Guidance regarding amount of carbs per day

[rebrascora]

6.6 is nothing! Some of us have to try not to worry too much when we wake up in double figures and then go up to 15 after breakfast, even when we have injected insulin, so don't be too frightened of individual numbers although obviously you want to keep them low. It is just important to understand that there can be quite a fluctuation in BG levels and particularly after food and therefore using that information to guide what you eat and what to avoid is important and hugely beneficial.

 

[BeOdd]

6.6 is nothing! Some of us have to try not to worry too much when we wake up in double figures and then go up to 15 after breakfast, even when we have injected insulin, so don't be too frightened of individual numbers although obviously you want to keep them low. It is just important to understand that there can be quite a fluctuation in BG levels and particularly after food and therefore using that information to guide what you eat and what to avoid is important and hugely beneficial.

Yes I realise that now and also it dawned on me today that when you read a food label and the sugar content seems low .... there are other sugars hidden in the carbs!!!! Sneaky eh!!!! But I am learning something every day ... I will get there in the end ... sooner rather than later hopefully... I watch every cookery programme under the sun ..... maybe I should just watch the soaps

 

[Drummer]

Sugars and starches are the carbohydrates, they are not separate categories of food, even though they are often regarded as such. When you look at the nutritional information - unless there are sugar alcohols which would be counted in, even though it would be your gut flora and fauna that digest them (and have a party) - but the average food will show the net carbohydrate, which you can digest, and the sugar is often listed as an 'of which' - but that isn't all that important.

 

[BeOdd]

Sugars and starches are the carbohydrates, they are not separate categories of food, even though they are often regarded as such. When you look at the nutritional information - unless there are sugar alcohols which would be counted in, even though it would be your gut flora and fauna that digest them (and have a party) - but the average food will show the net carbohydrate, which you can digest, and the sugar is often listed as an 'of which' - but that isn't all that important.

Oh!!!! And I have been getting excited when I read the label and there is nought point something sugar , even if the carbs are high!!! Actually I have done that for a long time as I have been reading labels to check the salt too. When I started doing Slimming World I thought I would never get into it but it only took a week or so..... I hope this will be the case with low carbs as this is important

 

[rebrascora]

The traffic light labelling system on the front of packaging is of no interest to us diabetics. You need to dig out your reading glasses (no offence intended but the print is often tiny) and read the nutritional information on the back of the packets which will list protein, carbohydrate and then underneath that "of which sugars" and then fat and all the other nutrients. The carbohydrate value, which will be given as grams per 100grams is probably the only thing of interest to you as a diabetic. It may also give the number of carbs per "portion" and it should specify the portion size. I spend twice as long at the supermarket now squinting at labels and then fishing my glasses out of my bag to be sure of what it says... even more annoying when having diabetes often affects your ability to see as clearly as you used to! Thankfully once you learn what to buy and how best to cook it, you only need to read labels on new items that you fancy trying.

 

[BeOdd]

The traffic light labelling system on the front of packaging is of no interest to us diabetics. You need to dig out your reading glasses (no offence intended but the print is often tiny) and read the nutritional information on the back of the packets which will list protein, carbohydrate and then underneath that "of which sugars" and then fat and all the other nutrients. The carbohydrate value, which will be given as grams per 100grams is probably the only thing of interest to you as a diabetic. It may also give the number of carbs per "portion" and it should specify the portion size. I spend twice as long at the supermarket now squinting at labels and then fishing my glasses out of my bag to be sure of what it says... even more annoying when having diabetes often affects your ability to see as clearly as you used to! Thankfully once you learn what to buy and how best to cook it, you only need to read labels on new items that you fancy trying.

I have taken everything I have read today on board so off to do some shopping tomorrow armed with my glasses ... went without them today and found myself taking screen shots with my phone to zoom in on the labels !!!

 

[BeOdd]

I use a website called NutraCheck and there are others like My Fitness Pal. I looked up gravy for you. 50ml proper beef gravy is 24 cals and 2.2gm carbs. 50ml chicken gravy is 22 cals and 2.7gm carbs. Bisto beef gravy granules made up to 50ml is 14cals and 2.7gm carbs. Bisto chicken gravy granules made up to 50ml is 13cals and 2.0gm carbs.

that’s good news! I shall check them both out! Thankyou!

 

[gil2625]

I think that is the course I am booked for, but not until the end of April ... that is the only thing I really needed help with, so thanks for replying .... I shall use 120 as my highest and take it from there. If I hadn’t eaten a whole pyramid of Ferrera Rochet and a multi pack of Crunchies all to myself at Christmas I reckon I would still be Pre Diabetic!!!

I can associate with that I had my yearly Hb1Ac shortly after a 16 night cruise, Christmas and 70th Birthday whereby I thoroughly enjoyed a lovely family meal at Cosmo (PanAsian eat as much as you like buffet) AND lovely birthday cake for a few days SO, now I have to live with being T2 diabetic instead of pre-diabetic but working on kicking it into touch as lost 10 lbs in 5 weeks which normally I would not be pleased with but just returned from 9 days in NYC and Las Vegas

 

[BeOdd]

I can associate with that I had my yearly Hb1Ac shortly after a 16 night cruise, Christmas and 70th Birthday whereby I thoroughly enjoyed a lovely family meal at Cosmo (PanAsian eat as much as you like buffet) AND lovely birthday cake for a few days SO, now I have to live with being T2 diabetic instead of pre-diabetic but working on kicking it into touch as lost 10 lbs in 5 weeks which normally I would not be pleased with but just returned from 9 days in NYC and Las Vegas

Home safe and sound then! Looks like you chose the right time to travel! I am also determined to reverse things as much as possible ... I would normally have five roast potatoes with a dinner... tonight I had two and it was enough! It has only taken me a few weeks to get used to it and I feel more healthy eating less carbs. I have bought three books that are helping me enormously... I couldn’t have done it without them!

 

[Marilyn Phelps]

What sweet things can you eat, any ideas?

 

[Felinia]

What sweet things can you eat, any ideas?

I stick to an 80gm portion of frozen berries plus a dollop of natural Greek yogurt. As a treat I have a couple of squares of 70%+ dark chocolate.

 

[rebrascora]

@Marilyn Phelps

It is best if you can wean yourself off sweet stuff for a bit I found. I had an Olympic standard sweet tooth and I found the more I ate, the more I wanted. Resensitizing/educating your taste buds to recognise sweetness where previously it might have seemed sour or bitter is quite helpful. I would happily demolish a 200g bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate without blinking and still want more prediagnosis. Now like @Felinia, half a square of dark 70%+ chocolate with a spoon of peanut butter to bulk it out, is my sweet treat and I really savour it or 5 raspberries and 10 blueberries with a dollop of full fat Creamy Greek natural yoghurt and a spoon of ground almonds and a sprinkling of mixed seeds works well as a desert or as breakfast on the days when I haven't got time to make an omelette and salad.

 

[gil2625]

Yes BeOdd got back on 10th March and within a few days it was announced that it was like a ghost town in NYC and our hotel then subsequently all hotels closed in Las Vegas. So can look back at a great time, just in time

 

[LornaV]

Oh Thankyou that was very helpful! So it depends on the individual then really. I always have porridge for breakfast! .... and I graze all day long ... little and often ...... there is no food on the planet that I don’t like!.... I live to eat .... my life revolves around food !!!! So I have my work cut out starting from the moment I get up !!!! Watch this space .... it shall be one almighty challenge

Phew, glad i’m not the only one feeling ‘challenged’. I’ll be happy to watch your progress - I think I’m still in denial I’m so overwhelmed.

 

[LornaV]

@Marilyn Phelps

It is best if you can wean yourself off sweet stuff for a bit I found. I had an Olympic standard sweet tooth and I found the more I ate, the more I wanted. Resensitizing/educating your taste buds to recognise sweetness where previously it might have seemed sour or bitter is quite helpful. I would happily demolish a 200g bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate without blinking and still want more prediagnosis. Now like @Felinia, half a square of dark 70%+ chocolate with a spoon of peanut butter to bulk it out, is my sweet treat and I really savour it or 5 raspberries and 10 blueberries with a dollop of full fat Creamy Greek natural yoghurt and a spoon of ground almonds and a sprinkling of mixed seeds works well as a desert or as breakfast on the days when I haven't got time to make an omelette and salad.

Thanks for sharing, this is really helpful to someone who definitely has a very sweet tooth and is finding it hard to adapt.

 

[BeOdd]

Phew, glad i’m not the only one feeling ‘challenged’. I’ll be happy to watch your progress - I think I’m still in denial I’m so overwhelmed.

I have read so much information from various sources and some of it contradicts !
i am now armed wit three books which along with the info on this site , I am getting well into it and wish I had sone this sooner... it was a wake up call for me ... I shall text the names of the three books later.

 

[LornaV]

I have read so much information from various sources and some of it contradicts !
i am now armed wit three books which along with the info on this site , I am getting well into it and wish I had sone this sooner... it was a wake up call for me ... I shall text the names of the three books later.

Oh me too. I’ve been so confused with all the contradictory/ different information available.

 

[BeOdd]

Oh me too. I’ve been so confused with all the contradictory/ different information available.

There is one thing I am undecided about .... do I eat full fat yogurt or low fat ... as much as I have read I still can’t decide which has the most sugar

 

[Drummer]

Usually the full fat is lower, but check on the label just to be sure.

 

[BeOdd]

Well I have been thoroughly enjoying full fat Greek yogurt with crushed raspberries and flaked almonds! It satisfies my need for something sweet ... I stocked up with full fat before I self isolated ... more precious than toilet roll!