I don't actually eat many prepackaged foods but when I first developed diabetes, I spent hours studying the labels on those that I did, trying to make the best choice. I still do this when I go to the UK as there are always lots of enticing new products in the supermarket, though often they don't live up to the packet blurb. Like many people I'm a creature of habit so don't have to label read so much now and shoppings a lot faster.
That is until something I buy regularly is out of stock., then it's label reading time again.
Today it happened with the Palmiers, savoury cheeesy biscuts.
Now these are not a healthy food, they are a calculated indiscretion. Quite frequently I go for a run or swim in the late afternoon, then its time to cook dinner . By this time blood glucose is often low In the 20 minutes or so so before serving up its time to pour a glass of wine, and I 'need' a little 'something' to stop my BG going through the floor (well thats my excuse, my diabetologue doesn't agree ) This is where these little biscuits come in.The label tells me they are 46% carbs, (but they are very light), they'e a bit high in lipids and probably too much salt but all they contain is flour, cheese, butter, sunflower oil and some seasoning. They are similar ingredients to the cheese straws I used to make. Not that good, but not horrendous either.
So what to get when there are no Palmiers. It probably took me ten minutes. There were lots of packets to choose from.
The first one had 76%. carbs- a bit high ;
the next contained palm oil-don't want that;
a third hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat .(trans fat) -no thanks;
sirop de glucose fructose... I assume thats high glucose fructose syrup, definitely rejected.
Almost all had huge ingredient lists complete with chemical cocktails of flavourings and preservatives. I think I went through almost all the savoury 'snack items' and didn't think I could compromise on any. Just as I was going to walk away, I found a new product: petites tuiles aux 4 cereales: 60% carbs but a whole packet only has 75g, 22% fat but mostly unsaturated and 6% fibre.They contain corn, wheat oat and rice ;sunflower oil : fermented pasturised cream (sour cream?) cracked black pepper and salt. Are they any good, I don't know yet, they'll probably taste like cardboard. If I do like them and they don't cause blood glucose havoc they won't have any next time.
The horrifying thing was what was in most of the products. It's a tiny market here compared with the UK but a growing one.
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