CHANGES to Scotland’s other national drink could risk the health of unwary diabetics, a charity has warned.
Irn-Bru is changing its recipe to cut the amount of sugar ahead of a UK Government crackdown on fizzy drinks.
But the move could impact some type 1 diabetes sufferers, who use the drink as a treatment for hypoglycemia, according to Diabetes Scotland.
The charity has teamed up with AG Barr, the makers of Irn-Bru, to try to get the message out.
Claire Fleming, acting national director of Diabetes Scotland, said: “It is great news that Irn Bru is reformulating and reducing its sugar content.
“But we know that some people with type 1 will turn to high-sugar fizzy drinks like Irn Bru if they’re having a hypo to bring their levels up quickly. There will be a period of time when both blends of Irn-Bru will be on the shelf, so people need to be aware.”
Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels because of problems with the hormone insulin.
Hypoglycemia occurs when the level of glucose present in the blood drops below a certain point and can be life-threatening.
Fizzy drinks help to raise blood sugar levels quickly and make for a good treatment for sufferers.
As the sugar tax takes hold from next April and more firms change their recipes to meet requirements, people prone to suffering a hypo are being urged to check labels.
The new Irn-Bru hits the shelves in the New Year, with less than 5g of sugar per 100ml.
A spokeswoman for AG Barr said: “It’s important to us that we keep consumers updated on how our drinks are changing so we’ve been working proactively with Diabetes UK, the NHS and others to explain that Irn Bru will soon contain less sugar and certain low-calorie sweeteners.”
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