Cereal help!!

[Busdriver60]

I joined this forum a few weeks ago, after being diagnosed with diabetes. I've started using my Freestyle Libre 2 yesterday and I'm learning to read my BG. This morning, after breakfast having eaten my favourite Alpen cereal, I was shocked to see a spike on my Libre (21.3).



The pack does say 'no added sugar' and my BG shot up!

I'm slim but I LOVE eating because I'm always hungry. I'm a sweet-toothed, especially chocolate.

But, can anyone please suggest the best cereal to eat without spiking?

Thank you

 

[Sally71]

Unfortunately all cereals are made from grains, which are carbohydrate and so even without added sugar they will still make your blood sugar go up. Everyone is different though and some people find they can tolerate one particular type better than others. So you will have to do some experimentation! Porridge is supposed to be slow burn and actually used to make my daughter hypo if we injected all her insulin at once, because the insulin was working faster than the porridge. Maybe try that? One of the worst for her was Rice Krispies, again no added sugar but instantly sent her blood sugars into orbit!

 

[Busdriver60]

Ok I will have to try other cereals or porridge. Thank you for the information. You are most kind.

 

[helli]

I'm a sweet-toothed, especially chocolate.

Do you like dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate contains less sugar so is preferred by many on the forum with type 2 diabetes.
It goes nicely with a glass of red wine.

 

[Busdriver60]

Do you like dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate contains less sugar so is preferred by many on the forum with type 2 diabetes.
It goes nicely with a glass of red wine.

Thanks for your information, would it be ok for type 3c? Would Holland and Barrett be the best to buy diabetic cereal and chocolate? Or somewhere else they are quite expensive.

 

[Inka]

All Bran is lower carb @Busdriver60 Weigh it to make sure you have the right portion. Dorset Cereals Honey Granola is also lower than similar cereals (again, weigh it). Remember the milk will contain carbs too, unless you use a plant-based milk like I do, which is negligible carbs. I find Alpen very ‘dusty’ and powdery and I’m guessing it’s quite high GI.

 

[Lucyr]

M&S do a granola that is low carb, the grain free one. Could have it with Greek yoghurt?

 

[Busdriver60]

M&S do a granola that is low carb, the grain free one. Could have it with Greek yoghurt?

Sounds great to me, I'll give it a go. Thanks!

 

[Annette&Bert]

I love porridge have done all my life, but occasionaly I will have a breakfast cereal just because I find them light and satisfying, I just don't have them more than twice a week for all the reasons we are aware of. nMy usual breakfast is eggs but I get very bored with the same old, same old, that's why I break the boredom. I do most of my shopping at M & S monthly but I had no idea they did a low carb granola thanks for mentioning it.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Sounds great to me, I'll give it a go. Thanks!

Incidentally don't be fooled by claims of so called "diabetic" foods. With diabetes you need to be aware of food cabohydrate values, the carbs convert to sugar in your pancreas, that's why.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

The Alpen might not have added sugar as in spoonfuls of refined sugar but it does have raisins as well as the carbs from the grains. Because of the lack of water content dried fruit has more carbs gram for gram than fresh, tinned or frozen fruits. If you then add milk you’re also adding some more carbs then too.

Reading the labels on the back of packets and getting used to weighing portions of food so you get an idea of how many carbs you’re eating will help you to learn what foods make you spike and which your body can tolerate. The Libre will help you to see patterns and also see how quickly you recover from highs. As you’ve only just started using it try not to panic about one off readings but look at trends and if you can keep a food diary (or just a record of the carbs for each meal) that can help them tweak your insulin doses to match your diet and lifestyle. It’s also worth fingerpicking for any high highs or to double check lows to confirm the libre reading as sensors tend to be less accurate the further out of range you are (this varies a lot but it’s always good to double check and not to panic).

 

[victorhamesse]

Ok I will have to try other cereals or porridge. Thank you for the information. You are most kind.

Re : Porridge. I've tried a few and IMO the best one (doesn't taste like wallpaper paste) is Jordans Organic Chunky Traditional. Not the cheapest though. Pic attached.

Cheers

 

[Docb]

Looking at the recipe for Alpen "No added sugar", I see that it has 15% raisins. So no "added" sugar but quite a lot of "natural" sugar which is still sugar.

When I first started out one of the first changes i made was to drop my favourite muesli. It had no sugar in the recipe but had a decent amount of dried fruit and it was the dried fruit that gave me big post breakfast rises. For me a granola without fruit eaten with plain yoghourt works well as a cereal. I make my own, its easier than traipsing around looking at labels, by toasting some oats and mixing in seeds and toasted mixed nuts. You can have a bit of fun by adding any flavours you are partial to.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Looking at the recipe for Alpen "No added sugar", I see that it has 15% raisins. So no "added" sugar but quite a lot of "natural" sugar which is still sugar.

When I first started out one of the first changes i made was to drop my favourite muesli. It had no sugar in the recipe but had a decent amount of dried fruit and it was the dried fruit that gave me big post breakfast rises. For me a granola without fruit eaten with plain yoghourt works well as a cereal. I make my own, its easier than traipsing around looking at labels, by toasting some oats and mixing in seeds and toasted mixed nuts. You can have a bit of fun by adding any flavours you are partial to.

I like the idea of this recipe so I might try it. I eat a lot of fruit I can't imagine life without fruit throughout the day, although that is still sugar it is not refined sugar, I know my DN often tells me that she is not concerned about my fruit. What kind of oats do you use small or rough? That also sounds like a good breakfast that will keep you going. I get so fed up reading labels it also is very time consuming.

 

[PattiEvans]

Aldi do a range of dark chocolate bars at a very reasonable cost. Their 85% one seems to be well tolerated by a lot of people with D.

 

[Docb]

I like the idea of this recipe so I might try it. I eat a lot of fruit I can't imagine life without fruit throughout the day, although that is still sugar it is not refined sugar, I know my DN often tells me that she is not concerned about my fruit. What kind of oats do you use small or rough? That also sounds like a good breakfast that will keep you going. I get so fed up reading labels it also is very time consuming.

I use the large flaky oats which I get from ALDI where I also get the seeds and nuts. I usually make two batches from one big bag of oats.The trickiest bit is getting an even toast on the oats and I find it best to put thinnish layers in a couple of baking trays and stirring them up quite frequently and even then have to accept that the degree of toasting is a bit variable. Don't forget you are making your breakfast and not something looks perfect for a photograph for the front of a packet.

I have mixed in coconut oil or sesame oil to the toasting oats on occasions and you might add any other flavoured oil but would probably draw the line at chilli.

As I keep on saying....Have a go, you never know you might be surprised. If you burn some of the oats don't worry, separate the burnt ones and bin them because they will not be nice. The oats underneath will be perfect!

 

[Annette&Bert]

LoL once it hits my stomach no one would ever know what it looked like beforehand I haven't bought granola for years and I used to love it, so your recipe sounds wonderful to me as I love all the ingredients, plus you know what's in it because you made it yourself.

 

[Peely66]

I use that Alpen too but I have a small amount and mix it with nuts and seeds and yoghurt maybe a bit of banana and berries. I think the yoghurt and nuts help to slow the BS raise down and if I get my timing right I can be quite steady all morning.

Again, as others have said, it requires a bit of experimentation and what works for one might not work for another.

 

[Leadinglights]

M&S do a granola that is low carb, the grain free one. Could have it with Greek yoghurt?

I tried the Granola from M &S Grain free Fruit and nut, 8.2g carbs per 100g. £5 for a 300g packet. Not that cheap but cheaper than my Keto Hana one. It is very good so certainly would recommend, had it on home grown strawberries and Greek yoghurt for breakfast.

 

[louisew]

I joined this forum a few weeks ago, after being diagnosed with diabetes. I've started using my Freestyle Libre 2 yesterday and I'm learning to read my BG. This morning, after breakfast having eaten my favourite Alpen cereal, I was shocked to see a spike on my Libre (21.3).

View attachment 30501

The pack does say 'no added sugar' and my BG shot up!

I'm slim but I LOVE eating because I'm always hungry. I'm a sweet-toothed, especially chocolate.

But, can anyone please suggest the best cereal to eat without spiking?

Thank you

https://www.ocado.com/search?entry=low%20carb&clusterPath=food-cupboard-20424,breakfast-cereals-38715

keto | Holland & Barrett

www.hollandandbarrett.com

keto | Holland & Barrett

www.hollandandbarrett.com

Here’s a few options I have found. Although I usually have greek yoghurt and berries with a sprinkle of granola. The porridge is nice with a dollop of yoghurt. And you could always sprinkle a small amount of all bran/shreddies on, instead of these