Noodles

[6pac]

Hi there, I’m really confused. I read in another thread that noodles should be avoided at all costs but when I look at the packaging the traffic light system says they’re low in sugar and the carbohydrates that sugar are very low. What am I missing?
(I’m new to this as I was only diagnosed a week ago)

 

[6pac]

Also are baked beans in tomato sauce ok to eat?

 

[Dave Harbud]

My experience of baked beans in tomato sauce is that half a tin on toast gives me a spike (10-11). If I go for a walk in the next hour, my blood sugar peaks at a safe level (under 9) and starts to go down. Eating a portion of salad before the beans seems to reduce the spike. I'm told that if you wash the sauce off the beans, that stops the spike, but it doesn't taste nice. Reducig the portion size helps. Endless fun.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Hi there, I’m really confused. I read in another thread that noodles should be avoided at all costs but when I look at the packaging the traffic light system says they’re low in sugar and the carbohydrates that sugar are very low. What am I missing?
(I’m new to this as I was only diagnosed a week ago)View attachment 22820View attachment 22821

They're pretty high in total carbohydrates. All carbs get converted into blood glucose, not just sugars.

The details of how quickly this happens and how well your metabolism deals with it vary a lot from person to person, so the common advice is to self-test a couple of hours after eating to see how you have reacted. At least while you're learning what particular meals do to your blood glucose, and while you're getting your diabetes under reasonable control.

 

[harbottle]

If you want to make noodle dishes, try 'Konjac Noodles'. They are almost zero carbs. They come in water that stinks of fish, but once cleaned they are ideal for stir fries. (There are numerous different brands, I think Sainsbury's sell a decent one.)

 

[6pac]

They're pretty high in total carbohydrates. All carbs get converted into blood glucose, not just sugars.

The details of how quickly this happens and how well your metabolism deals with it vary a lot from person to person, so the common advice is to self-test a couple of hours after eating to see how you have reacted. At least while you're learning what particular meals do to your blood glucose, and while you're getting your diabetes under reasonable control.

Ah right, this must be where I’ve been going wrong, I thought glucose and sugar were the same thing.
Does this mean the “which sugars” part of the carbohydrate is irrelevant to people with diabetes?

 

[Eddy Edson]

Ah right, this must be where I’ve been going wrong, I thought glucose and sugar were the same thing.
Does this mean the “which sugars” part of the carbohydrate is irrelevant to people with diabetes?

I'm not sure it's that meaningful for anyone, really.

 

[6pac]

My experience of baked beans in tomato sauce is that half a tin on toast gives me a spike (10-11). If I go for a walk in the next hour, my blood sugar peaks at a safe level (under 9) and starts to go down. Eating a portion of salad before the beans seems to reduce the spike. I'm told that if you wash the sauce off the beans, that stops the spike, but it doesn't taste nice. Reducig the portion size helps. Endless fun.

Would it not be the toast that’s causing the spike, I’ve also read all bread, including whole meal should be off limits?

 

[6pac]

I'm not sure it's that meaningful for anyone, really.

Ok thanks, I thought it related to GI meaning the the higher the proportion of “which sugars” the higher the spike in BG would be.

 

[Drummer]

Hello @6pac.
The carb content of the noodles is quite high at almost 1/3 of the total weight. It is the carbohydrate you need to look at, not just the sugar.
I find that when I eat peas or beans I can extract about 80 percent more carbs from them than are listed - or that is how my blood glucose behaves, so I have about a half portion.
If you can get a blood glucose tester and check after meals you will soon see what your personal limits are. The usual start point is to test just before starting to eat and then two hours later, and adjust the carbs if you see more than an increase of 3 whole numbers.
Hopefully by reducing the carbohydrate the after-meal numbers will reduce down and there will be continued improvement.
I am assuming that you are a type 2 diabetic with nothing more interesting going on.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Ok thanks, I thought it related to GI meaning the the higher the proportion of “which sugars” the higher the spike in BG would be.

I don't think that's a useful way of looking at it. For one thing, some foods including some grain products have higher GI's than table sugar ...

Anyway, GI is a pretty rough metric - typically an average of sometimes widely differing individual responses from a small number of people in a little test, and different tests can come up with very different GI values.

 

[6pac]

I don't think that's a useful way of looking at it. For one thing, some foods including some grain products have higher GI's than table sugar ...

Anyway, GI is a pretty rough metric - typically an average of sometimes widely differing individual responses from a small number of people in a little test, and different tests can come up with very different GI values.

Ok, thanks eddy.

 

[6pac]

Hello @6pac.
The carb content of the noodles is quite high at almost 1/3 of the total weight. It is the carbohydrate you need to look at, not just the sugar.
I find that when I eat peas or beans I can extract about 80 percent more carbs from them than are listed - or that is how my blood glucose behaves, so I have about a half portion.
If you can get a blood glucose tester and check after meals you will soon see what your personal limits are. The usual start point is to test just before starting to eat and then two hours later, and adjust the carbs if you see more than an increase of 3 whole numbers.
Hopefully by reducing the carbohydrate the after-meal numbers will reduce down and there will be continued improvement.
I am assuming that you are a type 2 diabetic with nothing more interesting going on.

Wow this is so complicated.
I’ve had a few bouts of pancreatitis which I assume has caused me to become diabetic. I’ve yet to see a doctor since getting the diagnosis over the phone, they just prescribed metformin.
From what you say, I should ignore the food labels for a while and get a glucose testing kit. Can I just buy them over the counter?

 

[Leadinglights]

Wow this is so complicated.
I’ve had a few bouts of pancreatitis which I assume has caused me to become diabetic. I’ve yet to see a doctor since getting the diagnosis over the phone, they just prescribed metformin.
From what you say, I should ignore the food labels for a while and get a glucose testing kit. Can I just buy them over the counter?

Not quite, the total carbohydrate is the number you need to look at, ignore the as sugar. Something can be low in sugar but still high in carbohydrate and it is that that converts to glucose.
Yes, getting a glucose monitor is a good idea and using that to see what foods you can tolerate without your blood glucose increasing but you should still be looking at lower carb foods or making sure your portion size of anything high carb is a small proportion of your meal.
As I think a few people have mentioned you are probably Type 3c so you may be needing to look at a dietary regime that is tailored to that.

 

[EmmaL76]

Try something like this… smell a bit funky when you cook them but you get used to the taste. I ended up preferring them to pasta.

 

[Leadinglights]

Try something like this… smell a bit funky when you cook them but you get used to the taste. I ended up preferring them to pasta.

Thank you for that, I didn't know you could get noodles as well as pasta made from edamame beans.
If it is like the pasta then it barely needs cooking.

 

[EmmaL76]

Thank you for that, I didn't know you could get noodles as well as pasta made from edamame beans.
If it is like the pasta then it barely needs cooking.

Well I think it says about 8 minutes on the box but I actually cook them a little longer.

 

[Leadinglights]

Well I think it says about 8 minutes on the box but I actually cook them a little longer.

The fettuccini only needs about 4 mins if that otherwise it is mushy.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

I use konjac noodles and konjac rice. The brand I use is zero carbs. We had them this evening - I made duck in ginger and garlic sauce and my husband who isn't even diabetic enjoys the konjac noodles.
They have been eating konjac noodles etc in asian countries for centuries because they have great health benefits - they are especially good for people who have liver troubles.
I had gall bladder symptoms the year before I was diagnosed with diabetes and since I reduced my carb intake to combat the diabetes I haven't had any gall bladder trouble at all and that's coming up for four years now.

I like the konjac ones because they are fast, filling and they have a good bit of texture to them.
I made rice pudding the other night with the rice version and erythritol and double cream.

 

[6pac]

Not quite, the total carbohydrate is the number you need to look at, ignore the as sugar. Something can be low in sugar but still high in carbohydrate and it is that that converts to glucose.
Yes, getting a glucose monitor is a good idea and using that to see what foods you can tolerate without your blood glucose increasing but you should still be looking at lower carb foods or making sure your portion size of anything high carb is a small proportion of your meal.
As I think a few people have mentioned you are probably Type 3c so you may be needing to look at a dietary regime that is tailored to that.

Brilliant. Thank you.