According to the American Heart Association, women are only supposed to have 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, and men should only have 9 teaspoons. That seems reasonable, right?
Well, did you know that one apple contains 18g of sugar, or just over 3 teaspoons? Or that a plain granola bar contains around 8g? Or that a single can of pop can contain up to 33g?
While the sugars you get from an apple are naturally occurring and therefore much healthier for you, there are so many other foods that contain processed sugars which can wreak havoc on your body, especially if you have diabetes.
Increased Incidents of Diabetes Worldwide
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that leads to high blood sugar levels caused either by insufficient insulin production or because of the non-response of cells to the insulin produced. This disease is characterized by symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, and increased hunger levels. The total number of recorded cases of diabetes in 2013 was around 382 million and this number is expected to reach 592 million by 2035.
Diabetic patients are not allowed to consume sugar or foods and beverages that have high sugar content. Hence, they require food products that help them maintain their blood sugar levels, which can be catered for by diabetic foods. This increase in the number of diabetes cases and the ability of diabetic foods to maintain blood sugar levels is expected to drive the demand for diabetic foods worldwide, fuelling Global Diabetic Food Market growth at a CAGR of 10.43 percent for the 2013-2018 period.
Increasing Global Aging Population
The past few years has witnessed a drastic rise in the number of health issues such as diabetes, allergies, and obesity among the aging population. People have, thus, become increasingly health-conscious and are following a healthy diet to prevent or reduce the occurrence of diseases and illnesses. The aging population is demanding low-calorie food that has the right combination of essential nutrients.
This focus on eating healthily has increased the demand for diabetic foods. For instance, low-calorie and low-fat foods are highly popular in the Americas which has, in turn, created a huge demand for diabetic food products such as diabetic confectionery, diabetic dairy food products, and diabetic spreads. Hence, the increasing global aging population is propelling the growth of the Global Diabetic Food market.
Rising Awareness about Diabetes
Every year, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), an international umbrella organization that comprises 200 national diabetes associations in more than 160 countries, celebrates the World Diabetic Day on 14th November. Millions of people from different parts of the world participate in this campaign for diabetes advocacy and awareness.
Moreover, IDF member associations, diabetes organizations, NGOs, health departments, individuals, and companies engage in developing an extensive range of activities and foods tailored to a variety of groups. Such campaigns not only help improve diabetes awareness, the life of diabetic patients, and promote healthy lifestyles, but also make consumers aware of the different diabetic food products available in the market. This indirectly drives the demand for diabetic foods worldwide, which, in turn, is driving the Global Diabetic Food market.
For more information, view our 2014-2018 Global Diabetic Food Market report.
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