Member Article

'Diabetic foods' taken off Co-op shelves

‘Diabetic foods’ are to be withdrawn from all Co-op pharmacies and food stores, following advice from Diabetes UK. Food made specifically for people with diabetes offer no significant health benefits are often prohibitively expensive, according to Liz Colling, head of the Co-operative Group Pharmacy. Chocolate, jams and squash drinks aimed at people with diabetes will not be replaced as stocks run out in Co-op stores. Zoe Harrison, care advisor at Diabetes UK said: “Diabetic foods tend to be ‘treat’ foods such as chocolates and biscuits. These foods do not contain sugar so people may think that labelling them as ‘suitable for diabetics’ means it’s okay to eat large quantities. “However, diabetic foods are also high in fat and are therefore unadvisable in large quantities for people with or without diabetes. They also contain sweeteners which affect blood glucose levels in much the same way as sugar, and therefore offer no nutritional benefit. I hope other outlets will follow this example.” Recent studies have shown that restricting carbohydrates, which used to be part of diet guidelines for people with diabetes, is likely to cause people to eat a high-fat diet and so make the long-term complications of diabetes worse. People with diabetes are advised that small amounts of ordinary versions of high-sugar and high-fat products can still be included as part of a healthy balanced diet – the same advice that applies to everyone. For further information on diabetes please call the Diabetes UK’s confidential careline on 0845 120 2960, or visit www.diabetes.org.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .