My MP and There is no such thing as a Diabetic diet

[Jenny105]

Sorry to hear you are feeling so frustrated and almost don’t want to bother any more @Jenny105

I suppose the other option is simply not to worry so much about the nutritional info panels, and just use a BG meter to check how you respond to the food instead?

Are there particular things you are checking labels and fine print for? Fat and salt content will probably be shown on the traffic light labelling, much larger on the front?

Sadly the obsession with Calories means that they are listed on the front of food packs rather than the more useful and scientific Carbs.

@DaveB Exactly. I cook most of my main meals but need to know the contents of the ingredients. I mostly cook my own desserts. Ive followed snacks from Meal plan 1800 but it would be nice to find some suitable snacks from off the shelf occasional soup supplemented with the veg of the day etc. Im a type 2 with a little insulin Im trying to put ON weight!! Ive manged 4 kilos thus far but have about another 2- 4 kilos to go. To reach around 52kg.

 

[Jenny105]

I was quoting from an article I read recently. Take a look:-

How plant-based meat substitutes could be hurting our health

Vegans eat more ultra-processed foods than any other diet. How bad is that really for health and the environment?

www.euronews.com

Martin.A Interesting , I was more focussed in how a movement could impact the supermarket shelves and the general public. Wondering why there isnt pressure to eat healthily.
I do volunteer at a foodbank cafe and I am fully aware that there are a large proportion of people are seeming to have to eat the cheapest food and drinks

 

[Jenny105]

Sorry to hear you are feeling so frustrated and almost don’t want to bother any more @Jenny105

I suppose the other option is simply not to worry so much about the nutritional info panels, and just use a BG meter to check how you respond to the food instead?

Are there particular things you are checking labels and fine print for? Fat and salt content will probably be shown on the traffic light labelling, much larger on the front?

Sorry Im having techy probs replying . I used to get in trouble with my DN for using too many strips, testing for things. I was told to buy my own. Now the fact I need small insulin dose that scenario has changed.
*Am I right in thinking i should use my glucose monitor b4 and 2hrs after and say 8hrs after 'suspect' foods
I can have problems with white flour, sugar, (as in a cafe scone or cake) white bread, melon .
My son brought us some biscuits from France as a gift for pet sitting. I tried one of each tonight, so far so good 7.5 2 1/2 after the meal i added them too.
Is there somewhere on site about testing for ones weaknesses? Ive read about acceptable readings but always forget what they are
Would it be helpful to have a post to mention possible members good finds eg Alpro no sugar yogurt and Luvlife Seeded bread 3 carbs

 

[Jenny105]

I was quoting from an article I read recently. Take a look:-

How plant-based meat substitutes could be hurting our health

Vegans eat more ultra-processed foods than any other diet. How bad is that really for health and the environment?

www.euronews.com

Martin.A Interesting , I was more focussed in how a movement could impact the supermarket shelves and the general public. It got me wondering why there isnt pressure to eat healthily.
I do volunteer at a foodbank cafe and I am fully aware that there are a large proportion of people are seeming to have to eat the cheapest food and drinks

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Is there somewhere on site about testing for ones weaknesses? Ive read about acceptable readings but always forget what they are

You can see the recommended levels towards the end of this page: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing

Also some of the links here, https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/#post-938458 particularly this one https://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I can have problems with white flour, sugar, (as in a cafe scone or cake) white bread, melon .
My son brought us some biscuits from France as a gift for pet sitting. I tried one of each tonight, so far so good 7.5 2 1/2 after the meal i added them too.

Some of those items are going to be pretty tricky on the blood glucose levels for sure!

The standard recommended levels used to be 4-7 before meals and no higher than 8.5mmol/L by 2hrs after starting to eat a meal.

Good to hear you seemed to get a good level by adding the biscuit after a meal. That can be the way to slow the absorption of faster carbs by adding them to a substantial slowly-absorbed meal, so it all gets mixed up in the stomach.

Would it be helpful to have a post to mention possible members good finds eg Alpro no sugar yogurt and Luvlife Seeded bread 3 carbs

I think the problem with any standardised lists is that people don’t always respond to foods in the same way - so one person’s go-to option would not necessarily work well for someone else

 

[Jenny105]

Some of those items are going to be pretty tricky on the blood glucose levels for sure!

The standard recommended levels used to be 4-7 before meals and no higher than 8.5mmol/L by 2hrs after starting to eat a meal.

Good to hear you seemed to get a good level by adding the biscuit after a meal. That can be the way to slow the absorption of faster carbs by adding them to a substantial slowly-absorbed meal, so it all gets mixed up in the stomach.



I think the problem with any standardised lists is that people don’t always respond to foods in the same way - so one person’s go-to option would not necessarily work well for someone else

I got off to a poor start by being 'unusual' and by having a DN who didnt think I should have targets. Post Covid there are no local groups which I gather used to be the case. So Ive floundered , employing a dietician for while as I could eat very few foods. After her reccommendation to my GP re insulin and after obtaining a new glucose reader I'm improving. I tried the learning zone. Are there any other basic courses or site areas which might put me wise to basic info. It was news to me that diabetics react differently to differing foodstuffs. Thanks for your support. May be MPS should be asking Drs and Diabtic Nurses to give basic instruction and aims after diagnosis 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Which insulin(s) are you using @Jenny105 ?

Do you take separate long-acting for background, and a different insulin for meals?

 

[helli]

Am I right in thinking i should use my glucose monitor b4 and 2hrs after and say 8hrs after 'suspect' foods

I am not sure what is the value testing 2 hours after eating if you take insulin which is still working at around 4 hours.
I thought the 2 hour post eating testing was to check how your natural insulin reaction copes with the food. Unfortunately, injected insulin does not work as fast.

 

[MrPixels]

Sadly the obsession with Calories means that they are listed on the front of food packs rather than the more useful and scientific Carbs.

Amen to that...and in slightly larger font size, so that I don't have to keep putting my glasses on every time I pick something up to check...

 

[rebrascora]

Martin.A Interesting , I was more focussed in how a movement could impact the supermarket shelves and the general public. It got me wondering why there isnt pressure to eat healthily.
I do volunteer at a foodbank cafe and I am fully aware that there are a large proportion of people are seeming to have to eat the cheapest food and drinks

I am pretty sure the change comes when the food industry sees a marketing and profit opportunity rather than market pressure itself. The same happened with "diabetes friendly" foods until they were stopped. I believe the traffic light system of labeling was government instigated across the board with food labelling but has fallen short of what is actually helpful for people.

Your comment about your friends not being able to buy the "diabetic friendly" treats they used to enjoy, made it sound like you were thinking a return to that option was a good idea but it really isn't. Listing carb content in clear print on the front of a product would be very helpful but you seem to confuse the issue with your comment about "a diabetic diet" or "diabetic friendly treats" which is less helpful.

I think that you will find the LivLife bread and Alpro Yoghurt are both UPFs and whilst I appreciate that this post is not about Ultra Processed Foods they are examples of how good marketing overrides people's understanding of what is healthy and natural and possibly even good for the planet. Real dairy natural Greek yoghurt has no added sugar and is not a UPF and works well in a low carb diet and is not a branded product. There is a concern that UPFs may lead towards obesity and potentially cause diabetes so there is a possible connection that needs to be considered within this topic and is probably as relevant as discussing vegetarian products.

@helli I take your point about processed meats but I do think that people have been brainwashed into believing that vegetarian and vegan ready meals are healthier for them as well as better for the planet and I am not sure that either is the case and in fact concerned that they may actually be less so in many cases.
I very much doubt that the members of this forum are a representative sample of society in general or even the diabetes community, so it is hard to gauge general opinion and understanding from it, but I do think we need to be aware of all the issues and they are much more complex than we are lead to believe and there are no easy fixes or right answers. We have to work hard at maintaining our health and educating ourselves and my diabetes has probably made me scrutinize that much more than I would otherwise have done and I think that may be true for many here. I think the food industry has become a potentially toxic factor in our lives and we need to at least keep our eyes and minds open to that and choose mostly whole foods where possible. Packaging and labelling of foods is probably mostly marketing opportunity, so it is an area to be suspicious of and needs to be legislated very, very carefully in my opinion.

 

[Sarahp]

I have a feeling that in 10years time, the consumption of all these highly manufactured vegetarian products will be an issue for people's health too so I am not sure that they are necessarily a good example. To me, the best we can do for ourselves is to cook from scratch as much as possible and stop buying these industrially produced foods.

Veggie here and totally agree, some are so high in salt or preservatives or other things to make them taste better, I batch cook my own ready meals when my hands work enough, that way I know exactly what’s involved. Recently went out for husband’s big 50 special birthday for breakfast and was denied service as I have a preservative allergy, I even asked for plain wholemeal toast and was told it was in that… just shows what’s hidden in plain sight.

 

[helli]

As a home bread baker, I have become very aware of the preservatives in shop bought bread.
For example, I took a loaf of home baked sourdough out of the freezer yesterday and cut off a slice. Where I sliced, it is dry already. In contrast, more than a week ago, I bought a loaf of sliced granary bread. It has been nowhere near the freezer: just sitting in the wrapper on top of my microwave. A week after opening it, it is still soft.
Whilst the shop bought loaf tastes ok, I would far prefer the loaf made with nothing but flour, water and a pinch of salt.

 

[Drummer]

These days I can't eat a lot of processed foods because it is revoltingly over sweetened - but I now taste the sweetness in things such as peas and beetroot, though it means I can make icecream out of them.
I usually drink coffee, various teas and diluted lemon juice, but I decided to get some sugar free 'summer berry' squash. It doesn't taste of berries to me.
I really don't know how the entire food industry could be changed to supply what I think is being requested, nor how people would survive without the awful but cheap things on the shelves these days.

 

[wantonnoodle]

There has been a lot of work recently put in the public forum regarding the quality of our food. When we had a new kitchen last year, needless to say we lived off ready meals a lot of the time, and my GP couldn't understand why, despite having increased my metformin just beforehand, my HbA1c went up, until I told him about the temporary change in diet. He pointed out the presence of hidden sugars in such pre-prepared food. As a consequence, I started to look at cutting out as many packaged foods as I could and cooking from scratch as far as I can.

Just after that, I became aware of Chris van Tulleken's work regarding Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs). These are food like substances which are produced by the major manufacturers that feature heavily in our diets (low fat mayonnaise, shop bought bread, kids breakfast cereals etc). In short if they have more than 5 ingredient and/or they have ingredients which would not be found in a domestic kitchen they are UPFs. Chris wrote a lengthy but fascinating book called "Ultra-Processed People", and it has been proven that things like preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners etc mess with our metabolism and appetite regulation and have been linked to Diabetes, hypertension and other chronic health issues.

There was an episode of Panorama produced about this, and a podcast (Series 1 of "A thorough examination with Drs Chris and Xand") on BBC sounds, which give a good feel for the subject.

As such, I am trying to reduce the UPFs in my diet, along with controlling portion sizes and types of carbs to keep my sugars in check. I've gone back to full fat mayo, yogurt and creme fraiche, and feel much better for it. Time will tell with regard to my HbA1c.

 

[wantonnoodle]

As a home bread baker, I have become very aware of the preservatives in shop bought bread.
For example, I took a loaf of home baked sourdough out of the freezer yesterday and cut off a slice. Where I sliced, it is dry already. In contrast, more than a week ago, I bought a loaf of sliced granary bread. It has been nowhere near the freezer: just sitting in the wrapper on top of my microwave. A week after opening it, it is still soft.
Whilst the shop bought loaf tastes ok, I would far prefer the loaf made with nothing but flour, water and a pinch of salt.

If you're near a Waitrose, try looking for Bertinet sourdough. Not cheap, but has no preservatives in it and is made how you would at home.

 

[helli]

If you're near a Waitrose, try looking for Bertinet sourdough. Not cheap, but has no preservatives in it and is made how you would at home.

Bertinet is based in my home town - Richard Bertinet runs a cookery school here and they have a couple of bakeries outside of Waitrose. I have had some of his very tasty (and very expensive) pastries.
Thankfully, I have a sourdough starter in my fridge and know how cheap it is to bake - literally just add flour, water and a pinch of salt, leave to rest (no need for kneading) and bake. So I usually have a few loaves in my freezer for toasties.

 

[Sarahp]

As a home bread baker, I have become very aware of the preservatives in shop bought bread.
For example, I took a loaf of home baked sourdough out of the freezer yesterday and cut off a slice. Where I sliced, it is dry already. In contrast, more than a week ago, I bought a loaf of sliced granary bread. It has been nowhere near the freezer: just sitting in the wrapper on top of my microwave. A week after opening it, it is still soft.
Whilst the shop bought loaf tastes ok, I would far prefer the loaf made with nothing but flour, water and a pinch of salt.

My mum in law saw something on tv about sourdough being better for certain isdues, she refused to believe that supermarket cheap sourdough is


Edit…. Meant to add cheap sourdough is not the real version mentioned in the media, what she’s now buying has additional extras to add flavour and won’t believe me she needs to buy from a decent source or bake her own if she wants to see the benefits, she won’t trust me because she found out my mince in cooking is soya based and feels I lied to her because she could not taste the difference when I make what I told her was a vegetarian lasagne one day, and she wonders why I don’t cook for her anymore?

 

[helli]

My mum in law saw something on tv about sourdough being better for certain isdues, she refused to believe that supermarket cheap sourdough is

I am with your Mum-in law. Sadly, many of the cheap supermarket "sourdough" loaves are not made with a long prove but with added "flavouring".

 

[Sarahp]

I am with your Mum-in law. Sadly, many of the cheap supermarket "sourdough" loaves are not made with a long prove but with added "flavouring".

Sorry you misunderstood, my mum in law believes the cheap supermarket bread is real sourdough and whinges that it’s not helping her tummy, she won’t believe my explanation or books that it’s just got added flavouring and is almost the same as the other supermarket bread on sale
despite my many efforts to offer to bake her real fresh sourdough from scratch (ex chef so bake same method to you).