LONDON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Diabetics who increased their daily sugar intake but maintained a stable body weight showed no adverse blood glucose changes, a British study found.

Patients with type 2 diabetes are often advised to cut out sucrose, or table sugar, altogether.

Researchers at London's Hammersmith Hospital had nine overweight type 2 diabetes patients add three slices of carrot cake to their daily diets for 24 days -- for a daily total of 18 teaspoons of sugar. Consumption of carrot cake slices was evenly distributed across the day.

The patients' weight, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity were all measured at the beginning and end of the study.

Study leader Gary Frost said the energy intake of the patients was balanced to their body weight, and their sucrose intake was spread evenly over a day. The study subjects did not gain weight or show an increase in blood glucose levels.

The results of the small, short-term study suggest there could be more flexibility with sucrose in the diets of patients with type 2 diabetes, Frost said.