Is Glucerna really healthy for people with diabetes, since these products are so highly processed?
The Glucerna trademarked slogan is “Smart nutrition for people with diabetes.” Perhaps you’ve seen TV commercials for Glucerna, and if diabetic, have concluded that these products are super healthy for the human body.
Below are the ingredients for Glucerna’s “snack shake,” chocolate — and these ingredients are similar to those of Glucerna’s chocolate bars.
Water, corn maltodextrin, fructose, milk protein concentrate, glycerine, high oleic safflower oil, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), less than 1% of: sodium caseinate, canola oil, soy protein isolate, fructooligosaccharides, soy fiber, cellulose gel, natural and artificial flavors, sodium chloride, magnesium phosphate, potassium citrate, calcium phosphate, soy lecithin, cellulose gum, choline chloride, ascorbic acid, carrageenan, acesulfame potassium, potassium chloride, gellan gum, sucralose, and the remaining ingredients are vitamins and minerals, though ascorbic acid is vitamin C.
A health conscious person, whether diabetic or not, will notice several ingredients in Glucerna’s products.
These would be the soy, canola oil, artificial flavors, sucralose (an artificial sweetener), acesulfame potassium (another artificial sweetener) and fructooligosaccharides (yet another artificial sweetener).
Canola oil contains hexane and trans fats. Though this oil has some redeeming features, it makes sense that a health conscious person would want to avoid ingesting hexane and trans fats.
And soy — the unfermented kind — has been linked to some health issues, and its effect on the body is debatable as far as beneficial vs. potentially harmful. Plus, some people are allergic to it.
Processed soy in a bottle is not the same as tempeh or miso soup.
Need I say anything about artificial sweeteners? Well, one thing’s for sure: Scientists are divided on the safety and risks of artificial sweeteners, even though animal studies are quite compelling.
A diabetic may figure that controlled blood sugar trumps any possible harm linked to canola oil, soy or artificial sweeteners.
Final Verdict About Glucerna for Diabetes
The carbohydrates in Glucerna’s products are designed to be more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, something that would appeal to diabetics for blood sugar management.
As far as strictly blood sugar absorption, a serving of Glucerna chocolate products are much better for a diabetic’s glucose metabolism than would be, say, a chunky piece of Betty Crocker devil’s food cake.
Both items are highly processed, but Glucerna is more preferable when you look at the overall picture.
So when you compare it to Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker or Walmart’s chocolate baked goods, Glucerna is the best option, relatively speaking.
The Glucerna “snack shake” is gluten- and lactose-free, and an 8 ounce can offers: 140 calories, 5 grams fat, 230 mg sodium, 19 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber and 7 grams protein.
Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, has a master’s degree in nutrition & dietetics and has studied nutrition for 10+ years. She owns a private practice where she conducts 1:1 private nutrition counseling. She is also the owner and contributing writer for
