December 16, 2007
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Reno, Nevada, USA:
Can you explain why products are marketed as “sugar free” or suitable for “diabetics” yet the carbohydrate content is most often HIGHER than normal foods? I have purchased “sugar free” cookies for our teenage daughter w/ type 1. She requires more insulin to cover these sugar free products, which are higher in carbohydrates, than regular products!
Glucerna snack bars say on the box “clinically shown to help manage blood sugar levels,” yet one bar contains 25 grams of carbohydrates. Explain HOW this would manage blood sugar levels.
Answer:
You ask some very good questions with regards to label reading. Sugar free foods have no added sugars but still possess carbohydrate content due to milk, flour, etc., added to make the product. So, even though something is marketed as sugar free, it still has carbohydrates, sometimes quite a few.
With regards to the Glucerna product, it has carbohydrates, but a good deal of the carbohydrate content comes from sugar alcohols, which can lead to lower postprandial blood sugars. Be careful with over consumption of these as they cause a laxative effect in little ones because of how they are absorbed.
JMS
