Hello, I am very new to prediabetes.

[Marmite]

My initial searches on the web for advice leaves me very confused. I am 83, under weight, active and eat what I thought was sensibly - with some exceptions. My IFCC is 43. A lot of sites, particularly American, seem contradictory e.g. no potatoes, pasta, bread, dried fruit, rice, cereals, chips; others say limit these items, others, including this site, appear to accept these items as ok.
There seems a general agreement to avoid biscuits, sweets, choc, pastries. So diet-wise I am stuck and current virus issues on shopping dosn't help. I welcome other users advice with thanks.

 

[grovesy]

As you are 1) 83, 2) results are only 42, I would just reduce your portions, potatoes, pasta bread, dried fruit, rice, cereals, and chips, for the time being.

 

[Marmite]

Thank you for replying. Maybe I am getting paranoid too early so will try as you suggest. Incidentally,I find even "good" porridge and muslieu has more sugar than I expected so I need to check labels which is quite difficult now I have started on-line shopping, (havn't found a slot yet).
I have always had grained bread, brown rice & pasta etc so I can't understand why I have prediabetes.

 

[Tee G]

Hi and Welcome to the forum @Marmite - Being underweight, as you say you are will make things a little more challenging for you. As we usually bulk ourselves up with these 'fuel rich' carbs, like potatoes, breads, pasta & rice. However all these things turn to glucose in the body and as diabetics/or at risk of diabetes, we want to try to limit these foods where possible. Its a very individual thing (hense the conflicting advice) Some can manage porridge, some cant, me personally can only have 4 tbsp at a time. We are all different as to how we react. But we can get our required energy from elsewhere. Making swaps to 'healthy fatty foods' and still being respectful to diabetes will keep us well for longer. I would think things like avocados, olive oil, oily fish (salmon/mackerel) would be beneficial for you. Go for full fat yogurt/milk and dairy. It may be worth seeking a dietitians advice on these matters (depending on how under-weight you are) and any other medical conditions you have.

I can understand the 'why me?' thinking, especially as we think we are eating a healthy diet. But i feel this modern western diet is a little too rich in carbs and has done us no favours. And i guess as we age, some bits of us just dont work quite so well as they used to. hips, eyesight, & hearing springs to mind and internal organs are no different.

We have a nice forum on here about hints and tip of low carb eating/recipes - click around the site and im sure you will find lots and lots of helpful threads/advice to see you though - Its all about educating yourself. Ask as many questions as you wish - someones always around to help you

 

[grovesy]

All Carbs break down in the body to sugar, so it is the carbs to be mindful of .Though as I said before just try and reduce your portions.

 

[Drummer]

I’m afraid that the concept of healthy brown carbs is just wishful thinking. If you can’t cope with the amount of carbs in your diet then the only sensible option is to eat less starch and sugar.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you for replying. Maybe I am getting paranoid too early so will try as you suggest. Incidentally,I find even "good" porridge and muslieu has more sugar than I expected so I need to check labels which is quite difficult now I have started on-line shopping, (havn't found a slot yet).
I have always had grained bread, brown rice & pasta etc so I can't understand why I have prediabetes.

Welcome to the forum @Marmite

Something like 40-70% of a person’s propensity to develop T2 diabetes is genetically derived (differences in tastes, food preferences, appetite regulation, not to mention what your body actually does with the food you put in it all vary hugely depending on genetic make-up) so try not to blame yourself.

There are a few possibilities - one is that you are what is sometimes called TOFI (Thin outside, fat inside) where your body stores visceral fat around organs very easily while you remain generally thin, and this visceral fat stops the pancreas and liver working normally

Another possibility is that you may have a different form of diabetes, such as LADA, a slow-onset form of T1 which is autoimmune but can come on over a long period rather than the short onset of classic T1. It may well respond well to oral meds initially. But as more cells in the pancreas are lost insulin would be required relatively quickly.

Do you have any diabetes in your family?

Food-wise, you will soon learn that it is total carbs you need to pay most attention to, rather than ‘of which sugars’. Sugar is only one form of carbohydrate, and the body is very efficient at accessing them all.

Individual responses to food vary wildly...so you may find a BG meter very helpful in terms of seeing which foods suit your blood glucose levels, and which cause large rises.

 

[Marmite]

Thank you all very much for helping. There is no diabetes in my family. As I previously mentioned, my diet for many years seems to be correct according to all advice on this site, the exception is a small cake or one choc biscuit with afternoon tea. I am now realising I have ignored carb values and quantities - even though I am (only) 62kg . (ifcc 43 mmol/mol , whatever that means)
Having been only very recently diagnosed prediabetes I have concentrated on reading the sugar content of everything. I will start again and read carb information. I am so appreciative to the advice of what may appear silly questions but we all have to start somewhere I guess.

 

[grovesy]

It is only just in the Pre Diabetes range, and because of your age you may only need to small adjustments.

 

[Tee G]

Hi again @Marmite....there are no silly question, only silly people who dont ask questions 😉

 

[Marmite]

Welcome to the forum @Marmite

Something like 40-70% of a person’s propensity to develop T2 diabetes is genetically derived (differences in tastes, food preferences, appetite regulation, not to mention what your body actually does with the food you put in it all vary hugely depending on genetic make-up) so try not to blame yourself.

There are a few possibilities - one is that you are what is sometimes called TOFI (Thin outside, fat inside) where your body stores visceral fat around organs very easily while you remain generally thin, and this visceral fat stops the pancreas and liver working normally

Another possibility is that you may have a different form of diabetes, such as LADA, a slow-onset form of T1 which is autoimmune but can come on over a long period rather than the short onset of classic T1. It may well respond well to oral meds initially. But as more cells in the pancreas are lost insulin would be required relatively quickly.

Do you have any diabetes in your family?

Food-wise, you will soon learn that it is total carbs you need to pay most attention to, rather than ‘of which sugars’. Sugar is only one form of carbohydrate, and the body is very efficient at accessing them all.

Individual responses to food vary wildly...so you may find a BG meter very helpful in terms of seeing which foods suit your blood glucose levels, and which cause large rises.

Thank you for your help. I am however still not understanding .
The labels "......of which sugar is ....." you are suggesting I ignore. I am thinking the whole issue for (us) IS the sugar, e.g. the label on my carrots show 7.7g carbs 7.2g sugar (/100g)
the label on my shredded wheat shows 67g carbs 0.7g sugar (/100g)
so I think it is better to eat 100g of shredded wheat (not literally of course) because much less sugar.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too

The body converts all carbohydrates into glucose, not just sugar, so as far as your body is concerned, if you eat 100g of shredded wheat you are eating 67g glucose. If you are eating 100g carrots you are eating 7.7g glucose therefore the carrots win hands down as the better option.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you for your help. I am however still not understanding .
The labels "......of which sugar is ....." you are suggesting I ignore. I am thinking the whole issue for (us) IS the sugar, e.g. the label on my carrots show 7.7g carbs 7.2g sugar (/100g)
the label on my shredded wheat shows 67g carbs 0.7g sugar (/100g)
so I think it is better to eat 100g of shredded wheat (not literally of course) because much less sugar.

I can absolutely see why you would think that... In fact the food manufacturers, popular culture, and the traffic light system seem to point in that direction.

In my experience though, the body differentiates far less between sucrose (table sugar) and other sources of carbohydrate than you might expect.

Actually breakfast cereals are a prime example. ‘Regular’ cornflakes have a very low ‘of which sugars’ but a very high GI (the average measure of how fast 50g of carbs of a food stuff hots the bloodstream of a sample of 100 people).

There is an alternative (Frosties) with a sugar coating. But here’s the surprising thing... the cornflakes themselves are SO fast, that adding sugar actually slows down the absorption (from 70-75 to approx 65). Now both are ferociously spike inducing for many people with diabetes... but it’s an example where the presence or absence of sucrose does the reverse of what you would think.

It is also important to recognise what a ‘portion‘ might look like, and what amount of carbohydrate it might involve. Melon is a good example here. Melon is theoretically quite fast acting in GI terms, because for GI the portion is the same amount of carbs (50g), but that is a LOT more melon than anyone would ordinarily consider eating. A few cubes (perhaps a slice) here or there are less likely to cause BG chaos.

Plus of course, the most important thing is not any measure of GI, or ‘of which sugars’... it is how the food affects you as an individual - and that’s where checking before and after meals with a BG meter can help. Because it gives you unbiased feedback on whether a food suits you as an individual 🙂

 

[Marmite]

I really appreciate your reply. The big disappointment for me is I think I have been completely wrong in my diet over the 4 months diagnosed pre-diabetes in which I have just looked at the "of which sugar". I have just purchased a new big (30biscuits) box of shredded wheat thinking of the little sugar, but listening to you and [sorry, I forget his name] I will have to just have one each day -15g.
I have just stopped eating muslieu in the belief they contain too much sugar, so think I will re-browse Sainsbury's and look at carbs only.
Thank you again for mentioning the home tests. I am getting close to a new doctors review/blood test so may as well wait before considering a meter.
Hope I am not boring with probably previous topics but another few concerns,
(1) I have had couscous to replace potato's in salads - now very unsure if this is wise, believing all grains and nuts to be fine,
(2) changed to sourdough bread - again believing less sugar- but now unsure of the carbs.
(3) only half a digestive with morning coffee now seems silly as there can't be many carbs in a whole one?
Thank you so much for listening and advising.

 

[grovesy]

I really appreciate your reply. The big disappointment for me is I think I have been completely wrong in my diet over the 4 months diagnosed pre-diabetes in which I have just looked at the "of which sugar". I have just purchased a new big (30biscuits) box of shredded wheat thinking of the little sugar, but listening to you and [sorry, I forget his name] I will have to just have one each day -15g.
I have just stopped eating muslieu in the belief they contain too much sugar, so think I will re-browse Sainsbury's and look at carbs only.
Thank you again for mentioning the home tests. I am getting close to a new doctors review/blood test so may as well wait before considering a meter.
Hope I am not boring with probably previous topics but another few concerns,
(1) I have had couscous to replace potato's in salads - now very unsure if this is wise, believing all grains and nuts to be fine,
(2) changed to sourdough bread - again believing less sugar- but now unsure of the carbs.
(3) only half a digestive with morning coffee now seems silly as there can't be many carbs in a whole one?
Thank you so much for listening and advising.

This is where you might find using a meter might help. To see what suits you best.

 

[rebrascora]

1. New potatoes are in season at the moment and lower in carbs than mature potatoes so in my opinion they would be a better choice in salads than couscous which is wheat and all grains are high in carbs. No harm in having a small portion every now and then of any carbs when you are prediabetic, but just have half what you would normally have, so one Shredded Wheat instead of 2 is a good idea, but have something low carb and filling with it like creamy yoghurt or cream rather than milk and a few berries and seeds. If you had been diagnosed with full blown diabetes with a very high HbA1c you might have needed to be more strict but as you are prediabetic then small changes are all that is needed, so just reducing your portion size of carbs should do it rather than completely omitting items.

2 Some people find sour dough bread is better for their BG but many use seeded bread or low carb bread like Bergen or LiveLife a better option. Again, just go for half your normal portion and see how you get on.

3. There are both starches and sugar in digestives so personally I would try to break your mid morning carb habit and go with something more filling like cream in your coffee, or a chunk of cheese with it instead of something sweet like a biscuit. More fat and protein and less carbs will keep you feeling full for longer.... continually topping up with carbs by snacking between meals will keep your BG at a higher level for longer.

The above are just my personal opinion.