Hi I am the wife of a type 2 Diabetic who is not good at eating well and controlling blood sugars. I have been trying to help him and he has seen a slight reduction in bs results how ever some have been higher Some questions why is it that I am finding recipes for desserts and other meals with total 45 g card surely these are too high or is to for type 1only. Also glycemic index I have looked at many on line they seem to differ sometimes weeabix is low other charts they are high. I am trying to make a meals for us both but because of my ibs so.things I cannot have or at least only in small quantities. I recently made a shepherd pie 5% minced beef 250g mixed with mixed veg. Plus stock and flavouring I read potatoes are high gycemic my husband does not like sweet potato I cannot stand mashed potatoes so never could have this meal I used swede as a topping it was very nice but now I find swede is also high. Thank you hope someone can help
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Advice please
- Thread starter Libralady
- Start date
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Swede high?
That's not right. It is under 4% carbs.
I found that low or high GI made little to no difference.
The frozen stirfry from Lidl is something I always have in the freezer - the two with the lowest carb content, mixed veges and salad stuff always on hand, also mushrooms. If I have mashed swede for dinner I cook the whole thing and have the leftovers fried after mixing in eggs and veges or cheese next morning.
Desserts are usually something with sugar free jelly plus pure gelatine to strengthen the set, with no added sugar squash to add to the flavour, sometimes with cream or yoghurt whisked in if it needs eating. I add a bag of frozen berries and that helps to set it quickly. It can be prettied up with almond sponges and piped whipped cream at Christmas.
Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Libralady, swede is lower carb than potatoes, although all root vegetables have more carbs than leafy greens. Taters are right up there on the alarm scale, along with rice, pasta and bread.
A low carb diet is generally under 130g per day.
Not sure if this would work with your IBS, but could you put a thin topping of swede on the mince followed by a topping of cheese? Cheese is good if you are going low carb.
A low carb diet is generally under 130g per day.
Not sure if this would work with your IBS, but could you put a thin topping of swede on the mince followed by a topping of cheese? Cheese is good if you are going low carb.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Libralady
I think you’ve discovered one of the confusions around GI - but many here find that it goes even deeper than the differences in the published tables.
GI is derived from a 50g sample of carbohydrate from a single source eaten in isolation - and then averaged across 100 people.
And among the 100 people there may have been quite a bit of variation - plus carbs are most often eaten in conjunction with other things.
It sounds like you have a method of monitoring his levels though. So one option would be to aim to find his individual low-GI meals, based on what you can both eat and enjoy.
1. Make your best guess as to a BG-friendly meal that suits you both
2. He takes a reading immediately before
3. He takes a second reading 2hrs after the first bite of the meal
4. Compare the 2 readings to find the ‘meal rise’
Ideally he’d want to see a meal rise of no more than 2-3mmol above the first number at 2hrs. And even better if the second reading is below 8.5mmol/L
If he can keep the ‘meal rises’ down to 2-3ish, he should see his overall levels gradually drop.
And the best thing is that these are his results, not 100 random strangers!
I think you’ve discovered one of the confusions around GI - but many here find that it goes even deeper than the differences in the published tables.
GI is derived from a 50g sample of carbohydrate from a single source eaten in isolation - and then averaged across 100 people.
And among the 100 people there may have been quite a bit of variation - plus carbs are most often eaten in conjunction with other things.
It sounds like you have a method of monitoring his levels though. So one option would be to aim to find his individual low-GI meals, based on what you can both eat and enjoy.
1. Make your best guess as to a BG-friendly meal that suits you both
2. He takes a reading immediately before
3. He takes a second reading 2hrs after the first bite of the meal
4. Compare the 2 readings to find the ‘meal rise’
Ideally he’d want to see a meal rise of no more than 2-3mmol above the first number at 2hrs. And even better if the second reading is below 8.5mmol/L
If he can keep the ‘meal rises’ down to 2-3ish, he should see his overall levels gradually drop.
And the best thing is that these are his results, not 100 random strangers!
@Drummer. Thanks for your reply. I must apologise I think I misread it is parsnips,which are high not swede. Unfortunately I had to buy ready mashed swede as due to arthritis in the hands I cannot cut through a swede the same with my husband. We do go to lidl occasionally so will look for the frozen stir-fry. Most of you shopping is delivered by Morrisons. Yes I always have salad mainly for me husband is not that keen but I do get mushrooms and add them to casseroles etc I too make sugar free jelly with frozen berries trying to get him to have greek yogurt with them
@Vonny
Yes it was my mistake swede is lower than potatoes. My husband age 79 is a carb man so it is hard to get him to change I do serve brown rice but very small portion like wise pasta. I have been trying to keep him to 130 a day 30 at each meal and 10 for snacks but some times goes over. Yes I made a shepherds pie with t#thin topping of mashed swede did think about grated cheese on top but forgot to put in on. May try next time as he ejnoyed it as did I.
@everydayupsanddowns Than you. Yes it is a bit of a minfield. Our son age now 52 was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of two. It seemed easier then carbs were carbs no glycemic at least I didnt know about it. It was all 10g portions and glass syringe sterilised in methylated spirit then disposable needles came out I used to buy them at first then became available on nhs for free then disposable syringes. Hope I have got that right such a long time ago . I am getting my husband to test before meals and 2 hours after he sometimes forgets. He is getting 6. something before breakfast same before evening meal after 2 hours it is is 8. something having been around 11. The one thing I am concerned about he needs to lose weight but from behind you would not think so but he has the large belly obviously insulin resistance and viseral fat. and normal size arms and legs Will diet help this or is exercise needed he is almost 79 and has hip knees and hand pain OA so is loathe to do exercises which make the pain worse apart from walking but he had to keep stopping some days because of the hip pain. His blood sugar has improved a little and he has lost a little weight. He had been type 2 for some years he gave up smoking around 16 years ago but unfortunately does now have asthma also hardy ever drinks alcohol now. He never had any interest in the diabetes but a talk of going onto insulin by gp if blood sugar (3 monthly cannot remember the test name) does not improve plus ourson had recently be very ill in hospital and has had a below knee amputation due to very bad control. Wake up call. Came as a real shock to me as I don't see him often because they live 250 miles away.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Ah yes, parsnip is quite high, so not on my list of things to eat.
Mushrooms are low carb, so I eat a fair few with steak or a chop.
I don't eat any colour of grain - it is all high carb and I would rather eat carbs from other things.
I have quite a powerful grip - having been a musician for a long time, and I have knives worthy of Sweeny Todd's barber's shop and pie makers, so swede, turnip or celeriac have no chance. There is always courgette, the outer stalks of celery always ended up in stews when my Mum was cooking. Lidl do a good low carb frozen vege mix. You need to check though as they have higher carb ones with sweetcorn included.
silver minion
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
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- She/Her
Good afternoon @Libralady. It must be difficult cooking to accommodate both your medical conditions. You mentioned exercise to help your husband lose weight. I have osteoarthritis in my knees, elbows, neck and fingers. Thankfully not so severe that it impacts too much on my daily activity. I have found it improved since doing Tai Chi weekly in addition to walking. Our instructor is very good and has tailored the exercises so they can be done seated or by people with less mobility. Also aquacize is a good exercise. It is gentler on the joints as the water supports your body weight. Might be worth checking if there are classes in your area. I also love gardening but need to limit heavy work to about an hour at a time, then do something lighter with less stress on my joints.