Definitely! The same dietary guidelines apply to people with diabetes (diabetics) as to the general population: the Guidelines for a Healthy Diet of the Health Council of the Netherlands. These guidelines allow the consumption of carbohydrates, including sugar. However, carbohydrates should be spread evenly throughout the day to minimise the pressure on the metabolism. In the past, the advice was to eat a sugar-free diet, but this advice was withdrawn in the 1990s. Nevertheless, many people still think that diabetics should eat 'sugar free'. Depending on the type of diabetes, the disease can be treated by means of medication or insulin injections. To prevent diabetes (especially type 2), moreover, people who are susceptible to the disease should take care not to be overweight and should take sufficient physical exercise.