Tempe, Arizona (NAPSI) - Being diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t mean your life needs to lack flavor. While it’s important to pay attention to what you eat, there’s no need to sacrifice the sweet. Here are a few quick tips and simple substitutions to help you make healthier choices and get your taste buds talking:

• Eat fewer “empty calories,” including foods high in added sugar.

• Choose protein foods that are lower in saturated fat, such as fish and chicken without the skin.

• Flavor your food with fresh herbs and spices.

• Fill up with high-fiber foods, such as beans, lentils and whole grain breads and cereals.

• Substitute Equal zero-calorie sweetener for sugar in beverages and recipes. A leader among zero-calorie sweeteners and a national sponsor of the American Diabetes Association, Equal tastes good in hot and cold beverages from coffee and tea to iced tea and lemonade, sprinkled on cereal and fruit, and in most recipes that require sugar.

The Maple Pecan Bread recipe is at www.30waystoloveequalsweets.atshelf.com/recipes/detail/recipe/1800. For more information, go to www.Equal.com.