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Items Labelled "Diabetic"

S

Sean-W

Well-Known Member
Messages
152
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes!!!
Doing the weekly shop this morning and trawling through the aisles I came across "diabetic" jams and spreads upon inspecting them closer I found they actually contain a hell of a lot of the things we're told to avoid or minimise... even having it at its RDA would of been ridiculous. Has anyone else found this peculiar?
 
Marketing gimmick to make people impulse buy items. Keep reading labels and understanding what's actually in your food.
 
I think one of the first things most of us T2s are told by our health care staff is to steer WELL CLEAR of anything labelled 'diabetic'. They are usually low sugar, with lots of other carbs many of which are laxative, low fat, and full of rubbish and additives.

Diabetic chocolate is an abomination. And the icecream isn't even worth the name.

One of the things I like most about www.dietdoctor.com is the emphasis on natural and unprocessed foods.

These threads kind of sum it up :

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...etics-labelling-outlawed.104928/#post-1210679

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/boots-diabetic-food-range.86222/#post-975076

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...do-you-differentiate.85303/page-2#post-962206
 
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Whilst some food items that might be quite appropriately marketed to people with diabetes remain unpromoted and in some cases barely available commercially. However, as the terms 'diabetic food' or 'suitable for diabetics' are thoroughly discredited maybe there isn't anything left available.
 
Brunneria said:
Diabetic chocolate is an abomination.
Click to expand...
That is different from sugar-free chocolate.



And the icecream isn't even worth the name.
Click to expand...
I've tried homemade lemon sorbet, but even with E410 making it without sugar doesn't work. I'll try to make an egg and milk based icecream and see if that will work better, substituting sugar with a bit of sweeterner.
 
Apart from warning me to avoid sugary food, telling me to avoid any food or drink labelled as "diabetic" was the only really accurate and sensible piece of advice I was given by the practice diabetes nurse when I was first diagnosed.

We definitely don't need "specialist" diabetic junk, we just need to take care over what "normal" foods we eat and avoid those high in starches and sugars. The only fancy food labelling I accept is "low carbohydrate", but I'll still proceed with care and read the nutritional information before committing to buy or eat.

Robbity
 
MikeTurin said:
That is different from sugar-free chocolate.
Click to expand...

True, but I've never seen it claim to be anything else other than high percentage cocoa chocolate, so while it can be quite suitable for diabetics, Lindt isn't specifically targetting us.

Robbity
 
I've been having a big row with Waitrose (sorry) about Franks Diabetic Ice Cream which they still have on their shelves even though by December in theory it should not be permitted to sell it. I'm really miffed because they have that rubbish but stopped having Oppo at my local.
 
I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing! I might as well of just sat and poured a 2lb bag of sugar down my throat it was that ridiculous.
 
There was an article about this so called war with suppliers of diabetic foodstuffs in the local rag last week you might find it interesting. I'll find it you.
 
My diabetic nurse must of been absent the day they were told to say that because I've always been encouraged!!
 
People who make foodsuff are hoping to sell at a premium special "diabetic" food. See what is happening with gluten-free or lactose-free stuff, not to mention vegan ready-made foods.
The official guidelines instead are to eat healthier, almost like the general population, more vegetables and fresh food.
The other thing that happens is that if one is diabetic normally learns to make calorie and carb counting and start reading the labels to look at the data. What happened for me is that quite a sizable portion of sold as healthy products like crackers or juices are almost the same, as calorie and energy content, of the normal ones.
 
It is an interesting question which I view analogously as why there is a market for vegetarian bacon and other meat analogues. I personally don't have any problem with being selective through careful examination of the contents (at least you can these days) and going back largely to cooking from scratch but it is a bit disheartening when you think how they could be making them.

The traditional 'diabetic foods' have been deservedly in retreat for years as things have moved on, and other groups have been identified such as those intolerant to gluten and wheat. It is kind of a shame that nearly all of those products are not also suitable for many people with diabetes as the substitute is often rice-based and I have lost count of well-meaning but ultimately ignorant people who have bought such stuff for me when I am visiting them.
 
I check out some items recently. One diabetic jam was 89g of carbs. These products are advertised as "for diabetics '. This is complete nonsense.

I wonder if there is anything we might do such as complaining to the ASA or the FSA.

Does anyone have any other ideas?
 
Yes. That, at least, was some sound advice I was given
 
It could well be reduced carb but not low carb as we understand it. Always pays to read the labels.
 
Good for you (and the rest of us)
 
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