� Taking insulin can lead to high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. Early tests suggested that insulin might play a part in triggering processes that are associated with the development of hardened arteries but this has proved to be incorrect and there is no evidence that insulin causes either high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.

� Diabetes sufferers should only eat very small quantities of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates, which are found in a variety of foods including bread, beans, cereals, pasta and rice and from which the body gets much of the glucose needed for energy, are a very important element of our diet, whether we have diabetes or not. They also contain a lot of our essential fiber intake. The secret for diabetes sufferers is simply to ensure that carbohydrates are balanced with other food items and that portions are kept to a reasonable size.

� Consuming excessive sugar can cause diabetes. Despite the fact that the reasons for diabetes are not completely understood, it is known that too much sugar consumption is not one of them. This said, consuming excessive sugar could well lead to an individual gaining weight, which is certainly a factor in raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is however not the sugar but the excess weight that may trigger diabetes.

� Diabetes is contagious. This is not the case. It is thought however that individuals with diabetes have a genetic predisposition for the condition and that it might be set off by such things as viruses and drugs, including antibiotics. It is possible therefore that getting a common illness, or treating that illness with antibiotics, could lead to the onset of diabetes.

� People with diabetes have to eat a special diabetic diet. So called 'Diabetic' variations of some foods which are commonly sold in health food stores are nothing more than a marketing ploy. Diabetes sufferers should merely eat a normal balanced diet which is low in fat and which contains only moderate levels of both suager and salt.

� Diabetes sufferers are prone to colds and flu. There is absolutely no evidence to demonstrate that diabetes sufferers are any more or less likely than anybody else to catch flu or a cold. Diabetics ought to however do their best to avoid such illnesses (by, for example, having an annual flu shot) because illnesses of this type can interfere with levels of blood sugar, and therefore make managing diabetes that much more difficult.

� Diabetics are not allowed to eat chocolate or candy. There is absolutely no reason why diabetics should not eat chocolate and candy, and indeed sweet desserts and cakes, as along as they are eaten in moderation and are merely one element of a normal and healthy diet plan.

The list of myths which are associated with diabetes goes on and on, however the 7 listed here are undoubtedly the most often encountered and, before too much longer, will hopefully be put firmly to rest.