Glucerna

{{Short description|Brand of nutritional products}} {{Infobox brand | name = Glucerna | logo =  | logo_upright = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image =  | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | producttype = Feeding tube products, diabetes products | currentowner = | producedby = Abbott Laboratories | country = United States | introduced = {{sda|1989}} | discontinued = | related = {{ubl|EleCare|Pedialyte|PediaSure|Similac|Ensure|Nepro}} | markets = Worldwide (more than 130 countries) | previousowners = | trademarkregistrations = | ambassadors = | tagline = | website = {{URL|https://glucerna.com}} | module =  | module1 =  | footnotes = | embed = }}

'''Glucerna''' is the brand name of a family of tube feeding formula, bottled or canned shakes, and snack bars manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.<ref name=Glucerna>{{cite web|last=Abbot Laboratories|title=Glucerna — Helping people with diabetes find balance.|url=http://glucerna.com/|accessdate=28 October 2011}}</ref> It was introduced to the public in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nutritionnews.abbott/our-history.html|title=About Abbott | Abbott Nutrition|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-date=2019-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530090914/http://www.nutritionnews.abbott/our-history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> These medical nutritional products are meant for people with diabetes and are promoted for their ability to satisfy hunger without causing rapid increases in glucose concentration in the bloodstream.

==Products== Tube feeding products include Glucerna 1.0Cal, Glucerna 1.2Cal, and Glucerna 1.5Cal. Bottled or canned products include Glucerna Shake, Glucerna Advance Shake, Glucerna HungerSmart Shake, Glucerna Snack Shake, and Glucerna Therapeutic Nutrition Shake. Snack bar products include Glucerna Mini Snack Bars and Glucerna Crispy Delights Nutrition Bars.

==Composition and properties== Glucerna products are formulated with fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates including CarbSteady, proprietary carbohydrate blend containing sucromalt that is characterized by a reduced glycemic index of approximately 53.<ref name=CarbSteady>{{cite web|last=Abbot Laboratories|title=The science behind Glucerna.|url=http://glucerna.com/|accessdate=28 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cargill|title=Cargill's sucromalt work with USDA's Agricultural Research Service receives "Superior Technology Transfer Award"|url=http://www.cargill.com/news/releases/2008/NA3007657.jsp|accessdate=15 December 2011}}</ref> Some Glucerna products contain chromium picolinate, and phytosterols. There is evidence that phytosterols may help lower cholesterol,<ref>{{cite web | author = European Food Safety Authority, Journal | url = https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1813 | title = Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to plant sterols and plant stanols and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations | year = 2010}}</ref> but the efficacy of chromium supplementation has not been fully agreed among experts.<ref>{{cite journal|journal = Nutrition Today|volume = 40|issue = 4|year = 2005|pages = 189––195|title = Chromium: Recent Studies Regarding Nutritional Roles and Safety|first2 = Richard A.|last1 = Heimbach|last2 = Anderson|first1 =J.T.|doi = 10.1097/00017285-200507000-00013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|journal =Sports Medicine|volume = 33|issue = 3| year = 2003|pages = 213–230|title = The Potential Value and Toxicity of Chromium Picolinate as a Nutritional Supplement, Weight Loss Agent and Muscle Development Agent|last = Vincent|first = John B .|doi =10.2165/00007256-200333030-00004|pmid=12656641|s2cid = 9981172}}</ref>

The glycemic index of Glucerna shakes is approximately 31 relative to a value of 100 for pure glucose,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/glycemicIndexDetails.php?id=932|title=Glycemic Index for Glucerna, vanilla (Abbott Laboratories Inc, USA)|work=Diet and Fitness Today|accessdate=28 October 2011}}</ref> while the snack bar has been found to produce less than a third of the glycemic response of a conventional snack bar.<ref name=clinicaldiabetes>{{cite journal|last=Rafkin-Mervis|first=Lisa E.|author2=Jennifer B. Marks|title=The Science of Diabetic Snack Bars: A Review|journal=Clinical Diabetes|date=January 2001|volume=19|issue=1|pages=4–12|doi=10.2337/diaclin.19.1.4|url=http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/19/1/4.full|accessdate=28 October 2011|doi-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref> A scientific review concluded that diabetic snack bars, such as Glucerna snack bars, can be useful for weight control and for blunting hyperglycemia but are not suitable for treating hyperglycemia.<ref name=clinicaldiabetes />

Like most premade foods, Glucerna products can be expensive compared with alternative healthy foods prepared at home.<ref>{{cite web|title=Glucerna Review|url=https://www.dietspotlight.com/glucerna-review/|work=Diet Spotlight|accessdate=28 October 2011}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=October 2012}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://glucerna.com Glucerna USA] *[https://glucerna.ca/en/ Glucerna Canada] *[https://glucerna.com.au Glucerna Australia] *[https://glucerna.com.sg Glucerna Singapore] *[https://glucerna.com.ph Glucerna Philippines] *[https://glucerna.com.vn Glucerna Vietnam]

Category:Diabetes Category:Food products