Type 2 diabetes occurs when the level of sugar in the blood is too high.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition, but can be controlled by making simple lifestyle changes and taking medication.
If not controlled, type 2 diabetes can lead to serious complications with the heart, nerves, eyes and kidneys.
So how much sugar is it safe for diabetic people to consume?
The UK recommended guidelines for sugar intake state added sugar should not make up more than five per cent of the energy we get from food and drink each day.
This equates to about 30g of sugar for adults and children over the age of 11, which is equal to seven cubes or seven teaspoons of sugar.
Children aged four to seven should consume a maximum of 19g, which is equal to five cubes or five teaspoons of sugar.
Children aged seven to ten should consume no more than 24g, which is equal to six cubes or six teaspoons of sugar.
The guidelines are the same for both diabetic people and people without diabetes, as even people without diabetes are advised to limit sugar intake.
This is because eating too much sugar can cause tooth decay, but also, many sugary foods and drinks also contain lots of calories, which can contribute to becoming overweight.
In turn, being overweight can increase the risk of developing diabetes and other health problems like heart disease and strokes.
“As part of a healthy, balanced diet, you should consume fewer foods and drinks that are high in sugars,” warned the NHS.
“Sugary foods and drinks can cause tooth decay, especially if you have them between meals.”
“Many foods that contain added sugars also contain lots of calories but often have few other nutrients. Eating these foods frequently can contribute to becoming overweight.”
The NHS advises reading the nutritional information on food labels to see how much sugar certain foods and drinks contain.
The nearer to the beginning of the ingredient list sugar is, the more sugar the product contains.
The ‘carbohydrates (of which sugars)’ figure on the nutrition labels will state how much sugar the product contains for every 100g.
More than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g is high, while 5g or less of total sugars per 100g is low.
Sugar is often listed under different names on ingredients lists, which can disguise the fact it is present.
Sugar can be listed as: glucose, sucrose, maltose, honey, molasses, maple syrup, glucose strip, hydrolysed starch, corn syrup, agave nectar, coconut palm sugar and treacle.
