Diabetic foods offer no benefits

Diabetic food before going out

Special diabetes foods offer no benefits and can even damage your health.

(06.09.2010) Most diabetic foods have no benefits and their consumption can sometimes be detrimental to your health. This is the state of research and therefore the Committee of the German Federal Council for Agricultural Policy and Consumer Protection is now likely to decide on the abolition of diabetic foods with the "Sixteenth Regulation amending the dietary regulation". The subsequently necessary confirmation of the decision by the Bundesrat is regarded as a purely formal matter.

So far, about half a billion in sales with diabetics

Millions have been earning millions so far with the dietary foods specifically for diabetics. Norbert Pahne, managing director of the Federal Association of Food Producers for Special Nutrition, estimates sales of diabetic products for 2009 at 138 million euros, plus around 380 million euros in revenue from the sale of low-sugar drinks. „The business with the so-called diabetic foods is extremely lucrative”, as the president of the German Diabetes Society, Thomas Danne emphasizes. The company had long been demanding the abolition of diabetic foods, but could not prevail against the lobby of food manufacturers. On the basis of the expected political decisions, however, a turning point has now been reached at which companies have to change their strategy.

Transparency greatest help for diabetics

Instead of developing questionable formulas, it would be much more useful, „The nutritional values ​​on a food traceable to identify, "said Thomas Danne, because on some foods are still missing exact information about the content of protein, sugar, fats, fiber and salts as well as the calorific value or the total amount of carbohydrates per 100 grams of diabetics However, relying on such specifications especially since it is only possible for them, „correctly dose their insulin and plan their diet reliably, "said the president of the German Diabetes Society on.

Diabetic foods do not meet the nutritional recommendations.
Since numerous diabetic foods, such. If, for example, special biscuits or marmalades are generally no longer in line with the dietary recommendations of the federal government and often contain more fat and calories than the normal products, politics was forced to act at this point. The food producers miss out on substantial revenue, but they have until 2012 to adjust their product range and can also sell remaining stock. Companies are then not only forced to adapt the instructions on the packaging, but must also correct the formulations for certain products. So z. B. from the industry giant „Schneekoppe“ to hear that after necessary adjustments of the product declaration and the formulations, only up to 60 percent of their "prodieta" assortment can be continued.

Conversion for companies and diabetics

However, Norbert Pahne, Managing Director of the Federal Association of Food Producers for Special Nutrition, emphasized that the biggest shift is to patients, „who have matched their insulin levels to these products.” However, in the opinion of the expert, the companies will also feel the clear consequences of the changes. The more than six million people who suffer from diabetes in Germany, the reform promises above all transparency and thus a better way to control their disease. In particular, the replacement deletion of the requirements mentioned in Clause 12 of the Diet Regulation on dietary foods for diabetics, such. B. of fructose as a sugar substitute or diabetic bread with a calorific value of at most 840 kilojoules per 100 grams, it was very welcomed by the parties concerned. It also provides a good opportunity for companies to adjust their product declaration in order to achieve greater transparency in the interests of those affected, says Thomas Danne of the German Diabetes Society. (Sb)

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