Food Labelling and Diabetic-Friendly Options

In the UK, an estimated two million people live with a diagnosed food allergy, ranging from mild to severe and requiring careful management, while 600,000 have Coeliac Disease. This is why you see those allergens in food labelled boldly in the ingredients list, and when you go out to eat at a café or restaurant, it's standard for the member of staff to ask if you have any allergies. While those of you without allergies may not mind this, this is important as certain ingredients can be life-threatening for some people.

The Importance of Food Allergen Labelling

This was sadly demonstrated in July 2016 when 15-year-old Natasha ate a Pret a Manger artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette bought at Heathrow Airport. What seemed like a simple snack turned into a heart-breaking story because, unbeknownst to Natasha, who had a severe sesame allergy, sesame seeds were baked into the bread. Natasha sadly died of anaphylaxis after collapsing onboard a flight shortly afterwards.

This tragedy could have easily been avoided if clear legislation had been in place, ensuring that every food product sold to the public was labelled with every single ingredient. Natasha was unaware that it contained sesame due to the lack of any allergen information on the product when she chose it.

Under the previous Food Regulations, freshly made, pre-packaged foods didn't require individual ingredient labels. Pret a Manger was not obligated to list all ingredients on their food product labels. Instead, they had signs near displays prompting consumers to raise any allergen concerns with members of staff.

Natasha's family fought for more transparency in food labelling requirements, which led to Natasha's Law. Now, every individual food product sold directly to consumers must list all its ingredients on the label, a law that applies to every business in the UK.

Thanks to the efforts of Natasha's family and other campaigners, food regulations have made significant progress in recent years, accommodating a whole range of dietary needs. Whether it's for religious beliefs like Halal and Kosher foods, dietary restrictions like gluten-free and coeliac diets, dairy-free and lactose-free diets, or choices like vegetarian and vegan foods – everyone's needs should be taken into account. Inclusivity in food labelling and preparation is crucial for everyone's well-being.?

Addressing the Gap for Diabetic-Friendly Food Options

However, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of diabetic-friendly options. While ketogenic foods are available, there aren't many products specifically tailored to meet the needs of individuals with diabetes. Currently, an estimated 4.8 million people are living with diabetes in the UK, representing 6% of the population or about 1 in every 16 individuals. Many more may have pre-diabetes without even realising it.

It's crucial to provide the right care and support for people with diabetes because it can lead to severe health problems if it's not well managed. So, we must address this gap in diabetic-friendly food options to better support those with diabetes in maintaining their health and well-being.

For people with diabetes, there are steps to help manage it, such as reducing sugar intake and incorporating whole wheat into their diet. Though it's not entirely clear why whole wheat helps with sugar levels and diabetes, it's known to be beneficial in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

Regular exercise is beneficial for everyone, especially for those with diabetes. Starting with small steps and gradually increasing physical activity can make a significant difference. It may be tough to stay motivated initially, but it becomes much easier once you feel the benefits. The same goes for food. Having diabetes doesn't mean saying goodbye to your favourite dishes; it just means making a few tweaks here and there. Plenty of recipes for sweet and savoury dishes taste amazing, even when made with sugar substitutes. I recently made a sugar-free lemon cake with lemon icing that fooled everyone because it tasted so darn good.

However, we live in a fast-paced society where not everyone has the time to cook from scratch. It would, therefore, be fabulous for food to have diabetic-friendly labels on it or not suitable for diabetics to help people think about what they are consuming.

The Need for Convenient Diabetic-Friendly Food Products

If you search the internet, you will find recipes to make diabetic sandwiches and different bread recipes, but what a boon it would be if, in supermarkets, there could be different loaves of bread made with almond flour or pre-packed sandwiches that are diabetic-friendly. People that are pre-diabetic would also benefit from this. Having diabetic-friendly labels on ready-made dinners would be beneficial. A range of baked goods or sweet treats would also be great, especially for those with a sweet tooth who, unless they have the willpower of steel, will reach for sugar-loaded treats to satisfy the craving for something sweet.

But we live in a fast-paced world, and not everyone has the time to cook from scratch. It would be wonderful if food products could carry diabetic-friendly labels or "not suitable for diabetics" labels to help people make informed choices about what they consume.

If you search the internet, you'll find recipes for diabetic-friendly sandwiches and various bread recipes. But it would be a significant boon if supermarkets could offer different breads made with almond flour or pre-packaged sandwiches designed with diabetics in mind. This would not only benefit those with diabetes but also individuals in the pre-diabetic stage. Having diabetic-friendly labels on ready-made dinners would be beneficial, too. A range of baked goods or sweet treats would be great, especially for those with a sweet tooth who, unless they have iron willpower, tend to reach for sugar-loaded treats to satisfy their cravings for something sweet.

Food For Thought

It's not only a matter of satisfying our taste buds; it's a hit to our wallets as well. The government is coughing up a substantial amount each year to cover the medical expenses of diabetic patients in hospitals. In fact, a study back in 2012 forecasted that we'd be dishing out a whopping ￡16.9 billion for diabetes-related costs by 2035. So, it would be a win-win for everyone if we could sit down and hash out a plan to tackle what could be a pretty devastating condition. It is worth thinking about. It is quite literally food for thought.