Are Sugar Free Products Disappearing?

[lowcarbredhead]

I looked for sugar free pickles and sugar free whipped topping in two grocery stores this week without success. All the toppings are fat free or "lite" which contain corn syrup. I can make my own from whipping cream. I'll miss the pickles, though.

With obesity and diabetes in record numbers, I don't understand why our products disappear.

[Nigel]

I hope they aren't disappearing. For sugar free pickles, you can just add some spenda to regular dill pickles. I think there is a recipe hanging around here somewhere too. I'll check my walmart and heb the next shopping trip and report back if I can't find any. It would be crazy to get rid of sugar free stuff, esp. with all the overweight people in the world now...and the diabetics as you mentioned. Hey, and let's not forget the high profit margin they get from sugar free and diabetic products. I can't see manufacturer's letting go of that.

[dianafoot]

I tried to delete this posting as it posted twice, but was unable to.., so see post below.

[dianafoot]

I too am so bummed by the lack of sugar-free products. Breyers CarbSmart ice cream was one of my favorite low-carb, fairly low calorie treats, and all of our local stores have dropped this in favor of "lite" ice cream that has lower fat and tons of sugar. I blame Weight Watchers, too, for hawking all of its low fat, high sugar offerings and for featuring many recipes that use traditional cake mixes, sugar, white flour, and artificial ingredients. the diet world has gone crazy...

I'm just making everything from scratch nowadays. Fortunately last summer I had a ridiculous crop of cucumbers from four plants and ended up making 20 quarts of pickles from the ones I didn't throw out, using Erythritol and liquid splenda as sweeteners.

I make sugar-free jam, too, just by boiling a bag of frozen berries with some sweetener, a dash of citric acid, and a smidge of water until thick, then blend with a stick blender til it's thick and pureed, and refrigerate it.

I figure that if I learn to make stuff myself that I would have normally bought, at least I can be aware of what's in it and aim for a heathier way of eating. Still, I wish that the producers would pay attention to all of the studies...

[Barbo]

Diana,

It's true, I was getting sugar free pickle relish and now it's gone again.
The major supers have stopped carrying catsup sugar free as well.
There is only one low carb ice cream in any of the stores, vanilla.

Ditto on blaming WW...You can also thank the US Government for the
food pyramid...

I make most of my jams, pickles, etc. I am making my own Truvia now.
It's so much cheaper. Even making home made almond milk.
BTW if anyone has Trader Joe's, their brand almond milk is pretty good.
Also their organic eggs are the cheapest around here.

[Katy]

It is frustrating seeing all the 'healthy' products at the store that are high carb and high sugar but supposedly good because they are low fat. Since when is high sugar good?

[Pam]

No sugar-free relish to found at my WalMart. I need to go to some other grocery stores to see if they still carry it. I can still buy CarbSmart ice cream. In FL I can buy Hood milk and Land O Lakes sugar-free whipped cream, but not here in Indy.

[soon]

In my part of Texas there is no Hood milk to be found. Just a few days ago I bought Mt. Olive sweetened with splenda pickle relish and I bought two after this thread think I will go back and buy them out haha. Had noticed that the catsup with less sugar was getting harder to find. Had been buying the sf chocolate chips at Walmart and than for the last year there have been none. Walked in a month ago and found them again bought 3 bags and havent seen them since. Really I think demand is high for this stuff and the stores ought to be buying more.

[tulipsandroses]

Publix is the only place in my neck of the woods here in GA that carries the Land O Lakes SF Whipped Cream. Its a bummer because I do most of my shopping at another grocery store then have to go to publix just for the Land O Lakes Whipped Cream. I have asked Kroger ( where I get a lot of my groceries) to carry it, but so far nothing.

Also don't love that the Land O Lakes is getting so expensive. I used to get it for 2.99, now its almost 4 bucks!

[ladeeda]

I still can find Ketchup and sf pickles, but not the relish. I believe that Netrition carries the relish...I've been chopping up sf bread and butter pickles as a substitute til my next order.

[shirlc]

Originally Posted by ladeeda

I still can find Ketchup and sf pickles, but not the relish. I believe that Netrition carries the relish...I've been chopping up sf bread and butter pickles as a substitute til my next order.

I buy sf pickles at Hy-Vee...store brand and we really like them. Walmart had Vlasik sf pickles that we didn't like near as well. I always order sf relish from Netrition.

[LindaSue]

My Walmart here in Houston has never sold any sugar free sweet pickles or relish but Kroger does. They stopped selling Mt. Olive SF relish a while ago (they still sell their SF pickles) but they have their own brand. It's not as Mt. Olive good though. The spices are different. I can still get Mt. Olive SF relish at Food Town.

As far as I know, Kroger still sells the sugar free Heinz ketchup but Walmart stopped selling it a few years ago. I make my own because it's a lot cheaper and I like it better than Heinz.

[Ginaaaaaa]

I make my own ice cream, whip cream, nut milk and a lot of my condiments myself as well. It's cheaper and I know what's in them. I think it's terrible that large corporations are pushing the low fat high carb products. I know Netrition sells the ketchup, relish and pickles but they may be more expensive than buying them locally at your grocery store.

[sherrymyra]

I have noticed this also. I can find the pickles after they had been gone. Not the relish. The SF whipped cream is gone. I can get the ketchup and the choc. chips. I had been buying a bag every time I went to Walmart. I think they were still there last week. Haven't bought any lately. I don't see how they justify adding all of that sugar but take out the fat. ugh.

[mews]

found a jar of sugar free in my Aldi's

[Annie75]

Seems it really depends on your location. My Kroger has never carried Heinz low sugar ketchup, but my Walmart still does. We live in a country that had surely bought the low fat lie!

[buttoni]

Our Walmart quit carrying the Minute Maid sugar-free lemonade my husband is so fond of last year, along with the sugar-free Cary's maple syrup, which I think is the best one out there.

[SkeeterN]

I haven't been able to find the sugar free whipped topping since Walmart stopped Land O Lakes. I fixed this problem by buying an ISI cream whipper. Now I do not have to rely on any store to have this product.

As for sugar free relish or pickles I can't find them at Walmart like I can at Kroger. But can find s/f chocolate chips, ice cream toppings, jams, ice creams, candy all sorts of things. With so many always on diets I cannot see them stopping them entirely.

Kroger and Walmart both carry Carb Smart Ice Cream and ice cream bars.

Be very careful with cool whip stuff! That isn't just junk in a tub

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Barbo

Diana,

It's true, I was getting sugar free pickle relish and now it's gone again.
The major supers have stopped carrying catsup sugar free as well.
There is only one low carb ice cream in any of the stores, vanilla.

Ditto on blaming WW...You can also thank the US Government for the
food pyramid...

I make most of my jams, pickles, etc. I am making my own Truvia now.
It's so much cheaper. Even making home made almond milk.
BTW if anyone has Trader Joe's, their brand almond milk is pretty good.
Also their organic eggs are the cheapest around here.

Barbo can you please tell me how you made your almond milk? I made some last week and it was nasty. I made myself drink it as didn't want to waste it but it was too watery and didn't taste like the store kind. Thank you.

[dawnyama]

I was just at Walmart yesterday and bought sugar free chocolate chips. I have to go to Publix to buy the Sugar free LandOLakes whipped cream. I am fortunate that the sugar free items I need/want can be found at one local store or another. Yes, a bit more inconvenient to shop all stores at one time or another, but worth it to get what I want!

[shirlc]

Originally Posted by SkeeterN

I haven't been able to find the sugar free whipped topping since Walmart stopped Land O Lakes. I fixed this problem by buying an ISI cream whipper. Now I do not have to rely on any store to have this product.

I bought the ISI whipper, also. It really makes wonderful-tasting whipped cream!

[jdcri]

I noticed that too - the super walmarts no longer carry their sugar-free honey - it was made with xylitol - but so much better than the one from netrition made with xylitol - and better than the steels made with maltitol. I am so bummed about that!! No SF pickles (mt olive brand) or barely anything. All I can find is splenda and sugar and maple syrup!!

[soon]

Linda I found the Mt olive sf relish at HEB. Can u tell me how u make catsup please?

[LindaSue]

Originally Posted by soon

Linda I found the Mt olive sf relish at HEB. Can u tell me how u make catsup please?

I figured that HEB would probably have it but I don't shop there every week. Here's my ketchup recipe:

EVEN BETTER "HEINZ" KETCHUP
6 ounce can tomato paste
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup water or as needed to get the right consistency
3 tablespoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all of the ingredients well in a medium pot. Simmer, covered, for 30-60 minutes. Cool then chill before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Makes 1 3/4 cups or about 28 tablespoons

Made with granular Splenda:
1 tablespoon: 8 Calories; trace Fat; trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 1.5g Net Carbs
1/4 cup: 31 Calories; trace Fat; 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1.5g Dietary Fiber; 6.5g Net Carbs
1 cup: 124 Calories; trace Fat; 5g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 26g Net Carbs

Made with liquid Splenda:
1 tablespoon: 7 Calories; trace Fat; trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 1.5g Net Carbs
1/4 cup: 28 Calories; trace Fat; 1g Protein; 7.5g Carbohydrate; 1.5g Dietary Fiber; 6g Net Carbs
1 cup: 113 Calories; trace Fat; 5g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 23g Net Carbs

[dianafoot]

I am thinking we need to work on the diabetes nutritionists. Many are still advising fat and calorie reduction, without addressing the need for eliminating white flour, sugar, and other refined carbohydrates. They are still saying "a calorie is a calorie, so just focus on losing weight by restricting calories."

In the face of all the evidence about both achieving weight loss and blood sugar stabilization by lowering carbs, diabetes educators need to update their advice. Then we might find more products in stores marketed to people with obesity, diabetes, and blood sugar issues, not just people (as they assume) on some "fad" diet that comes and goes.

Still wondering why if store buyers think that I want to eliminate sugar, they think I want to eliminate chocolate, too. Can only find no sugar added vanilla ice cream. It was the same when I was vegan -- order a vegan meal, and you'd get a vanilla cookie when everybody else got a chocolate one!

so... all this gab to say, bottom line, I am still looking for a good chocolate ice cream recipe without so many calories. Breyers can do it, with only 4 net carbs per serving, why can't we?

[karenann33]

My husband really misses his sugar free mint chocolate chip ice cream.

All I can find now are 4 flavors he doesn't really like.

[Harpmaker]

For whatever reason, I have a hard time finding a wide selection of sugar-free items in my area (central PA) it varies so much from store to store. The really crazy thing is that this area is rampant with diabetics, many of whom don't know their diabetic because their fasting blood glucose level is "normal" when they have their yearly blood test! Oy! Don't get me started on how modern medicine is totally mismanaging diabetics!

I manage my type 2 diabetes just fine without drugs of any kind through diet alone. I think many, if not most, type 2 folks could do so too, you just have to find what foods kick you up and what don't.

Oh BTW, for my fellow diabetics out there, be careful of so-called "sugar-free" foods; just because they may not contain sugar doesn't mean they won't raise your blood glucose! I always have to shake my head when I see SF cookies since most are still made with regular flour! I have even seen SF malted milk balls! I kid you not! I guess because the chocolate coating was made without sugar they can legally get away with it, but the bulk of the candy is made from malted barley powder which has LOTS of sugar!

[sherrymyra]

Linda Sue, how long does you ketchup last in the fridge?

I also have the isi cream whipper. Bought it ages ago for almost nothing at TJ Maxx. Lucky find.

I tried making almond milk tonight. I had a recipe somewhere that I thought you heated or soaked the almonds. I saw a shortcut one and it just blended the whole dry almonds. Well it didn't turn out great. I think I need a better blender.

[Ginaaaaaa]

Soak a cup of nuts overnight then rinse well and blend with 3-4 cups filtered water and strain through a nut milk bag. You can add some vanilla and/or sweetener to taste. That's how I do mine.

[sherrymyra]

What kind of blender are you using?

Mine didn't work all that well and I'm wondering if it might be because I didn't soak the almonds.