Can I use diabetic specialty foods/snacks?

[axkellogg]

Any one know if I wanted to use the food products they sell in the diabetic sections of the stores, will they work for Low Carb diets? If so, how do I read the labels and figure out NET EFFECTIVE CARBS?

:p

Any answers would be MUCH appreciated.

[wsgts]

You may or may not. Most of those products that I have seen are only concerned about getting the carbohydrate "sugar" out of the product. It can have 40 carbohydrates (non-fiber) a serving, as long as none of them are called sugar, and they sell it as "diabetic" foods, and I suppose a lot of diabetics buy it. And don't forget they are all almost always low-fat (which sometimes implies more carbs than necessary).

So, like anything else while LCing, read the label.

Good luck,
wsgts

[Lisa N]

I don't use most of the products marketed for diabetics because most of them are still too high in carbs for me even after subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohols (maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, etc..). Legally, they are allowed to call a product "sugar free" and market it as safe for diabetics as long as the product does not contain refined sugar. That doesn't mean it won't contain honey, molasses, fructose or corn syrup. Crazy, huh?
Many of those products also contain refined white flour and hydrogenated fats as well making them unsuitable for a low carb lifestyle.
You may be able to find some diabetic products that will work with your WOE, but you'll have to read a lot of labels and know what's in them first.

[c6h6o3]

Atkins Advantage Bars (Chocolate Peanut Butter) raise my bg about 5 mg/dl. This is due to the fact that they're sweetened mostly with sugar alcohols and sucralose. Part of what I pay for with them is peace of mind.

Carb-o-Lite products raise my blood sugar much more than do Atkins products, and they're labelled 0 carbs. I avoid anything by Glucerna or the other supposedly "diabetic friendly" products like the plague. They're absolute poison.