Glucerna is a brand of nutritional shakes and bars formulated for people with or . The vitamin-fortified meal replacement drinks and snacks are made with , which have less of an impact on blood sugar levels.
Glucerna diabetes products are designed to help improve blood sugar control. The products are also used as a weight-loss program for people with or without diabetes.
This article discusses Glucerna for diabetes, which is sold by . It describes the various Glucerna product lines and the nutritional values of the original shakes and bars.
Glucerna offers several product lines of premixed shakes, ready-to-mix powders, and snack bars. Glucerna shakes products include:
The Glucerna product line also includes meal-replacement snack bars, which are low in sugar and carbs and high in protein, like the shakes. Glucerna Mini Treat bars are intended to serve as a healthy dessert choice or small snack that won't spike glucose levels.
All Glucerna products are:
Glucerna products contain milk proteins and are not safe for people with an allergy to casein or whey. They also contain fructose (a natural fruit sugar) and artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium, which may cause potential health issues in people with diabetes.
Glucerna can be purchased online at or other major retailers and grocery stores.
Glucerna Original Shake comes in an 8-ounce bottle containing 180 calories, 16 g of carbohydrates, and 10 g of protein. It is available in five flavors:
Glucerna Original Snack Shake comes in an 8-ounce can containing 140 calories, 19 g of carbohydrates, and 7 g of protein. Flavors include homemade vanilla and rich chocolate.
Glucerna Hunger Smart products come in three varieties.
Glucerna Hunger Smart Shakes come in a 10-ounce bottle containing 180 calories, 16 g of carbohydrates, and 15 g of protein. It comes in four flavors:
Glucerna Hunger Smart Meal Size Shakes come in a 16-ounce Tetra Pak carton containing 250 calories, 21 g of carbohydrates, and 23 g of protein. It comes in two flavors: homemade vanilla and rich chocolate.
Glucerna Hunger Smart Powder is a read-to-mix snack replacement that comes in a 22.3-ounce tub that makes 19 8-ounce servings. One scoop contains 120 calories, 3 g of carbohydrates, and 22 g of protein. The powder can be mixed with 8 ounces of water, juice, or milk. It comes in two flavors: homemade vanilla and rich chocolate.
Glucerna Protein Smart Shakes come in a an 11-ounce Tetra Pak carton containing 150 calories, 7 g of carbohydrates, and 30 g of protein. It comes in two flavors: homemade vanilla and rich chocolate.
Designed as a meal replacement or a between-meal snack, all Glucerna products are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Glucerna's nutrition facts are in line with recommendations from both the (ADA) and the (AHA). According to the ADA, a healthy diet should include more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats than saturated or trans fats in your diet. The AHA maintains that saturated fats should be as low as 5% to 6% of those calories.
While Glucerna offers several different formulas and flavors, most of the products contain the same key ingredients and nutrients.
Glucerna products also contain smaller amounts of additional vitamins and trace minerals, such as riboflavin, chromium, and manganese depending on the product.
Glucerna shakes offer benefits for people either trying to lose weight or maintain tighter control of their blood sugar. But they also have shortcomings, particularly for those who do not have diabetes. Among the considerations:
If you're trying to better manage your glucose levels and/or weight, Glucerna products can supplement a that's lower in carbs and higher in protein. Glucerna is formulated from slow-burning carbs that are designed to be digested slowly so as not to quickly raise your blood sugar.
Try occasionally incorporating a shake as your breakfast or use it as an after-lunch snack to hold you over until dinner no more than a few times per week. Test your blood sugar levels before and after to see how Glucerna affects you personally.
With type 2 diabetes, your best bet for long-term success is to center the bulk of your diet on low-glycemic whole foods such as whole grains (oats, whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc.) and non-starchy vegetables (peppers, onions, cauliflower, leafy greens, etc.), lean protein (poultry, fish, and legumes), and healthy fats (olive oil, avocados), and use Glucerna to help fill in the gaps when necessary.
