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counting carbs- lentils and pulses and beans

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Brambleberry

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Just trying to get to grips with counting carbs as opposed to current actions last two and half weeks since diagnosis when I have simply cut them back ( which seems to be working, but I would like to be more mindful).
I realise that pulses and beans are protein and complex carbs at same time. But figure that it doesnt seem fair when on only 120g carb a day to count those things as carbs then they are also your source of protein. Would anyone know what the rule is. I would rather simply count potatoes pasta rice etc as carbs
 
Carbs are carbs.
You can't ignore them if you choose that lifestyle.
But it is a diet for life.
It didn't suit me, so I went down low calorie and weight loss.
 
For the purposes of insulin dosing I only ever estimate them as half their stated carb value maximum. Quite often I almost ignore them entirely.

Something to do with the way the gut deals with the ratio of amylose and amylopectin I think? Depending on the ratio, the carbs in pulses can be quite resistant to digestion.

DUK offer this advice

 
I was told some people digest pulses and, for some, they pass straight through. Therefore, it takes some trial and error to find out how your body reacts.
@everydayupsanddowns advice to estimate insulin for half of the carbs is a good starting point.
 
For the purposes of insulin dosing I only ever estimate them as half their stated carb value maximum. Quite often I almost ignore them entirely.

Something to do with the way the gut deals with the ratio of amylose and amylopectin I think? Depending on the ratio, the carbs in pulses can be quite resistant to digestion.

DUK offer this advice

Thanks for link it makes sense to me not to count them. Pulses and beans are oligosaccharides and are digested by fermentation which takes time ( hence the gases!). So they behave differently from other carbs and proteins in that respect and half the carb comes back out with the fibre.
 
Thanks for link it makes sense to me not to count them. Pulses and beans are oligosaccharides and are digested by fermentation which takes time ( hence the gases!). So they behave differently from other carbs and proteins in that respect and half the carb comes back out with the fibre.

Do you have a meter?
 
I am one of the unlucky ones that seems to get more carbs out of lentils than they are supposed to contain. It really is down to your digestive system, so getting a meter and testing your reaction to them is the only way you will know if you can discount the carb content, count half or count full content plus a bit like me.
 
At present two and half weeks in I have not found a single food that spikes me....yet....except a few sugar free biscuits at supper....well you have to trial things! and worst I could do was 7.7 at breakfast and it came down to 3.9 by lunch!
No doubt I will meet my food nemesis in time....
 
At present two and half weeks in I have not found a single food that spikes me....yet....except a few sugar free biscuits at supper....well you have to trial things! and worst I could do was 7.7 at breakfast and it came down to 3.9 by lunch!
No doubt I will meet my food nemesis in time....

Have you lost weight?
 
For me I think I do digest them but some of them will digest a lot later but there was time I was eating alot of them and it was my typical tea I would always be around the same as I was before aye them a couple of hours and later or lower if I did a correction and then be sky high later on. Thinking it must be a background thing but then background test comfrimed I stayed steady in.the evening without food) it was lilltw while after that I released it was the lentils (or at least i think to be honest not had them since)

so i awser your question its affects people diferntlly so if take some testing to see if they effect your personally.
 
I was told some people digest pulses and, for some, they pass straight through. Therefore, it takes some trial and error to find out how your body reacts.
@everydayupsanddowns advice to estimate insulin for half of the carbs is a good starting point.
i was wondering this about peas and sweetcorn which basically come out as they went in, does that mean the carbs are not counted
 
For me I think I do digest them but some of them will digest a lot later but there was time I was eating alot of them and it was my typical tea I would always be around the same as I was before aye them a couple of hours and later or lower if I did a correction and then be sky high later on. Thinking it must be a background thing but then background test comfrimed I stayed steady in.the evening without food) it was lilltw while after that I released it was the lentils (or at least i think to be honest not had them since)

so i awser your question its affects people diferntlly so if take some testing to see if they effect your personally.
However this isn't the same for me with baked beans I always counted them the full contanr (no one told me not to) and without the same effect.
 
i was wondering this about peas and sweetcorn which basically come out as they went in, does that mean the carbs are not counted

No, that's just odd.
Or maybe that's me.
But that seems to be the basis of a really good survey!
 
i was wondering this about peas and sweetcorn which basically come out as they went in, does that mean the carbs are not counted
I've just started doing DAFNE (it's a corse for type 1 diabetic it's shame type 1s it shame type 2s don't seem to have access to same level of support and education) and there counted as foods that may not effect blood glucose (however again I have always counted them and can't remember having any side effects from doing so but it may made much of difference to overall carb content)
 
No, that's just odd.
Or maybe that's me.
But that seems to be the basis of a really good survey!
I looked it up on quora and the response is that its just the indigestible hull that comes out, the nutrients have been absorbed 🙂

 
I've just started doing DAFNE (it's a corse for type 1 diabetic it's shame type 1s it shame type 2s don't seem to have access to same level of support and education) and there counted as foods that may not effect blood glucose (however again I have always counted them and can't remember having any side effects from doing so but it may made much of difference to overall carb content)
It's a mine field and I teach health and social care/nursing ! I also did year 1 of a degree in nutrition and I am still researching. We really rely on government guidelines when we teach and then you find they are wrong!
 
I've just started doing DAFNE (it's a corse for type 1 diabetic it's shame type 1s it shame type 2s don't seem to have access to same level of support and education) and there counted as foods that may not effect blood glucose (however again I have always counted them and can't remember having any side effects from doing so but it may made much of difference to overall carb content)

Not true.
I was amazingly well supported.
Desmond course.
Indoor walking football.
Driving course at the local golf club.
NHS gym for six months.
Complete support for 800 calorie Newcastle diet, well before it was offered on the NHS.

I guess that's why I reversed my diabetes, I had complete support.

I guess if you go full on "low carb" or"carb counting" diet control for life, they may not be as onboard?
 
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