Hi and could I get some advice about good foods please

[rvf4uk]

Hi there, my Mum was diagnosed with type 2 recently and my sister and I want to put together a Christmas hamper with some goodies but just wondered if anyone could suggest some brands / food types that we could include.

She sadly has a sweet tooth and loves her carbs and with covid she is limited to grabbing what she can or what someone brings to her so not a good start.

Really appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Inamuddle]

Hi, i am very new to this board too so i'm really not sure that i should be giving advice. This actually seems like a massive question to answer. All diabetcs have varied food plans and needs. In answer to your question it is not just abount what foods but also in what quantity they are consumed. Things like lower sugar jam are better than normal jam. Some of the lower sugar sweets and biscuits are ok in small doses but they contain other things like sorbitol which is not always good. Fruit also contains sugar, but is better for you than chocolate.
I wouldn't suggest rushing out and buying low sugar things for the sake of it. It will depend on what your mum has been advised to do about her diet by her medical team/doctor. And perhaps some research on reducing her sugar /carbohydrate diet.

 

[Inka]

What kind of foods does she like and are you looking to put ‘cupboard items’ in only or will you include some fresh foods?

Is your mum on any medication?

 

[silentsquirrel]

Low sugar biscuits are sometimes higher in carbs than the normal version, so no better at all! Low sugar jams vary - if they are higher fruit, lower sugar they may be a bit lower carb, so slightly better than the standard version, but still not really to be encouraged. The fruit spreads with no sugar are made with concentrated fruit juice, and still high carb. It's all about reducing carbs, not just sugar!

Perhaps she would like some really good cheeses? Or nuts? Or dark chocolate? Or perhaps a selection of fruit teas?

 

[Inka]

I was thinking of cheese too. Alcohol like wines and spirits maybe? Smoked salmon, some nice seasoned roasted seeds and nuts, coffee, dark chocolate, posh mustard, preserved lemons, posh tinned fish, olives, etc

 

[Drummer]

Sugar free jelly - if you can shop and deliver to her then frozen fruit, stir fry, low carb veges and mixtures are all useful to have in the freezer - but I am assuming that there is a freezer. If there is then some low carb bread, Livlife loaves from Waitrose are good.
Tinned ham and corned beef might be options, along with salmon.

 

[rvf4uk]

Loving all these suggestions and its makes me a little tearful that you're all helping so much. I would love to know what she was told at the docs but guarantee she was more concerned about going outside for a cigarette than listening to the doc giving her dietary recommendations (think hand slap emoji!!!) I live in California so my sister does a lot of the shopping and some of these items I know my mum likes (minus the coffee lololol she's a proper BRIT, but with tons of milk and sweetener)

I have an Atkins diet book from the 90s stuck in my bottom drawer so will dig that out too. She is on so many meds from her new pacemaker, hip issues, arthritis, high blood pressure, serious aches and pains and know that so many of these healthier foods will hopefully relieve some of her other symptoms too. Now she has more limited mobility from ailments and restricted mobility from covid she has gained quite a bit of weight which I know is worse for diabetes.

Are dates good?

 

[Drummer]

Dates? No, sorry, too high in sugar.
I buy frozen strawberries, raspberries or mixed fruit - you need to check on the back to see which are the lowest carb option - there are usually a couple of choices on sale at any time. They can be eaten with cream and the sugar free jelly, or I get Greek full fat yoghurt. You can make a nice frothy dessert by adding yoghurt or cream to the jelly when it is just tepid, whist and then refrigerate. It makes you think you are getting more to eat.

 

[Badger07]

Hi there, my Mum was diagnosed with type 2 recently and my sister and I want to put together a Christmas hamper with some goodies but just wondered if anyone could suggest some brands / food types that we could include.

She sadly has a sweet tooth and loves her carbs and with covid she is limited to grabbing what she can or what someone brings to her so not a good start.

Really appreciate it.

Thanks

Here are a few of my "finds"

Low GI bread from Lidl, the best tasting low GI bread I've ever found.

Introduce her to Celeriac its a good low carb substitute for potato, you can add to stews instead of potatoes, use boiled and or mashed just like spuds. It makes great root vegetable mash or bubble and squeak ingredient. Works well in dauphinoise and last of all its smell is delicious. Butternut squash is another good potato substitute boil, mash or roast.

Try to get her eating oats, as porridge ideally, The method of oat flake production really changes the texture and appearance of the breakfast , I've found Sainsbury's Scottish porridge oats to be the nicest (and cheap too).

If she really need a sugar fix I've found a trifle made with sugar free jelly, sugar free custard, low sugar sponge, elmlea artificial cream and a can of fruit in natural juices (drained and rinsed) really tastes good and hits that craving without doing any damage and the rest of the family will enjoy it too.

Use Stevia sweeteners as tablet or powder, its a natural product and it is better for diabetics food digestion (I forget the science but artificial sweetners alter how the body handles food, not in a good way). Asda do cheap good quality own brand versions.

If a little treat is needed, chocolate is a good solution, a high 90%cocoa solids one leaves no room for sugar and its strong flavour and slow melting means a little goes a long way. A treat once every month or so will do little harm, diabetes is a slow disease with damage building very slowly over years of poor control.

The cure for diabetes is to lose weight, you could try something like the Atkins diet but a simpler more easy change is to eat when you are hungry, so move breakfast away from 08.00 in the morning until you are ready for it later in the day. In the afternoon move dinner to an earlier time say 4 or 5 o'clock. A meal at this time will fill you for the evening. You will probably find the need for lunch disappears and she will never be hungry. She will be eating in active periods of the day when food is used to fuel activity and not turned into fat.

 

[rebrascora]

Luxury items which are low carb that I would like and some of which I have treated myself to...
Nice pots/jars of olives, serrano ham, asparagus spears in a jar and or artichokes, dark 75+% chocolate, speciality cheeses, bottle of favourite spirit with low calorie mixer or champagne/prosecco, jar of nut butter or a selection of different ones.... nice to have a spoonful with the dark chocolate. Packet of luxury low carb granola... not sure what you have available out there... For me... Pork Scratchings would really light up my face... carb free but makes you feel terribly naughty... they are my guilty pleasure!
Having suffered from a sweet tooth all my life and having broken the habit as a result of my diagnosis, I personally think it is better not to encourage really sweet food even if artificial sweeteners are used, but everyone is different. It took me a good few weeks of cold turkey from sweet stuff to start really appreciating other flavours like savoury, sourness and bitterness. Now cheese is my new chocolate ie comfort food.

 

[helli]

I completely understand what you mean, @rv4uk, but to me the language we use is important. If I think of "good foods", I also think of "bad foods" and along with "bad foods" come guilt.
I would rather think of food that I enjoy which does not have a detrimental affect on my body. I avoid foods which cause a large spike such as macaroni cheese in the same way as I avoid foods that make me vomit such as coffee.
No one would describe coffee as bad it just doesn't suit me because I have an intolerance to it in the same way as someone with type 2 has an intolerance to carbs.

I do not mean to derail your thread and think buying a type 2 diabetes-friendly hamper for your mother is a fantastic idea. I hope she enjoys it and appreciated your efforts.

 

[rvf4uk]

Dates? No, sorry, too high in sugar.
I buy frozen strawberries, raspberries or mixed fruit - you need to check on the back to see which are the lowest carb option - there are usually a couple of choices on sale at any time. They can be eaten with cream and the sugar free jelly, or I get Greek full fat yoghurt. You can make a nice frothy dessert by adding yoghurt or cream to the jelly when it is just tepid, whist and then refrigerate. It makes you think you are getting more to eat.

She loves Greek Yoghurt, I had forgotten that!!

 

[rvf4uk]

Thanks guys, hoping other newbies will love this thread too. Mum is an insomniac and has had restless legs since the 90's when it was classed as 'in her head' so she stays up all night and sleeps until late morning so def doesn't eat breakfast and probably starts after lunch which I know isn't healthy. With me living so far away its hard to police her but she says she doesn't eat that much but I think that is why she reaches for sweets. When she comes to visit we get her on a kind of normal schedule (being 8 hours behind the UK) so normal time for her and she doesn't seem to pick but I have found the occasional sweet item hidden in her drawer, but its all definitely in moderation. Someone mentioned alcohol which she doesn't drink at home but my husband always gives her lager and black or a sweet cocktail here so I guess I also have to think about all this when she comes over next (after covid).

Yes sorry about the good foods call, I meant healthy but not just tasting of cardboard, with diabetes in mind lolol and the jello, jelly, yoghurt, frozen fruit, ham, cheese, granola, low carb breads, sweet potato, porridge, celeriac, squash, smoked salmon, tinned fish, stir fry, corn beef etc suggestions will make an amazing hamper and might just remind her what to re-order once she has gone through it. Nuts are difficult because of her teeth and I can't remember if she likes dark choc but maybe there is a brand that has something a little sweet to balance that strong taste to top off the basket.

And of course FORGOT about pork scratchings, jeez she used to love those in the 80s, along with dripping sandwich (green faced emoji), I am getting very excited at directing my poor sister to put all this together for us hahahahaha

 

[trophywench]

I don't have any problem with coffee and also rather enjoy a nice British cuppa - which weirdly to me - by 24 hours after being diagnosed and admitted to hospital in 1972 - I'd discovered quenched my thirst shedloads better without sugar than it ever did, with sugar. That was a lovely surprise!

But OMG - don't ever try and feed me oats. Disgusting!

And yet I was born in Staffordshire!

 

[grovesy]

Thanks guys, hoping other newbies will love this thread too. Mum is an insomniac and has had restless legs since the 90's when it was classed as 'in her head' so she stays up all night and sleeps until late morning so def doesn't eat breakfast and probably starts after lunch which I know isn't healthy. With me living so far away its hard to police her but she says she doesn't eat that much but I think that is why she reaches for sweets. When she comes to visit we get her on a kind of normal schedule (being 8 hours behind the UK) so normal time for her and she doesn't seem to pick but I have found the occasional sweet item hidden in her drawer, but its all definitely in moderation. Someone mentioned alcohol which she doesn't drink at home but my husband always gives her lager and black or a sweet cocktail here so I guess I also have to think about all this when she comes over next (after covid).

Yes sorry about the good foods call, I meant healthy but not just tasting of cardboard, with diabetes in mind lolol and the jello, jelly, yoghurt, frozen fruit, ham, cheese, granola, low carb breads, sweet potato, porridge, celeriac, squash, smoked salmon, tinned fish, stir fry, corn beef etc suggestions will make an amazing hamper and might just remind her what to re-order once she has gone through it. Nuts are difficult because of her teeth and I can't remember if she likes dark choc but maybe there is a brand that has something a little sweet to balance that strong taste to top off the basket.

And of course FORGOT about pork scratchings, jeez she used to love those in the 80s, along with dripping sandwich (green faced emoji), I am getting very excited at directing my poor sister to put all this together for us hahahahaha

It she has problems with teeth, with nuts, I would caution the Pork Scratching's the last time I had them I ended up with an expensive Dental Visit with a broken tooth.

 

[Drummer]

Maybe look for a recipe using ground nuts - that is nuts ground to a flour, to make biscuits which are low carb - there are lots on the internet, and crackers too. Almond or coconut are popular options.
I get ingredients from Amazon and Grapetree - I do have a Bamix device with a grinder so I can get whole nuts in larger bags which are a cheaper option and process them fresh each time, as the flours have a shorter shelf life.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope your Mum enjoys the hamper @rvf4uk

It's a bit of a leap to recognise that diabetes management involves all carbohydrates (not just the sweet and sugary ones) but there are lots of flavours, swaps, options and teaks you can make to old and new recipes that can make a moderate-lowish carb way of eating every bit as delicious (or perhaps even moreso) than the 'default' high carb choices.