EDU-8 | Four things to check before buying food products for Diabetes | Take a closer look at the food label

In the previous blog EDU 7, we discussed about Glycemic index and glycemic load of various food items. 

Today, we'll go over four important factors to consider before buying any packaged food product. 

Food is a basic human requirement. It is one of the essential components that influences the biochemical reactions inside the human body. it is important to choose food intelligently based on the needs of the body. Before purchasing anything, one should evaluate the nutritional value of the food. According to Indian law, manufacturers have to print the nutritional analysis of at least 4 items (calories, Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) in their product.  The ingredients used along with the manufacturing and expiration date are compulsory to be present in the food items.

One should always check these things before buying any packaged food products from the market. Those who are diabetic and pre-diabetic should always check the carbohydrate content of food items before buying. High carbohydrate-content food when taken by a diabetic individual will increase the blood sugar levels from the normal range. 

Most people do not bother to check the nutritional content of the food item, they only check for the expiration date. Just think of the moment when you last checked for the ingredients used for the preparation of a particular product or evaluated the nutrition present. If you don’t practice such things, the next time whenever you buy a food item remember to check for its ingredients and nutritional quantity loaded in the product.

Always check the nutrition label of the products

As a responsible citizen, while purchasing any product, look for a label printed on the back that includes all nutritional information as well as other crucial information such as manufacturing and expiration dates. If there is no label, do not purchase the product because it may be dangerous to your health.

Always calculate the nutrition value of the product per 100 gm

It is quite simple to calculate the nutritional value of dry food products like Atta, dal, sugar, and powder. Simply add all the major nutrients (proteins, total carbohydrates, and fats) and its value should come to around 80 - 90 grams considering 10 to 15 g of moisture present in the food items. You have to simply add the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to determine the total nutritional value of the food.

So, if we calculate the above data (Protein+ Total carbohydrates+ Fat) to obtain a total nutritional value then simply add the values. 40+34+13 = 87, Which comes under the range of 80-90gm per 100gm which indicates that the food item is full of nutrients and can be consumed. If the value for dry products falls below 80gm, it indicates that there is a nutritional issue with the product, and in our opinion, you should not have those products. 

Many food items specify per serving or 20, 30, or 40 gm; in those circumstances, you can easily convert it to per 100 gm with a simple calculation to avoid mismatch. The total nutritional content of a dry product should be between 80 and 90 gm per 100 gm.

Net carbohydrates should be less than 25 gm per 100 gm

For diabetic patients, the ideal food products should have less than 25gm of net carb. Carbohydrates are directly responsible for increasing blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars inside the body. The net carbohydrate can be simply calculated by Total carbohydrates minus fibers. 

Which you can easily look for on the product label. Some products do not mention the net carbohydrate value, in that case, you have to look for total carbohydrates and fibers to estimate the value. For the products available at Diabexy you can see separate values are mentioned for total carbohydrates, and fibers alongside the net carbohydrates are also mentioned below.

Most of the products available in the market are not suitable for diabetic patients because of their high net carbohydrate content. when you compare the net carbohydrate content of those items with our products you can see a clear difference in the values of the net carbohydrate. We maintained the lowest possible net carbohydrate content in each product of ours below 25gm. So, what are waiting for make a list and start shopping at our website. While shopping you can avail of some extra discount.

The glycemic index of major ingredients should be less than 25

If you are suffering from diabetes, you must read the list of ingredients used in the product before buying it. While inspecting the ingredients, one should be aware of the Glycemic index (GI) and Glycemic load (GL) of each item. The glycemic index (GI) can be simply defined by how fast a food product increases your blood sugar levels. The glycemic index value of different food items can be found on the internet. With the value of GI of a particular food one can easily estimate the Glycemic load (GL) of a particular amount of food product. you can use our glycemic load chart to keep a close eye on your diet. Glycemic load is defined as how much a portion of food would increase your blood sugar level when you have it.  Make sure you don't eat anything with a high GL value.

Multiple companies add Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Liquid Glucose, and Sugar to products that have high GI value. Sorbitol and Oligosaccharides have a low glycemic index; however, Stevia, Sucralose, Aspartame, and Saccharine have a 0-1 glycemic index used in various diabetic food products. So, consume those items that have low GI and GL.

Apart from that if you require any type of Diabetic related help or want to consult with us, please do connect with us and try our wide range of products on our website to reverse diabetes.

In our next blog EDU 9, we will discuss the effect of diabetes on weight gain and loss.