How can 20g of carbs do this?

[SurreyFifties]

Just when I thought I was getting a handle on all this…

I eat low carb, usually around 30g max per meal. I can usually stay within a range like this;
Yesterday I was seduced by this healthy looking cereal,showing just 20g of carbs, exc milk

I thought cereal might give me a bit of variety for breakfast but then this happened;

Is it really possible for 20g of carbs to raise BG from 5.5 to 15? One things for sure, the cereal is in the bin!

 

[Robin]

Is that a Libre graph? The Libre tends to estimate things a bit higher than they probably are, when you’re in double figures, but having said that, if I got a reading of 15, I'd normally expect to be around 12 on a fingerprick, which still isn’t good! I suspect the cereal is highly processed, which means the carb was already partly broken down, and it shot straight into your system, and the fibre didn’t slow it down at all. Treat it as a learning experience!

 

[grovesy]

I personally find I can not tolerate any where near a serving of cereal.

 

[SurreyFifties]

Is that a Libre graph? The Libre tends to estimate things a bit higher than they probably are, when you’re in double figures, but having said that, if I got a reading of 15, I'd normally expect to be around 12 on a fingerprick, which still isn’t good! I suspect the cereal is highly processed, which means the carb was already partly broken down, and it shot straight into your system, and the fibre didn’t slow it down at all. Treat it as a learning experience!

Yes libre graph. That’s good to know regarding false highs, I’ll correlate next time with a finger prick.
Im not sure what I can learn from this just now, other than don’t buy that cereal again!

 

[SurreyFifties]

I personally find I can not tolerate any where near a serving of cereal.

Apparently nor me. Yet 20g in other forms barely hits the sides. Guess it’s super high GI.

 

[grovesy]

Yeah, there are suggestions that gut biome accounts for differences.

 

[SurreyFifties]

Yeah, there are suggestions that gut biome accounts for differences.

Differences in libre vs fingertip readings?
scrub that, you mean differences in reaction to carbs.

 

[grovesy]

No the digestion of carbs.

 

[Docb]

Some time ago I did a calculation which is so crude that I did not share it with you all. It might however bear some relevance to this thread. What this calculation showed was that in theory, 1g of carbohydrate could theoretically increase blood glucose by 1mmol/l. You will not get that in practice because I had to make a lot of assumptions, amongst which was that all of the carbohydrate was instantaneously turned to glucose which instantaneously appeared evenly distributed in the blood stream.

Nevertheless, it would suggest that if your digestive system is on top form and your glucose management system is not, then relatively small amounts of carbohydrate will be readily seen in blood glucose measurements. An increase of 10mmol/l from 20g of carbs is more likely a measurement error unless it happens regularly whereon you should consider entering your digestive system for inclusion in the Guiness Book of Records!

 

[Lucyr]

That looks exactly what I’d expect. 10g carbs raises bg by about 3mmol for most people that aren’t insulin resistant. (As the standard insulin ratios to start with are that 1u covers 10g carbs or drops bg 3mmol)

You had nearly 30 carbs (21 in cereal plus the milk) so I’d expect that to raise blood sugar by nearly 9mmol. You went from 6 to nearly 15 so about right.

 

[AndBreathe]

My observation is that some people with wonky metabolisms have particular foods that are their personal krypton. For s goodly proportion of those it is bread and or pasta, and for many of those that impacts them far more than frank sugar.

Myself, I found pasta didn't give me high rises, but sustained rises I didn't care for. In the intervening period my Endo has recommended I go gluten-free. I wasn't eating/drinking much gluten, but when I really dug deep, I discovered it lurks in some odd places.

Good luck on your journey.

 

[SurreyFifties]

My observation is that some people with wonky metabolisms have particular foods that are their personal krypton. For s goodly proportion of those it is bread and or pasta, and for many of those that impacts them far more than frank sugar.

Myself, I found pasta didn't give me high rises, but sustained rises I didn't care for. In the intervening period my Endo has recommended I go gluten-free. I wasn't eating/drinking much gluten, but when I really dug deep, I discovered it lurks in some odd places.

Good luck on your journey.

Thank you, I think this is the case for me. For many years I had very debilitating IBS which after i went low carb for diabetes, disappeared. It feels like there is a food type that spikes me, seemingly grain. I interested when you said your endo as I really feel I could do with discussing my results with someone to help me understand. How did you find your endo?

 

[SurreyFifties]

That looks exactly what I’d expect. 10g carbs raises bg by about 3mmol for most people that aren’t insulin resistant. (As the standard insulin ratios to start with are that 1u covers 10g carbs or drops bg 3mmol)

You had nearly 30 carbs (21 in cereal plus the milk) so I’d expect that to raise blood sugar by nearly 9mmol. You went from 6 to nearly 15 so about right.

I can never understand that, though I have read it before. If I should eat 130 g of carbs a day (i don’t) then I’d be getting 4 big rises a day and my hba1c would be sky high. Usually I’ll eat 30g of carbs and maybe go up 3.

 

[SurreyFifties]

Some time ago I did a calculation which is so crude that I did not share it with you all. It might however bear some relevance to this thread. What this calculation showed was that in theory, 1g of carbohydrate could theoretically increase blood glucose by 1mm/l. You will not get that in practice because I had to make a lot of assumptions, amongst which was that all of the carbohydrate was instantaneously turned to glucose which instantaneously appeared evenly distributed in the blood stream.

Nevertheless, it would suggest that if your digestive system is on top form and your glucose management system is not, then relatively small amounts of carbohydrate will be readily seen in blood glucose measurements. An increase of 10mmol/l from 20g of carbs is more likely a measurement error unless it happens regularly whereon you should consider entering your digestive system for inclusion in the Guiness Book of Records!

That’s the million dollar question as my digestive system has been my nemesis for 30 years, indeed it’s only now that I’ve cut out nearly all carbs that I’m any good. But any grain,flour and I spike. I have never seen a spike like today so It might have been a one off, hopefully, otherwise it’s a call to Norris Mcwerter (RIP).

 

[Robin]

I can never understand that, though I have read it before. If I should eat 130 g of carbs a day (i don’t) then I’d be getting 4 big rises a day and my hba1c would be sky high. Usually I’ll eat 30g of carbs and maybe go up 3.

Several things come into play here. Many Type 2s do produce plenty of insulin, but their bodies can't use it properly. Quite often, what’s missing is what's known as the 'First phase insulin response' This is insulin that gets released quickly, and starts doing its job straight way. If you’re lacking this, your glucose levels will spike, but then your body's natural insulin will start doing its job and will bring your levels down slowly. The other thing is, the kidneys react to having too much glucose in the blood by excreting it, hence the thirst that a lot of undiagnosed people with diabetes have, as their body excretes the glucose in any liquid it can extract from the system.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Yep, low carb decreases your ability to respond to carbs.
It's a know phenomenon.

 

[Lucyr]

I can never understand that, though I have read it before. If I should eat 130 g of carbs a day (i don’t) then I’d be getting 4 big rises a day and my hba1c would be sky high. Usually I’ll eat 30g of carbs and maybe go up 3.

Your body can keep up with the insulin production needed for some of the slower types of carb you eat, or the combinations of food that involves, better than it can keep up with cereal in the morning.

 

[Leadinglights]

That is actually a really high carb cereal and if you want to try others then Lizi's low sugar granola is 45g carb per 100g or the Keto Hana range of granola which is only 9g carb per 100g, It costs an arm and a leg though.

 

[SurreyFifties]

That is actually a really high carb cereal and if you want to try others then Lizi's low sugar granola is 45g carb per 100g or the Keto Hana range of granola which is only 9g carb per 100g, It costs an arm and a leg though.

It was only 20g for the portion size, which was less than Lizi’s. Lizi’s pushes me to about 9 if I have it with yogurt and fruit. Maybe it’s the double hit of cereal and milk.

 

[Leadinglights]

It was only 20g for the portion size, which was less than Lizi’s. Lizi’s pushes me to about 9 if I have it with yogurt and fruit. Maybe it’s the double hit of cereal and milk.

But 30g of Lizi's would be 13g carb.