For people with diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight and eating the right amount of carbohydrates at each meal can help keep blood sugar under control. However, weight loss and eating right can be challenging for some people. Using meal supplements specifically designed for people with diabetes can help you control your carbs and calories to help you get to a healthier weight, while aiding in blood sugar control.
Glucerna
Glucerna is a line of diabetic meal supplement products from Abbott Nutrition. The product line includes shakes and bars you can use as a meal or snack replacement. Meal replacement bars have 200 to 220 calories, 27 to 34 g of carbohydrates, 2 to 3 g of fiber and 10 g of protein per serving. Glucerna snack shakes have 140 calories, 19 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber and 7 g of protein per serving. Glucerna also offers two types of snack bars, including a regular snack bar with 150 calories, 25 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of fiber and 6 g of protein per bar, and a mini-snack bar with 80 calories, 12 g of carbohydrates and 4 g of protein per bar. The shakes and bars are also fortified with vitamins and minerals to help you meet your micronutrient needs.
Boost Glucose Control
Boost Glucose Control is a meal supplement shake from Nestle Nutrition. It is designed specifically for people with diabetes to provide nutrients and energy without all the sugar. The shakes come in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors. Each serving contains 190 calories, 16 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber and 16 g of protein. It also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. Boost Glucose Control is not meant to serve as a sole source of nutrition, according to the Nestle Nutrition websites, but as a supplement to your diet.
Carnation Instant Breakfast Sugar-Free
Carnation Instant Breakfast Sugar-Free is also made by Nestle Nutrition. Available at most grocery stores, it is a powdered mix that you combine with nonfat milk to make your own meal supplement. It is available in both chocolate and vanilla flavors. One serving of Carnation Instant Breakfast Sugar-Free mixed with 8 oz. of nonfat milk contains 150 calories, 24 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of protein. It is also fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Extend Bars
Extend Bars are another meal supplement specifically designed for people with diabetes. Extend Bars are designed to help stabilize blood sugar and control hunger. Extend Bars come in a variety of flavors including, Chocolate Delight, Peanut Delight, Mixed Berry Delight and Chocolate Crunch. Each bar contains 150 to 160 calories, 20 to 30 g of carbohydrates, 1 to 6 g of fiber and 4 to 12 g of protein. Extend Bars are not fortified with vitamins and minerals.
References
- "Diabetes Education"; A Head-to-Head Comparison of the Postprandial Effects of 3 Meal Replacement Beverages Among People with Type 2 Diabetes; S.J. Fonda, et al.; September 2010
- Glucerna: Products
- Nestle Nutrition: Boost Glucose Control
- Extend Bar: Extend Snacks
- Carnation Instant Breakfast: Sugar-Free Nutrition Information
