Why ‘No Spike’?
The brand “No Spike” was derived from the diabetic community’s need to limit glucose spikes.
From there “No Spike” was born. Although every person is unique, the biggest contributor to a spike in glucose levels is sugar. The result of this glucose spike is a need to lower levels back within range, which may be from exercise or insulin intake. Either way, it requires more effort than those without diabetes.
Why a diabetic focus and why do you care?
My 2019 family Thanksgiving really opened my eyes. Being from the Midwest, our standard weekend is full of watching college football, playing cards, eating pizza, and telling stories. All these activities are blended together over the four days and are a blessing.
This year was a little different because I noticed my dad leaving the house throughout the day, my uncle making jokes about needing a few more insulin shots, and a lot of diabetic foods that tasted terrible. Diabetes runs in my family and has for some time but this year I just noticed it a lot more than normal.
After Thanksgiving, I took some time to investigate diabetes more. I spoke to my family, researched various scientific opinions, and reflected on the many years of spending time with my immediate family.
My dad’s diabetes resonated with me most because diabetes requires him to break from family time. He’s extremely disciplined and has done a great job managing his levels over the years. However, he’s constantly making sacrifices one way or another and his glucose levels are always on his mind.
- “Do I snack now or get a full meal even though the family isn’t hungry?”
- “If I indulge in this pizza, how long will I have to go for a run to feel comfortable?”
- “Should I bring snacks, or will the game have options for me?”
- “Will I be able to carry on conversations with the family over pizza without eating too much?”
- “Am I willing to sacrifice my comfort later for these Italian sausages?”
Readily available, low sugar options allow him to maintain his glucose levels within a healthy range. However, these options just taste bad and are undesirable.
Why is sugar the enemy?
Scientific research has shown sugar intake is highly correlated to spikes in blood glucose levels. Anecdotal evidence from hourly monitoring of blood glucose levels after sugar intake has shown sugar is the main culprit for spikes in blood glucose levels.
Outside of those with diabetes, sugar has been shown to have terrible impacts to the body. Those studies have shown the impact to include obesity, heart disease, and cancer among many others.
Diabetics hate spikes to blood glucose levels. Sugar spikes blood glucose levels. Diabetics hate sugar. Sugar is the enemy!
How was it formulated?
With a product in mind, a formulation was needed. Given I have no knowledge of how to formulate a product, I searched for a respected formulator. I was referred to our formulation partner by a private equity firm and we started the process.
The products in the market that appear to target diabetics have a few issues. They’re watery, chalky, and some are even high in sugars. I shared my goals of low net carbs, high protein, and a creamy profile.
Over numerous iterations, we weighed out the pros & cons of each of the ingredients and their impact to the taste and macros. Keeping sugar levels low and protein high was very important but taste had to be the most important factor.
Once we landed on the final formula, they introduced me to the various ingredient suppliers and helped transition the recipe to the manufacturer.