But if you’re welcoming friends or family with diabetes, you may be wondering how best to cater for them without leaving them out of the seasonal fun.
The good news? With today’s wide range of zero sugar alternatives, syrups and flavourings, you can create festive treats that are both delicious and diabetic-friendly.
Why Think About Zero Sugar Options?
Traditional festive foods are often packed with refined sugar, which can cause blood glucose levels to spike. For those living with diabetes, this makes navigating the Christmas table tricky.
By making simple swaps with sugar-free ingredients and naturally sweet alternatives, you can help ensure that everyone enjoys the celebrations without worry.
Sweet Swaps: Baking and Desserts
Zero sugar syrups – Brands now offer syrups in flavours such as vanilla, caramel, hazelnut and even festive gingerbread. Perfect for drizzling over pancakes, flavouring coffee, or adding to whipped cream.
Sugar-free chocolate – A great option for stocking fillers or to melt into sauces.
Sugar substitutes for baking – Stevia, erythritol and monk fruit sweetener can be used in Christmas puddings, cakes and biscuits without compromising taste. (However, people like my wife are allergic to Stevia)
Drinks Without the Sugar Crash
Christmas drinks are often loaded with sugar – from mulled wine to hot chocolate. Try these alternatives:
Sugar-free hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of zero sugar syrup.
Mulled spice tea – brew black tea with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel, then sweeten with a sugar substitute.
Festive mocktails – mix sparkling water with sugar-free syrups, a splash of lemon or lime, and fresh fruit garnish for a seasonal fizz.
Savoury Options That Shine
It’s not all about sweet treats. Luckily, most of the Christmas dinner spread is already diabetic-friendly: roast turkey, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, and parsnips. Just be mindful of glazes and sauces – opt for reduced-sugar cranberry sauce or make your own using a sugar substitute.
Little Touches That Make a Big Difference
Label dishes so guests know what’s sugar-free.
Offer choice – a traditional pudding alongside a zero-sugar trifle or cheesecake ensures everyone has something special.
Stock your coffee corner with sugar-free syrups so guests can customise their festive lattes.
A Christmas Everyone Can Enjoy
With a little planning and the help of zero sugar syrups and flavourings, you can make your diabetic guests feel not just included, but spoiled with thoughtful festive treats. After all, Christmas is about togetherness, and that means ensuring everyone can join in the feast.
Here are some excellent zero-sugar syrup options available in the UK, perfect for making your Christmas festivities more inclusive for guests managing diabetes.
Festive classic — Christmas maple & spice
Maple & Cinnamon Syrup - Skinny Syrup - 425ml
£4.99
theskinnyfoodco
Gingerbread festive flavour
Mint Syrup | Mint Syrup For Coffee | Skinny Syrups
£6.99
theskinnyfoodco
Nutty barista‑style syrup
Mint Syrup | Mint Syrup For Coffee | Skinny Syrups
£6.99
theskinnyfoodco
Versatile vanilla for coffee, drinks
Monin Sugar Free Vanilla Flavouring Syrup (1 litre)
£9.49
Maple & Cinnamon Syrup - Skinny Syrup - 425ml
A delightfully festive blend of maple and warm spices — ideal for drizzling over porridge, cakes, or into hot beverages without any calories or sugar. A classic seasonal touch.
Mint Syrup | Mint Syrup For Coffee | Skinny Syrups
Rich hints of gingerbread with cinnamon, cloves and molasses make this perfect for spicing up hot chocolate, coffee, or desserts with winter warmth — all sugar-free.
Mint Syrup | Mint Syrup For Coffee | Skinny Syrups
A creamy, nutty favourite for flavouring latte, hot chocolate or even breakfast bowls. Totally sugar-free and delicious.
Monin Sugar Free Vanilla Flavouring Syrup (1 litre)
A versatile vanilla syrup, perfect for lattes, cocktails, baking or mocktails. Made with sucralose, delivering rich flavour without the sugar.
Other Notable UK-Friendly Options
The Skinny Food Co is a notable British brand offering a wide range of zero-calorie, sugar-free syrups. They're stocked in major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Lidl, and health stores such as Holland & Barrett.
Wikipedia
NextDayCoffee.co.uk features sugar-free syrups from Amor, Monin, and Simply, including festive picks like:
Monin Gingerbread Sugar-Free Syrup
Monin Vanilla Sugar-Free Syrup
Amor Caramel / Hazelnut / Vanilla Sugar-Free Syrups — all priced around £4.99 for 750 ml
Nextday Coffee
Bulk™ Zero Calorie Syrup is another UK-available option sweetened with sucralose, offering calorie-free choices in flavours like maple and butterscotch.
Community recommendations include:
“I quite like the Skinny Syrup ones. I find that the Maple one has the most flavour but the Salted Caramel is also pretty good.” — a user from r/AskUK
Sweeteners & Health Considerations
While syrups offer festive flavour, many use artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame, both generally have minimal impact on blood glucose levels, making them acceptable for diabetic guests.However, experts advise moderation as some individuals may experience digestive discomfort or changes in appetite or gut health.
Stevia, monk fruit, or allulose are natural or low-glycaemic sweeteners that can be used in baking; allulose behaves more like real sugar in recipes, though it’s currently more niche.
Quick Recommendations for a Diabetic-Friendly Festive Spread
Ingredient Recommendation
Syrup for coffee / drinks Skinny Food Co Maple & Cinnamon or Monin Gingerbread
Dessert drizzle Skinny Food Co Hazelnut or Chocolate Fudge Cake flavour
Baking sweetener Consider sucralose-based syrup or natural substitutes like stevia/allulose
Label clearly Mark sugar-free options at your buffet to minimise confusion
Offer variety Include one traditional sweet alongside sugar-free alternatives so everyone can enjoy
Using zero sugar syrups lets you create festive menus—think flavored coffees, mocktails, baked treats—that are both indulgent and considerate of diabetic dietary needs.
The Skinny Food Co range stands out for availability and flavour variety in the UK; Monin offers rich, barista-style quality; and Bulk™ is a reliable calorie-free alternative.
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