RECIPES

Diabetes-friendly dessert recipes

Enjoy our favourite diabetes-friendly dessert recipes that taste delicious and are simple to make.
Published 21 January 2018 | Updated 11 November 2023
Rebecca's lemon and blueberry syrup cake

Enjoy these diabetes-friendly desserts


Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to give up desserts. Here at WeightWatchers®, we have developed a series of delicious dessert recipes that are suitable for people with diabetes. From popular member favourites like Sarah’s banana loaf and Anna's pear and walnut slice to coconut pancakes and light choc banana mousse, there are 24 recipes here to satisfy your sweet tooth.


Taking a smarter approach to sugar

Taking a smarter approach to sugar means you can still enjoy dessert while managing your diabetes. Many people believe that eating too much sugar causes diabetes, but in fact, type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition and type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle (with a major contributor being weight).

Effective management of diabetes includes regulating how many carbohydrates you are eating. Regulating carbohydrate intake is important for people with diabetes because it means they can balance their consumption of sugars and help maintain steady blood glucose levels (BGLs).

To regulate your blood sugar levels, it is important to limit foods such as soft drinks, lollies and syrup as these are loaded with added sugar. It is also important to limit foods containing concentrated forms of sugar such as sugar-cane products (like caster sugar) and honey. Small amounts of sugar can be included as part of a lower-fat, low-GI, high-fibre meal for people living with diabetes.