelt flour, 80 g cold butter, one egg yolk, 30 g erythritol and the seeds from one vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Knead the dough, leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes, shape the crescents and bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 170 °C.

While still warm, roll them in powdered erythritol. Preparation takes about an hour including chilling. Three crescents have roughly 4 g of carbohydrates and 145 kcal, with around 3 g of erythritol in the dough and a little more with the coating. You will find more recipes in the articles on healthy Christmas biscuits and no-bake Christmas biscuits.

At Christmas, it helps to agree with yourself on a set number of pieces per day and not to eat biscuits on an empty stomach. If you want to enjoy traditional Christmas biscuits too, count them towards your carbohydrates just like any other food.

Sweeteners and their effect on blood glucose

In its overview of sweeteners from February 2026, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that, according to research, sugar substitutes do not cause a large rise in blood glucose and provide sweetness without the carbohydrates and calories of sugar. According to the ADA, however, their long-term effect on body weight is not yet clear.

The Czech Diabetes Society is more cautious. In its view, sweeteners can reduce energy and carbohydrate intake if you do not replace them with other food. However, it does not call them a healthier option, only a less unhealthy one.

In May 2023, the World Health Organization advised against using non-sugar sweeteners, such as stevia, sucralose or aspartame, for weight loss or to reduce the risk of disease. This recommendation does not apply to people already diagnosed with diabetes, and the WHO did not include sugar alcohols such as erythritol or xylitol in it.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a polyol, also known as a sugar alcohol. According to the British charity Diabetes UK, polyols contain fewer calories than sugar and have less effect on blood glucose, but in larger amounts they can cause bloating and diarrhoea. For this reason, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set an acceptable daily intake for erythritol in December 2023 of 0.5 g per kilogram of body weight.

For a person weighing 70 kg, that is 35 g a day. EFSA also estimated that erythritol intake exceeds this limit in all age groups. Servings of the recipes in this article contain roughly 3 to 11 g of erythritol, and the crumble with the full amount about 17 g. One or two servings a day keep you below the limit, but avoid having more erythritol-sweetened servings than that in a day.

A study by Marc Witkowski and Stanley Hazen from Cleveland Clinic, published in February 2023 in the journal Nature Medicine, attracted attention. In more than 4,000 people from the USA and Europe, higher blood levels of erythritol were linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death. However, it was an observational study of people who already had risk factors for heart disease.

The body also partly produces erythritol itself from glucose, so its blood level may not reflect how much a person eats. Cramer, Gonder and Kofler pointed this out in 2023 in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.

In a follow-up study, published in 2024 in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 10 healthy volunteers drank a beverage with 30 g of erythritol and 10 others a beverage with 30 g of glucose. After erythritol, blood platelets clumped together more easily, but not after glucose. The authors themselves point out the small number of participants.

In its assessment, EFSA concluded that current evidence does not prove a causal link between erythritol in food and heart disease, but further research would be helpful. If you have heart or blood vessel disease, talk to your doctor about sweeteners.

Stevia

According to Diabetes UK, stevia sweeteners are calorie-free, 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and heat-stable, so they are also suitable for baking. The ADA gives a sweetness 200 to 400 times greater than that of sugar.

That is why just a few drops or a pinch is enough. In larger amounts, stevia can give a dessert a slightly bitter aftertaste, so in recipes it is often combined with erythritol. According to Diabetes UK, sweeteners sold in the EU must undergo a safety assessment and be approved by the European Commission.

Xylitol

Xylitol is also a polyol, and according to Diabetes UK it too has less effect on blood glucose than sugar and a laxative effect in larger amounts. Like other sugar alcohols, it does contain calories, but according to the ADA fewer than sugar.

In 2024, Marc Witkowski’s team reported in the European Heart Journal that xylitol increases platelet clotting and that high blood levels of it were linked to more cardiovascular events in high-risk people over three years.

Then, at the European Society of Cardiology congress in August 2026, Witkowski from the Charité in Berlin presented data from 17,710 people in two long-term studies. In the Canadian CLSA study, which followed people for 6 years, those with the highest xylitol levels had a 57% higher risk of cardiovascular events than those with the lowest, and in the British EPIC-Norfolk study, which followed people for 30 years, an 18% higher risk.

Professor Dan Atar from the European Society of Cardiology’s communications committee commented that causation is difficult to establish from observational studies and the topic calls for further research. The body also produces xylitol itself when processing glucose. In our view, it is sensible to use both xylitol and erythritol in moderation, not as a large-scale everyday sugar substitute.

Chicory syrup

Chicory syrup is made from chicory root. You will not find it in the USDA database and its composition varies by manufacturer, so rely on the label. Check the carbohydrates per 100 g, fibre and sugars, and calculate your serving from them.

The Czech Diabetes Society (ČDS) classes chicory inulin as soluble fibre. If the syrup tends to make you feel bloated in the same way as polyols, use it in smaller amounts. For an overview of other options, see the article how and what to replace sugar with in sweets.

Which flour to choose and why fibre matters

Flour is usually the main source of carbohydrates in a cake or bake. According to the USDA, plain wheat flour contains around 74 g of carbohydrates per 100 g after subtracting fibre, wholemeal wheat flour 61 g and wholemeal spelt flour also 61 g. Almond flour has only about 7 g, coconut flour 25 g and rolled oats 58 g.

Almond flour, however, is high in fat and according to the USDA has around 600 kcal per 100 g, compared with 364 kcal for plain flour. Coconut flour contains 34 g of fibre per 100 g and absorbs a lot of liquid, so it cannot replace wheat flour in a recipe one for one.

According to the ČDS, fibre slows the digestion of carbohydrates and the absorption of glucose, lowers blood fat levels and keeps you full for longer. The recommended amount is at least 14 g per 1,000 kcal, or roughly 25 to 35 g a day. Soluble fibre is found in oats, pulses and apples, for example, and insoluble fibre in wholegrain cereals and vegetables.

In practice, it helps to replace some of the plain flour with almond or wholemeal flour, add ground flaxseed and use fruit with the skin on. For foods that provide fibre, see the article on high-fibre foods.

How big a dessert serving should be

Even a dessert made with almond flour and erythritol will raise blood glucose if you eat a lot of it. The ČDS points out that a food’s effect on blood glucose depends not only on its glycaemic index but on its glycaemic load, which combines the glycaemic index with the amount of carbohydrate in a serving.

So cut your bake into a set number of pieces as soon as it comes out of the oven and store the rest in the fridge or freezer. Of the recipes in this article, the brownies and cheesecake have the fewest carbohydrates, around 3 g per piece. Fruit desserts such as ice cream, pears or baked apples contain 16 to 19 g per serving, or about two carbohydrate exchanges.

But low in carbohydrates does not mean low in energy. According to the USDA, a slice of cheesecake made with almond flour, cream and butter has around 270 kcal, even though it contains only 3 g of carbohydrates. The ČDS recommends limiting saturated fats and lists their sources as butter, full-fat dairy products and coconut oil, which is used in the crumble, the custard pie and the brownies.

Dessert is best eaten as part of a meal or with protein, for example with quark or Greek yoghurt, as the tips with the recipes also suggest. Your diabetologist or dietitian will set how many carbohydrate exchanges your snack or dessert should contain in your nutrition plan, especially if you are treated with insulin.

A sugar-free dessert will not help with hypoglycaemia. For a hypo, the ČDS recommends 15 to 20 g of fast-acting carbohydrates, ideally pure glucose tablets or a sugary drink, and checking your blood glucose again after 15 minutes. Chocolate, wafers or nuts are not suitable, as fat and protein slow down absorption.

If you are treated with insulin or sulfonylureas and follow a fixed meal plan, discuss swapping your usual dessert for a lower-carbohydrate version with your diabetologist beforehand. According to the ČDS, fewer carbohydrates with the same dose of medication increase the risk of hypoglycaemia.

For ideas on fitting sweet treats into your whole day, see the articles how to plan a varied weekly meal plan for people with diabetes and how to make healthy snacks for people with diabetes.

What to watch out for in shop-bought diabetic products

The Czech Diabetes Society (Česká diabetologická společnost) generally does not recommend eating foods labelled “diabetic” or “suitable for diabetics”. According to the ČDS, such products no longer exist in Czech law, and they often contain a lot of fat, mostly unhealthy fatty acids. Rules elsewhere may differ, so ask your doctor.

Diabetes UK takes a similar view. Products sold as “diabetic” are usually sweetened with polyols and can contain as much fat and as many calories as ordinary sweets. According to the ADA, “sugar-free” does not mean carbohydrate-free, as the product may contain sugar alcohols. “No added sugar”, in turn, allows natural sugars, for example from milk or fruit.

Before you put a shop-bought dessert in your basket, look at the label and check the following.

• Carbohydrates per 100 g and per serving, not just sugars. Fibre is not included in them, but polyols are.
• Fat and saturated fatty acids. Diabetic chocolate and biscuits can contain as much as ordinary ones.
• Energy per serving. Less sugar does not mean fewer calories.
• Polyols in the nutrition information and sweeteners in the ingredients. Under EU regulations, products with more than 10% added polyols must carry a label warning that excessive consumption may have laxative effects.
• The serving size the information refers to, and how many servings the pack contains.

With a home-baked dessert from the recipes above, you have more control than with a shop-bought one. If you find it hard to resist sweets, tips on how to break a sugar addiction may help, as may the article on how to lower blood sugar naturally. Always discuss changes to your diet with your diabetologist.

Healthy desserts do not have to be complicated at all, even if you have diabetes. You can enjoy a sweet treat just like everyone else. The classic version does no harm now and then, but if you crave sweets more often, it is better to choose an adapted, low-carb treat that has less effect on your blood sugar. Fortunately, there are plenty of recipes for delicious low-carb desserts to choose from.