Diabetic Friendly Energy Drinks - Don't Make This Common Mistake

Truly diabetic friendly energy drinks are quite rare when your standard is scientific fact.

It is a big challenge for diabetics to find an energy drink that is 1) Delicious; 2) Able to work with the body to produce a natural, sustained energy; and 3) Made with ingredients that are scientifically proven to be safe and non-toxic. This is a big order and most manufacturers fail to get all three elements right.

It is a tall order to formulate a tasty diabetic friendly drink without using either a large amount of sugar or artificial sweeteners, but it can be done.

The average diabetic knows that too much sugar can make their condition worse, so the natural assumption is that a sugar-free beverage is safe for them. Unfortunately, scientific research into artificial sweeteners has over the past few years shown this is not true.

Artificial sweeteners, strangely enough, have been shown to increase appetite for hours -- even though they don't contain any calories.

How it works is this: The taste buds alert the stomach that we are drinking something sweet, so the stomach is alerted that there will be calories on the way to it soon. When the sweet calories don't arrive, the stomach sends a message to the subconscious mind saying, "Find me some calories!"

In addition to that flaw, artificial sweeteners also cause increased insulin production, which is the last thing a diabetic needs.

It is unfortunate that the American Diabetes Association has taken money from the makers of artificial sweeteners, so they aren't willing to tell you the unpleasant truth about Aspartame and Sucralose. I just checked their Web site and they are still telling diabetics that it's okay to use a wide assortment of artificial sweeteners.

They must not have read this news article: "Just Desserts: Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain", 2-11-08, Scientific American Magazine.

Few companies are willing to spend more on non-caloric sweeteners in order to "get it right" and deliver both satisfying taste as well as not causing further insult to the diabetic's compromised immune system.

Another way that manufacturer take advantage of diabetic consumers is by using caffeine to give "energy", when there are more pleasant, non-jittery, long-lasting sources of stimulation. Guarana is a much more pleasing source of energy, but it costs more and thus is seldom used.

Finally, there is a fourth area where diabetics get taken advantage of: The Price!

Prices of these specialty beverages for diabetics are often quite high because manufacturers have limited competition and thus, no incentive to keep prices down. Since they are selling to a market segment that desperately craves more energy, it is common to charge a premium price (and get it!).

So, even though the makers of energy drinks they claim are diabetic friendly use less expensive artificial sweeteners and cheaper caffeine for their energy booster, they still charge a premium price for a less-satisfying product.

The makers of so-called "diabetic friendly energy drinks" are -- in most cases -- not delivering truth in advertising.

Since I have diabetes on both sides of my family, it is very important to me to find Diabetic Friendly Energy Drinks that could safely help me control my weight and boost energy levels. Click the link to see the two brands I found that worked.