Glucerna (no, this is not an advertisement)
A couple of months ago I was at a Diabetes Expo and was given some samples of some products made by Glucerna. I got some "shakes" and some snack bars. They're advertised as being for diabetics.
Well, one night I wanted a bedtime snack, because I'm prone to early-morning low blood sugar. I had one of these Glucerna bars, so I ate that, though I was certain it would raise my blood sugar through the roof because it appeared to have quite a few carbs in it. However, my blood sugar was fine the next morning, neither high nor low.
A few days ago I had the munchies and it was about an hour before lunch. My blood sugar was normal, and I didn't want to bolus for a snack before lunch. I again ate one of the Glucerna bars. Verdict: satisfying snack (quite yummy, really) and no high blood sugar.
Not quite a week ago now I had a tooth pulled. I haven't been able to eat much in the way of solid food since. Enter the Glucerna shakes. They don't do bad things to my blood sugars, and they work as meal replacements when I can't chew anything. They're advertised as "nutritional supplements" rather than meal replacements, but they work fine for me as a meal. They don't cause my blood sugar to go too high in the short term, and they don't cause it to crash in the long term. Only problem is that if I drink a shake for breakfast, and two for lunch, I'm starving by the time supper comes around. They're not very satisfying that way.
I tried a different brand of meal-replacement shake, a store brand from the local drugstore, one that was also for diabetics and was cheaper than Glucerna. Unfortunately, though it tasted good, it gave me high blood sugar immediately after drinking it, and then my blood sugar crashed a couple of hours later.
Well, one night I wanted a bedtime snack, because I'm prone to early-morning low blood sugar. I had one of these Glucerna bars, so I ate that, though I was certain it would raise my blood sugar through the roof because it appeared to have quite a few carbs in it. However, my blood sugar was fine the next morning, neither high nor low.
A few days ago I had the munchies and it was about an hour before lunch. My blood sugar was normal, and I didn't want to bolus for a snack before lunch. I again ate one of the Glucerna bars. Verdict: satisfying snack (quite yummy, really) and no high blood sugar.
Not quite a week ago now I had a tooth pulled. I haven't been able to eat much in the way of solid food since. Enter the Glucerna shakes. They don't do bad things to my blood sugars, and they work as meal replacements when I can't chew anything. They're advertised as "nutritional supplements" rather than meal replacements, but they work fine for me as a meal. They don't cause my blood sugar to go too high in the short term, and they don't cause it to crash in the long term. Only problem is that if I drink a shake for breakfast, and two for lunch, I'm starving by the time supper comes around. They're not very satisfying that way.
I tried a different brand of meal-replacement shake, a store brand from the local drugstore, one that was also for diabetics and was cheaper than Glucerna. Unfortunately, though it tasted good, it gave me high blood sugar immediately after drinking it, and then my blood sugar crashed a couple of hours later.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MomsL8 on
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They have cereal that doesn't raise my sugar either. I do eat the shakes/bars for snacks - maybe once or twice a week. I think of them as my diabetic junk food. Rather than buy a candy bar out of the machine, I reach for one of these. I figure it's better than a Reese's, which I never stop at one anyway.
For some people, it does raise their sugar, but for me, they're great. They may not be the healthiest, but when you are hankering for something a little chocolate, it's better than pigging out on the real thing.
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Permalink Reply by Angela on -
So when you guys say they don't raise your blood sugar, does that mean you don't bolus for them? Or are you saying they don't raise it after your bolus?
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Permalink Reply by nel peach on -
I don't bolus, when used , while I am in training , see my previous response ...will bolus , if I drink/eat while travelling
( inactive ) ...and NO it will not raise BS for me ...hope I made it clear
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Permalink Reply by rainbowgoddess on
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If my BG is around, say, 6.0, I can eat one without a bolus and not go high. I always have to eat a bedtime snack if my BG is below 10, and I don't bolus for bedtime snacks anyway (because they're to keep me from going low in the middle of the night) but it's been hard to find something that's not going to send me too high while still keeping me from going low, and these snack bars seem to be just the right balance.
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Permalink Reply by Sam F on -
Glucerna makes me FURIOUS!!! I can't believe they are marketing this nutrient depleted fraudulent garbage food as healthy for anyone, let alone diabetics.
It's sugar water! And they add low quality synthetic vitamins, sure, but basically what you have is sugar, water, and chemicals. What makes you think that getting vitamins from this is the same as getting vitamins from spinach?
Read the label! On what part of the ingredients list do you see anything resembling food? We have been duped. We need to stop paying for (ie funding the companies who make) GARBAGE.
Sorry if I'm offending anyone, but this is what I very strongly believe.
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Permalink Reply by Jan on
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It may be true that Glucerna is not good for you nutritionally. But if a Glucerna bar, or an Extend bar or Nite Bite tastes okay and a child would eat it, preventing overnight hypoglycemia is very healty. Now if peanut butter on a cracker or a small scoop of high-fat ice cream had the same effect, then I would opt for that. In our case there is often a dip from 2am to 5 or 6am, even on tested basals. We usually have insulin on board from a late dinner (enough to give 10 grams of something). Milk, Gogurt, etc., often does not cut it and PB does not last all night either. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do. And most kids do eat some junk anyway.
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My main question is how many grams of carbs are in the Glucerna bars (I know the shakes are not low-carb)? Do you bolus for the Glucerna bar before bed? We cannot give uncovered snacks unless she has extra insulin on board. But if these things really work well, it would be great for parents to know. Reading back, I'm confused about not bolusing for the bar because the bar most likely has 18 grams or more carbs? Maybe I'll wait until she has IOB and cover her overnight with half a bar. It's worth a try.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on -
Don't know if this will apply to your daughter, but I eat a small protein snack before bed. Usually a piece of cheese, some nuts. Since protein digests slowly, this gets me through the night without lows. Protein is better than snack bars, if she's prone to overnight lows.
Giving a snack & then bolusing for that snack defeats the purpose of preventing an overnight low. If the bolus is correct it cancels out what you're attempting to do with the snack. Of course, if the bolus is too much then she will have a low.
Glucerna gives the carb counts for their products on their site.
Allegedly, Extend bars do not cause spikes because the company claims it digests very slowly, so no bolus needed.
You could experiment to see how any of these effect her during the day between meals. Won't be perfect because of her activity level won't be the same, but at least you'll have an idea.
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