Green, red lentils and pearl barley. Good forvtype 2?

[Reptile]

There are lots of good things written about these but they seem to contain significant carbs. If I add them to a stew my blood glucose seems to increase by about 2mmol/litre. Does the good outweigh the bad or should I just leave them alone...?

TIA,

Mark

 

[Leadinglights]

There are lots of good things written about these but they seem to contain significant carbs. If I add them to a stew my blood glucose seems to increase by about 2mmol/litre. Does the good outweigh the bad or should I just leave them alone...?

TIA,

Mark

That seems like an acceptable increase so if you like them then I would say no worries.

 

[Reptile]

That seems like an acceptable increase so if you like them then I would say no worries.

Thanks. I love them. There are not too many things that I really enjoy that are (allegedly) good for me.

 

[ianf0ster]

There are lots of good things written about these but they seem to contain significant carbs. If I add them to a stew my blood glucose seems to increase by about 2mmol/litre. Does the good outweigh the bad or should I just leave them alone...?

TIA,

Mark.

A 2.0 mmol rise from a whole meal is my personal limit for an acceptable BG rise at 2hrs post prandial. Though I also set a maximum limit of 8.0 mmol
So if you are saying that adding them to a stew raises your Blood Glucose by 2 mmol, then I would say look at the rise from the whole meal and adjust quantities accordingly! Also look at whether you have sufficient 'headroom' for that meal - or if it needs to be adjusted on that account.

 

[Reptile]

Keeping below an overall level of 8mmol sounds like a good plan though I exceed that level even when fasting sometimes. Particularly in the mornings.

 

[Leadinglights]

Keeping below an overall level of 8mmol sounds like a good plan though I exceed that level even when fasting sometimes. Particularly in the mornings.

That is rather different than the effect of food. Many people find that morning levels are the last to come down and some people get a higher level in the morning due to something referred to as Foot on the Floor phenomenon where the liver releases glucose to give you energy to hunt for breakfast. Often lower if you test before you get out of bed.

 

[trophywench]

Leadinglights - you have just actually described Dawn Phenomenon - ie your BG starts increasing just before you wake to enable the body to have enough energy to go forth and hunt/gather food and stays higher until after you break your fast.

Foot on the floor is literally that - BG does not even start to increase until you actually get out of bed and start moving about.

Same thing stops it though - ie eating your break fast.

 

[trophywench]

PS - I reckon me and Mike (AKA EDUAD) invented that moniker (FOTF) between us years ago over on DSF !

Mine's not so noticeable now I'm ancient and no longer usually have to get up at sparrow fart to go to work or anywhere else.

 

[trophywench]

(Incidentally that choice phrase for very early morning was coined by an Australian character called Bazza McKenzie in Barry Humphries' (aka Dame Edna Everage) cartoon books. Also invented Bo Peep, of the Foreign Legion.)

 

[rebrascora]

To me DP and FOTF are the same thing. They are both caused by the liver dumping glucose to give you energy to start your day but one is more sociable than the other. ie waiting until you get out of bed seems much more civilized and easier to deal with than the rise starting at some ungodly hour in the summer when it starts to get light.
For me injecting insulin is the answer because if I ate straight away my levels would just go higher still, but then I am Type 1 and not Type 2 and I need to give my insulin 45 mins to get going in the morning before I eat. For some Type 2s, eating straight away will help but I don't think it is guaranteed, just something to try. It probably depends how well your pancreas and liver communicate.

 

[Leadinglights]

Apologies for any confusion, I thought Dawn Phenomenon was more applicable to Type 1 rather than Type 2 but from what you say could apply to either then.