Stumble It!
Glucose Bits Are Here!
I don’t know why this feels like front page news. It’s just a small thing. But one that many people with diabetes prone to hypoglycemia can really appreciate, I imagine — especially the kids who must positively choke on those standard-variety horse-pill-sized glucose tablets…
What I’m talking about is: new Glucose Bits from Dex4, the company that makes pretty much just about all the other glucose products you’ll find in your neighborhood drugstore. They’re little “individual units” of glucose treatment.
Right now, you can buy the new Bits only at Target. And so far, the only flavor available is sour berry. And boy, do they look like candy. Sweet Tarts, in particular, but with one big difference: one Sweet Tart contains 13 grams of carbs (while a regular glucose tabs has 4 grams). The Bits, on the other hand, are literally onesies: one gram of carb per Bit. You can count as you eat. Neat!
We all know that when it comes to treating lows, portioning is everything. It’s way too easy to start shoveling stuff in and bounce from 40 to nearly 400 before you know what hit you. Just 1g of sugar and 5 calories in each Bit, too. (They’re also gluten-free.)
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find a good place to hide my Bits before my girls snarf them up.
[Disclosure: I participate intermittently in a Patient Advisory Panel for the company that makes Dex4 products, although I wasn't the least bit involved in development of the Bits]
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I would say “Fer Sheer” Front Page News!
They look yummy. Not At All chalky-choky!
Me likie.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: CALpumper | June 12th, 2009 at 6:53 amYou will find the 50-year old “Smarties” candies contain the exact same ingredients (and are now sold in “Tropical Flavors”, too) to be comparably small (each “tablet” is 0.6 grams of carbohydrate), and even better, they sell for a fraction of the price, plus they’re available in candy stores, as well as supermarkets and other stores nationwide. BTW, I do not have ANY vested interest in any of these companies, but find the products to be the most under-rated treatment for hypos anywhere!
Posted by: Scott | June 12th, 2009 at 7:06 am2 things.
1. I love this. sometimes I swear I almost gag on those giant tabs. These are great!
2. I thought I was the only person who used the word “snarf.”
You rock!
Posted by: George | June 12th, 2009 at 8:13 amThanks for the heads up Amy!
Posted by: k2 | June 12th, 2009 at 9:08 amWay to go DEX4 – I can’t wait to try them, and the fact that they are easy to carb calculate is a huge plus!
Kelly K
PS: I used to be a big fan of “Bacon Bits,” but something tells me these Bits are much better for me!
Interesting idea, but I’d only use it if my sugar was on the low side (65-75) without actually being low. To raise myself from the 30’s, even the 40’s, I have to eat about 20g of carbs (and I’m not about to count out 20 of these and shove them in my mouth when I’m that low.)
Also, it looks like the bottle only has 60 bits, and I’m too much of a penny pincher to spend that much to treat 2-3 lows, when a pack of Sweet Tarts costs about a dollar. Guess it’s a good idea for fine tuning, though.
Posted by: Elizabeth | June 12th, 2009 at 9:14 amwhoa… ONe Sweet Tart really has 13g carbs? how do they fit 3 times as much carb in something smaller than a regular glucose tablet?
Posted by: ChrisK | June 12th, 2009 at 9:22 amThe SweetTarts I buy in the big roll are about 2g each, and the littler ones that come in the “movie pack” size are about 1.3g each. Same thing for a lot less money. Do they make giant ones that are 13g each?! Haven’t seen those.
Posted by: Strawberry | June 12th, 2009 at 9:28 amAs Elizabeth said, 1g of carb per bit is nowhere near enough to easily fix a hypo. 10g of carb will raise blood glucose by between 2-3mmol/l (no idea what that is in American units, I’m afraid) and 20g of carb is going to bring you out of a hypo properly.
Trying to suck down 20 of those bits is madness. If my glucose was still dropping, I’d be out cold before I’d even finished eating them! They’re not in the most easy to carry box, either!
Jelly Babies are the way forward for hypo fixes. Easy and tasty to eat, and you only need 4 to get 20g.
Posted by: George Bridgeman | June 12th, 2009 at 9:30 amI think this is a cool idea.
Does a low blood sugar always call for an even 4 grams of carbohydrates?
I (still) use my Cozmo (and plan to for a long time). There is a feature on it called “Hypo Manager” that can help recommend how many grams of carbs are needed to treat a low (or prevent one based on insulin on board). Sometimes I might only need three grams – how are you going to pull that one off with glucose tabs?
Plus, we like new stuff.
Posted by: Scott K. Johnson | June 12th, 2009 at 10:28 amnice idea,but, when your dropping like a roc, who can count? I do think It’s a great idea for kids, especially the littler ones. My cousins son is T1 like me, he was 3 when diagnosed, he wuld cry when he was low, and was not crazy about the bigger tabs, perfect for them.
Posted by: LindaB | June 12th, 2009 at 10:41 amThese are great for those of us with young children who have type 1. One carb raises my son about 10 points, so sometimes all he needs is a couple of carbs. We got a sample of them at the CWD Chicago event, and they got two thumbs up from my 5 year old. (My non-D two year old likes them too.)
Posted by: Megan | June 12th, 2009 at 11:47 ami’m also a sweetarts guy! especially in this economy. i like them not only because they are cheap and easy to carry, but they taste “good enough”, by this i mean that i don’t want something “delicious” that i can’t bring myself to stop eating.
that’s why i don’t treat my hypos with sour patch bears or m&m’s.
mmm…m&m’s
Posted by: elmas | June 13th, 2009 at 12:25 pmtotally ridiculous. 1 gram each?!
i take tablespoons of honey and syrup, i need 15grams or more.
i’m not eating 15 (!!) of those things! i get a very upset stomach when my sugars crash.
Posted by: Chris | June 14th, 2009 at 4:50 amagreed with the penny pincher up there – one bottle’s ONLY gonna treat 3 to 4 lows. They look tasty but i’m gonna stick with honey and syrup until they come out with a little “bit” that packs a powerful 15g punch. i tell yah,. that’s what I’VE been waiting for!
Cool! PS — Thanks for posting that tid bit about the fact that they’re gluten free…my daughter also has celiac…
Posted by: Wendy | June 14th, 2009 at 11:53 pmI think it’s a neat idea, they just seem really big for only being 1g each. I would think there’s a lot of “filler” in there. But what?
Posted by: Harry | June 15th, 2009 at 4:16 pmYou did not mention how they taste, though. Or did I misread. Do they taste like Sweet Tarts. If your low is a high low, you can use Cheese its (1.3 grams per cheese it) or one large grape is one gram. Otherwise, it may be cheaper to use individually wrapped large Lifesavers (4 grams) or a roll of Smarties (6 grams). If they are really tasty, I’ll look for the bits when I go to Target
Posted by: Jan | June 15th, 2009 at 7:28 pmI do a ton of work with Dex4 as my client. Been type 1 for 20 years and had a lot of lows, the Dex4 products works faster and better than anything else. Great people at Dex4; great products. About two months ago, Dex4 wisely started give away free product through their eNewsletter sign up (little insider info: next eNews is going to be about the new GlucoBits). Check it out: https://dex4.com/subscribe/default.aspx
Posted by: Marty | June 16th, 2009 at 6:48 pmIf you’re talking about regular SweetTarts that come in a roll, one serving is 13 g of carb, but a serving has eight pieces. I know this because I have been using them for lows and am sitting here looking at the nutritional information.
Posted by: Arielle | June 17th, 2009 at 10:34 amI agree with some of the others here…I’ve been T1 for 30 years & when I have a low, usually 30-40’s, there’’s no way I’m going to try & count out 15-20 of them things!! I’m not buying a bottle of expensive glucose ittybits either, that’s only going to treat 2-3 low episodes! That’s why I quit buying glucose tabs long ago, too expensive for small quantity!
Posted by: Maureen Reid | June 18th, 2009 at 10:52 pmI have weekly low’s…and I’m on SS Disability, so therefore I’ve been using the rolls of Smarties for almost 10 yrs now…3 rolls is enough to keep me from crashing into the 20’s quickly…then I can decide if I need to eat more carbs. The Smarties are super easy to open and throw the whole roll in my mouth & crunch away…easy to carry in zipper pocket in my purse or jeans pocket or a fanny pack…you can buy a whole big bag of Smarties at the Dollar Store.
Sometimes it is helpful to just nudge my BG.. Skittles are cheap and also about 1 g each.
Posted by: Anne Findlay | June 22nd, 2009 at 6:53 pmi just found this about smarties.
Posted by: elmas | July 22nd, 2009 at 8:27 pmhttp://lowcostdiabetes.blogspot.com/
even cheaper than i thought!
don’t uou love this economy?
I used to be a big fan of “Bacon Bits,” but something tells me these Bits are much better for me!
Posted by: RT | August 14th, 2009 at 8:36 amI know this because I have been using them for lows and am sitting here looking at the nutritional information.
Posted by: Acai B | August 14th, 2009 at 8:36 am