Glucerna - Glucerna Science

Diabetes Control for Life. Free Tools, Recipes, Meal Plans, and More!

The Glucerna® product advantage comes from the unique blends of slowly digested carbohydrates and key ingredients scientifically designed to help meet the needs of people with diabetes. First, we’ll look at the benefit of slowly digested carbohydrates. Then, we’ll take a closer look at several unique Glucerna product ingredients that help you manage your diabetes and improve your overall health, and that make Glucerna products taste great, too.

Glucerna Cereal, Bars, and Shakes have been shown to produce a lower blood sugar response in people with diabetes because of their unique carbohydrate blends. Select one of the Glucerna products below to view the blood sugar responses compared to similar standard products.

Glucerna Cereal in a Clinical Study

The results of a clinical study in people with diabetes comparing Glucerna Cereal and a leading corn flake cereal showed that Glucerna Cereal produced a smaller change in blood sugar and a lower blood sugar response over four hours.

*The blood glucose values in this graph represent the amount of change (or difference) in blood sugar response after consuming after consuming 2 servings of Glucerna Cereal with skim milk compared to 2 servings of a leading corn flake cereal with skim milk.

Chow J, et al. Diabetes 2007;56 (suppl 1):A451.

Glucerna Product Ingredients and Benefits

Let’s take a closer look at the many beneficial ingredients in Glucerna products that are scientifically designed to help you manage your diabetes and your health.

Ingredients	Benefit	Product(s)
Chromium picolinate Chromium is a trace mineral that helps the body’s own insulin work more efficiently to allow blood sugar to move from the blood into the cells.1 Chromium is considered essential because it is not made in the body, and a certain level is needed in the diet to maintain health. Chromium picolinate is chromium in a form that is optimal for the body to absorb and use. Chromium picolinate improves the body’s blood sugar response and helps support cardiovascular health.	Helps the body’s own insulin work better	Glucerna Cereal, Glucerna Shakes, Glucerna Snack Shakes
Omega-3 fatty acids Glucerna Shakes contain plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, which are clinically shown to help support circulatory and heart health. (Glucerna Shakes contain 400 mg omega-3 fatty acid ALA per serving, 25% of 1.6 g DV. Glucerna Snack Shakes contain 197 mg omega-3 fatty acid ALA per serving, 12% of 1.6 g DV.)	Beneficial for heart health	Glucerna Shakes, Glucerna Snack Shakes
Sucromalt Sucromalt is a key ingredient as part of the carbohydrate blend that helps manage blood sugar response in Glucerna Cereal and Glucerna Shakes. Sucromalt is a fully digestible, low-glycemic carbohydrate source that provides sweetness. Sucromalt is natural — not artificial. As a slowly digested carbohydrate, sucromalt also contributes to a lower blood sugar response.	Beneficial for blood sugar response	Glucerna Cereal, Glucerna Shakes
DAG oil (Enova™ oil) Diacylglycerol (DAG) oil, from natural soy and canola oils, is widely available as Enova™ cooking oil in grocery stores. Studies show that consuming DAG oil results in lower triglyceride levels after a meal.2 DAG oil helps prevent the increase of fat levels in the blood, so less is stored in the body as fat, and more of the fat is sent to the liver to be burned for energy. DAG oil is not like the fat substitute ingredient olestra (commonly found in snack chips), which is not recognized by the body and is incompletely digested.	Helps support heart health	Glucerna Shakes
Phytosterols Phytosterols (plant sterols) in foods help lower cholesterol, particularly when combined with DAG oil.3,4 Phytosterols do not raise blood cholesterol like cholesterol from animal sources (eggs, meat), and because they are structurally similar to cholesterol, plant sterols are absorbed in place of animal cholesterol. As part of a diet for people with diabetes that is already low in saturated fat and cholesterol, phytosterols can help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.	Beneficial for heart health	Glucerna Shakes
Whole grains Whole grains have higher fiber, mineral, and vitamin content than processed grains. Whenever possible, it is better for your health to replace highly processed grains, cereals, and sugars with minimally processed whole-grain products. Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet.	Beneficial for blood sugar response	Glucerna Cereal
Vitamins C and E The antioxidant vitamins C and E are ingredients in all Glucerna products. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), in addition to being an important antioxidant, is essential for healthy tissues, teeth, bones, gums, ligaments, and blood vessels (because it helps produce collagen, a connective tissue). Vitamin E supports normal cell structure, enzyme function, and a healthy nervous system.	Antioxidant	All Glucerna Products
Unique blends of carbohydrates The key to Glucerna products is their unique blends of slowly digested carbohydrates, shown to help manage blood sugar spikes.5,6 "Slowly digested" means that sugar is not immediately broken down and absorbed into the blood, which helps minimize peaks in blood sugar. Consistently maintaining optimal blood sugar levels over time can help reduce the complications of diabetes. Using Glucerna products help with carb consistency. Each Glucerna product was developed to provide a set amount of carbohydrates in each serving.	Beneficial for blood sugar response	All Glucerna Products

1. Broadhurst CL et al. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics 2006;8:677-687.
2. Yakamoto K et al. Nutrition 2006;22:23-29.
3. Lichtenstein AH et al. Circulation 2006;114:82-96.
4. Katan MB et al. Mayo Clin Proc 2003;78:965-978.
5. Chow J, Choe YS, Noss MJ, Baumgartner CJ, Edens NK. Diabetes 2007;56 (suppl 1):A451.
6. Study BK02. Abbott Nutrition, Abbott Laboratories, February 2007.

Use Glucerna products under medical supervision as part of your diabetes management plan.