Companies Ponder Uncertainties In The Blood Sugar Management Product Category

Food and supplement companies are keenly aware of the rising interest among consumers in attaining healthy blood sugar levels for energy maintenance, weight control and diabetes management or risk reduction. But as they ponder how to meet the demand for products that help achieve a healthy glycemic index (GI), they deal with significant questions. For example, when will science definitively prove the benefits of a low GI? What GI claims will the FDA allow on product labels? Are GI-lowering products really healthful? Is all the talk about GI just a fad? Do consumers really understand what GI is all about? Despite these uncertainties, several companies offer products that promise a healthier GI. Key ingredients include glycinate chelates (minerals), fiber and oligosaccharides, fenugreek and amla fiber, yacon herb, cinnamon, banaba leaves and crepe myrtle.