If you have diabetes, you might want to check out Glucerna to manage the disease. Glucerna is a brand name given to a group of dietary products from American pharmaceuticals and health care products company Abbott Laboratories. Available as a shake, cereal, and meal and snack bar, Glucerna offers five major active components.
CARB STEADY
Glucerna products contain a blend of carbohydrates that Abbott Laboratories trademarks as CARB STEADY. The carbs usually found in foods such as bread and potatoes rapidly increases blood sugar levels -- not a good thing for someone with diabetes, which is defined by excessively high blood sugar levels. The carbs in Glucerna, however, are slowly digested and absorbed, increasing blood sugar levels at a steady pace. This helps to decrease incidents of blood sugar spikes.
Vitamins
Glucerna contains two antioxidant vitamins: vitamins C and E. Widely used as a food additive, vitamin C is instrumental for building and maintaining healthy bones, blood vessels, teeth and gums, tissues and ligaments. Vitamin E primarily helps in maintaining a healthy immune system and nervous system, thus helping to prevent certain degenerative or neurological diseases.
Chromium Picolinate
Chromium picolinate, a salt of chromium and picolinic acid, is a chemical compound believed by some members of the medical community to reduce insulin resistance, a condition characterized by the body's inefficient use of insulin to reduce blood sugar. In diabetes, a high blood sugar level is usually linked to the lack of insulin. Thus, the chromium in Glucerna helps to improve your insulin sensitivity.
Sucromalt
Glucerna contains sucromalt, which is the portmanteau for the components that comprise this type of sweetener: sucrose and maltose. It offers slow-release carbohydrates, providing a better alternative to regular sugar: sucromalt is more effective in regulating glucose levels and insulin response.
Phytosterols
To maintain a healthy cholesterol level, Glucerna contains phytosterols. Also called plant sterols, it is a group of phytochemicals that occur naturally in plants. Phytosterols help lower cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease -- a condition that is more likely to occur in people with diabetes.
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