Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended as medical or nutritional advice for any individual condition or circumstance. Always consult your physician for medical advice and current guidelines on nutritional recommendations for your particular diagnosis.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that impacts how the body processes sugars and starches from foods into glucose to be used for energy. For diabetics, managing blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, and medication is crucial. Nutritional shake supplements can help control blood sugar while providing key nutrients that may be lacking from restrictive diets. Two popular shakes for diabetics are Ensure Diabetic Care and Horlicks Diabetic Plus. But which one is the better option?
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Ensure Diabetic Care Overview
Ensure Diabetic Care is a nutritional shake designed specifically for people with diabetes. Key features and benefits include:
Ingredients: Contains a carbohydrate blend of grains and fiber to help manage blood sugar. Also includes complete proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals tailored to fill nutrition gaps common for diabetics like magnesium, chromium, and vitamins C and E. Sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
Nutrition: 190 calories per serving. 6g of fat, 16g of protein, 21g of carbs, 3g of sugar and 6g of fiber. Provides 25 essential vitamins and minerals.
Flavor: Available in Milk Chocolate and Strawberry flavors.
Cost: Around $1.33 per bottle. Sold in packs of 24 bottles.
Pros: Nutritionally balanced for diabetes management, low in sugar, tastes good, convenient liquid nutrition.
Cons: Higher in carbs than some diabetes shakes, contains artificial sweeteners some wish to avoid.
Horlicks Diabetic Plus Overview
Horlicks Diabetic Plus is another nutritional supplement targeting blood sugar management for diabetics. Here’s an overview:
Ingredients: Features a multi-carb formula with grains like oats and barley combined with fiber. Also contains whey protein, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E chromium, magnesium, and zinc which are important for diabetes. Sweetened with sucralose.
Nutrition: 221 calories per serving. 5g of fat, 15g of protein, 29g of carbs, 1g of sugar, and 5g of fiber.
Flavor: Only available in a Classic Malt flavor which some find too sweet.
Cost: Around $1.16 per serving. Sold in 400g tins.
Pros: Provides steady nutrition throughout the day, fiber-rich, tailored vitamin and mineral blend.
Cons: Higher carb count than some shakes for diabetes, contains artificial sweeteners, only one flavor option.
Comparing Key Features and Benefits
When deciding between Ensure Diabetic Care and Horlicks Diabetic Plus, there are several key factors diabetics should consider:
Carb Counts
Ensure Diabetic Care is slightly lower in carbs at 21g per serving compared to 29g in Horlicks Diabetes Plus. Lower carb counts usually equate to better blood sugar control.
Sugar Content
Ensure Diabetic Care contains 3g of sugar per serving while Horlicks Diabetic Plus has just 1g. Look for shakes low in added sugars.
Protein Sources
Ensure gets its protein from milk and soy while Horlicks contains whey protein. Both offer a good amino acid profile. Those sensitive to soy or dairy should check labels.
Added Nutrients
Both shakes provide extra vitamins, minerals, and nutrients important for diabetes like magnesium, chromium, vitamin C and E. Horlicks also has added vitamins A, B6, and B12.
Artificial Sweeteners
The two shakes both contain sucralose. Ensure also includes acesulfame potassium. Those wishing to avoid artificial sweeteners should look for other options.
Flavors
Ensure Diabetic Care offers Milk Chocolate and Strawberry options, while Horlicks Diabetic Plus only comes in Classic Malt which some find overly sweet.
Price
Ensure costs a bit more per bottle, but Horlicks requires drinking more shakes per serving so costs may balance out depending on usage. Check your budget.
Taste
In terms of taste and texture, Ensure tends to be preferred over the grainier, thicker Horlicks shake. But flavors are subjective, so try both.
FAQs
Is Ensure or Horlicks better for weight gain?
Both shakes can assist with weight gain in diabetes, but Ensure Diabetic Care tends to be slightly higher in calories per serving at 190 calories versus 221 calories in Horlicks Diabetic Plus.
Which has less sugar, Ensure or Horlicks?
Ensure Diabetic Care contains 3g of sugar per serving compared to just 1g of sugar in Horlicks Diabetic Plus. So Horlicks is the better choice for limiting sugar intake.
Is Horlicks good for diabetic patients?
Yes, Horlicks Diabetic Plus is formulated specifically for blood sugar management in diabetics. It has a low glycemic index, is rich in vitamins and minerals important for diabetes, and features a multi-carb formula to provide sustained energy.
Does Ensure make your sugar go up?
Ensure Diabetic Care is designed to help control blood sugar levels. It has a blend of carbs and fiber that aims to minimize spikes and crashes. However diabetic individuals can respond differently, so monitoring levels is always advised.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both Ensure Diabetic Care and Horlicks Diabetic Plus can be good options for supplementing nutrition for diabetes. Ensure it provides better carb control and more flavors to choose from. Horlicks are particularly strong in extra vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Consider your own nutritional needs and preferences like taste, cost, sugar intake, etc. when deciding between the two. Speak with your doctor to help determine which shake best fits your health goals and diabetes management plan.
Mustafa Al Mahmud is a passionate medical writer and health enthusiast. He is excited to share his knowledge and make reliable health information more accessible through Quick Medico. Mustafa aims to write about common diseases, medications, wellness topics, and the latest health research in easy-to-understand language. He believes clear and accurate health communication empowers readers to take charge of their well-being. In his free time, Mustafa enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.