Fact:
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and diabetes is not a curable disease. Insulin helps in utilizing the glucose in the body to be used for producing energy. This helps in keeping the blood sugar levels under control, but taking insulin doesn’t correct the underlying cause.

Fact:
Diabetes medicines taken orally are not a form of insulin. Insulin is a protein that would be broken down or destroyed by the acids and digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines if taken orally. Insulin is delivered via injections, inhalers or patches but not orally. Currently there is no other practical way to deliver insulin except via injections, although researchers are working on ways to give insulin by mouth, in the nose, or inhaling it into the lungs. In case of pills they are given to in order to help body make more insulin or to make use of insulin more effectively. But pills for diabetes cannot help people with type 1 diabetes because the cells that produce insulin are destroyed and hence they are no longer able to make insulin.

Fact:
Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than the equivalent amount of sugar, so it takes less of them to get the same sweetness found in sugar. This can result in eating fewer calories than when you do use sugar.

The American Diabetes Association approves the use of several artificial sweeteners in diabetes diets, including:

• Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low)
• Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
• Acesulfame potassium (Sunett)
• Sucralose (Splenda)

A dietician can help you determine which sweeteners are best for which uses, whether in coffee, baking, cooking, or other uses.

Fact:
Stopping eating sugar will help in controlling a diabetic state, not cure it.