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In general, both fat and sugar can be reduced by 1/4 to 1/3 in most recipes without affecting the outcome of the product. In other words, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you can reduce it to 2/3 or 3/4 cup without noticing much difference.

Experiment with fat-free or reduced-fat products or combine full-fat ingredients with fat-free or reduced-fat products, to suit your taste.

 

The following table outlines other simple ways to modify the ingredients in a recipe to help make it more "diabetes friendly": 

 

Use Less	Or Substitute
Bacon, 1 oz.	2 Tbsp. bacon bits, or 1 oz. lean ham, turkey or Canadian bacon
Butter, 1 cup	1 cup tub margarine,* or ¾ cup monounsaturated oil
Oil, 1 cup	½ cup monounsaturated oil plus ½ cup applesauce or 1 cup applesauce or pureed fruit
Buttermilk, 1 cup	Mix 1 cup skim milk plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, let mixture stand 5 minutes and beat briskly
Chocolate - Baking, 1 oz.	3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. monounsaturated oil
Condensed Milk - Sweetened, 14 oz. can	Dissolve 1 cup powdered skim milk and 1/3 cup cool water in 1 qt. sauce pan. Bring to boil, stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar or Splenda sugar blend. Cool before using.
Cottage Cheese - 4% butterfat, 1 cup	1 cup fat-free cottage cheese, or low-fat cottage cheese -2% milk fat or less
Cream Cheese, 8 oz.	1 cup fat-free cream cheese, or low-fat Neufchatel cheese, or 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese, pureed
Cream - Heavy, 1 cup	2/3 cup skim milk plus 1/3 cup monounsaturated oil
Cream - Light, 1 cup	1 cup evaporated skim milk, or 3 Tbsp. monounsaturated oil plus skim milk to equal 1 cup
Cream - Sour, 1 cup	1 cup fat-free sour cream, or 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Egg, 1 whole	2 egg whites, or 1 egg white plus 1 tsp. monounsaturated oil, or ¼ cup egg substitute
Hollandaise Sauce, 1 cup	Mix ¾ cup low fat mayonnaise with enough hot liquid (from cooking vegetables) to make a thick creamy sauce, add lemon juice to taste
Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing, 1 cup	1 cup fat-free or low-fat mayonnaise, or plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt, or a blend of any of these products to taste
Milk - Whole, 1 cup	1 cup skim milk, or powdered skim milk plus water to equal 1 cup
Sugar, 1 cup	2/3 cup regular sugar or 1 cup Splenda or Equal sugar blend
White Sauce, 1 cup	1 Tbsp. melted margarine* plus 2 Tbsp. flour, blended well over low heat, add 1 cup skim milk, sodium-free bouillon, vegetables or seasonings
Vegetable Oil, 1 Tbsp.	Vegetable cooking spray, spray 2 seconds to cover cooking surface