Sweet but not too sweet: Sugar-free cakes, ice creams and chocolates

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In the US, Nov 14 is National Pickle Day, National Spicy Guacamole Day and also National American Teddy Bear Day (yay).

It is also World Diabetes Day. And we didn’t anyhow come up with this date, ok.

World Diabetes Day was launched way back in 1991 to address the increasing health threats around the world caused by diabetes.

And why Nov 14? It’s the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin with Charles Best in 1922. Not sure why Mr Best’s birthday wasn’t chosen for this auspicious date though.

But what you really want to know: where to buy swee but not-too-sweet treats and snacks for a healthier, reduced-sugar kind of lifestyle.

Because in Singapore, the Health Promotion Board recommends adults consume just nine to 11 teaspoons of sugar every day. Don’t know what that means? The bitter truth: A regular cup of BBT has more than 18 teaspoons of sugar.

One of Singapore’s most delish carrot cakes is sugar free!

We’re of course talking about Cedele’s Sugarless Carrot Walnut Cake, which was one of the chain’s first cakes when it started business in 1997 — at a time when few of us even knew how to spell organic, keto or gluten… or knew that carrot cake wasn’t chai tow kueh.

Gasp, can chocolate actually be sugar-less, healthy and cute?

Homegrown brand Chocoelf thinks so. Co-founded by a doctor (whom we presume should know all the sensible things about eating well), it makes sugar-free chocolates and cookies.

And there’s nothing meh about these as you can get red velvet cookies, animal-shaped chocolates and our favourite — a box of dark chocolate pralines masquerading as mahjong tiles. If you have diabetic and mahjong-loving people to impress, this is it.

Got such thing? A sugar-free dessert cafe

Yes, sounds like an oxymoron. But Camaca Singapore at King Albert Park is indeed a sugar-free and diabetic-friendly dessert cafe, offering pound cakes, tarts and its signature gelatos which come in flavours like Musang King Durian, Madagascar Vanilla and Strawberry Latte.

Wait…. There’s more sugar-free ice cream

The folks at Sugalight sure give ice cream a good name! Their version comes sugar-free, egg-free and low-fat though they stress that some flavours have naturally occurring sugars like those found in fruit, for instance.

Instead, the pints are made with Xylitol and Maltitol. Flavours include French Dark Chocolate, Cookie Monster, Very Berry Drizzle and a very hipster Avocado Indulgence.

When your local supermarkets have diabetic-friendly merch

So that you don’t have to munch on lemons and feel sorry for yourself, Fairprice Online has a wide array of diabetic-friendly snacks and treats including cookies, wafers and chocolates.

This bakery offers diabetic-friendly cakes and more

Those with dietary and health concerns head to Delcie’s when they need a special occasion cake.

After all, the bakery, founded in 2009, lives by its trademarked slogan: “When we bake, it becomes healthy.” Wise words indeed.

Besides very niche lines like baby-friendly, vegan, gluten-free and even vegan keto-friendly cakes, one of the most popular ranges is its diabetic-friendly cakes made without cane sugar.

Instead, these use organic stevia, organic coconut sugar and organic agave, which are said to have a lower glycemic index — a value that measures how foods increase blood sugar levels.

The only thing you need to worry about is whether you should have Strawberry Cheesecake, Carrot Pecan or a really yummy-sounding Mud Fudge.