Lily123
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No question is silly! Yes, it’s the carbs you’ll want to look at on packets.
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New Diagnosis This week
- Thread starter emz89
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Docb
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- Type 2
@emz89. Lily123 is absolutely right, look at the carb content on packets. You can look up carb contents for things not in packets thanks to the interweb. Type into your favourite search engine.... nutritional values "thingy" .... and you will get sites giving you the nutritional values for a "thingy". Just substitute what you are looking for, for thingy,
One thing I try and get people to understand that the numbers you get are always an estimate. They are rarely if ever actually measured. They are just a very good guess made by good guessers and are nowhere near as precise as the labels might suggest. This does not matter, just don't get hung up on small differences in carb level - you are looking for big differences.
You will also find that some labels will give you total carbs in the packet, some give you amount in a serving and others will give the amount in 100g. Can be a bit confusing to start with but you will get used to it especially if you appreciate the fuzziness in the numbers quoted and begin to divide stuff into broad categories like, high carb, low carb and medium carb.
If you have time and nothing to do check out the tomato soups in a supermarket - you might find half a dozen in some. Chances are you will find quite a wide range on carb contents on the labels. If tomato soup is your thing, go for the lowest carb - provided it tastes OK.
My message when getting into carbs and trying to control carb intake is not to overthink things or assume you have to go to extremes. You can go a long way by checking labels and making choices based on a broad rather than narrow view of the numbers. Much better than basing your choice on the fanciness of the packaging or the brand.
One thing I try and get people to understand that the numbers you get are always an estimate. They are rarely if ever actually measured. They are just a very good guess made by good guessers and are nowhere near as precise as the labels might suggest. This does not matter, just don't get hung up on small differences in carb level - you are looking for big differences.
You will also find that some labels will give you total carbs in the packet, some give you amount in a serving and others will give the amount in 100g. Can be a bit confusing to start with but you will get used to it especially if you appreciate the fuzziness in the numbers quoted and begin to divide stuff into broad categories like, high carb, low carb and medium carb.
If you have time and nothing to do check out the tomato soups in a supermarket - you might find half a dozen in some. Chances are you will find quite a wide range on carb contents on the labels. If tomato soup is your thing, go for the lowest carb - provided it tastes OK.
My message when getting into carbs and trying to control carb intake is not to overthink things or assume you have to go to extremes. You can go a long way by checking labels and making choices based on a broad rather than narrow view of the numbers. Much better than basing your choice on the fanciness of the packaging or the brand.
Felinia
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi and welcome
Lots of excellent advice in replies to your post.
I monitored for a few weeks and soon learned what foods did and did not affect my glucose levels. Now I just monitor for new foods. I started a food diary and was brutally honest. I record mine first thing on an app. I use NutraCheck but there are others. I experimented between 50 gm and 130gm, settling on 75 gm - 90gm. That's what suits me but we are all different. I keep digital scales and a clear bowl on my kitchen top and weigh my foods apart from above ground veggies and salads. You will be surprised just how many carbs are in even a small jacket potato. I looked for alternatives to various foods - for example, roasted squash wedges instead of chops or roast potato, cauliflower rice/mash, soybean pasta. In fact I enjoyed experimented with different foods, and increased my protein portions. I make a lot of soup now, to control what goes in - no thickeners like flour, potato or pasta. I also use my slow cooker a lot, for convenience.
With a busy job you might find exercise difficult, but I really recommend you find some "me" time. A walk after dinner, a swim on your day off, a cycle if there are suitable routes. Best wishes
Lots of excellent advice in replies to your post.
I monitored for a few weeks and soon learned what foods did and did not affect my glucose levels. Now I just monitor for new foods. I started a food diary and was brutally honest. I record mine first thing on an app. I use NutraCheck but there are others. I experimented between 50 gm and 130gm, settling on 75 gm - 90gm. That's what suits me but we are all different. I keep digital scales and a clear bowl on my kitchen top and weigh my foods apart from above ground veggies and salads. You will be surprised just how many carbs are in even a small jacket potato. I looked for alternatives to various foods - for example, roasted squash wedges instead of chops or roast potato, cauliflower rice/mash, soybean pasta. In fact I enjoyed experimented with different foods, and increased my protein portions. I make a lot of soup now, to control what goes in - no thickeners like flour, potato or pasta. I also use my slow cooker a lot, for convenience.
With a busy job you might find exercise difficult, but I really recommend you find some "me" time. A walk after dinner, a swim on your day off, a cycle if there are suitable routes. Best wishes
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Yes. I agree with others - it’s the total carb content you need to look at. The ‘of which sugars’ can be very misleading in diabetes terms, because it does not always accurately reflect the potential BG-raising impact, or even speed, of a food. Some foods, particularly breakfast cereals for me, can be high fibre and low sugar - but they still hit my BGs like a train.
Total carbohydrate seems more reliable to me, as the longer chains of starchy carbohydrate simply get broken down by the gut into glucose before entering the bloodstream.
Glad to hear you were feeling a bit better @emz89
It can take a little while for the blurriness in your eyes to resolve (the eyeballs change shape because high glucose levels change osmotic pressure in the eye), and hopefully the fatigue will begin to lift soon too. Don’t panic about this not happening instantly - it’s easier on the nerves and fine blood vessels for BG levels to normalise fairly gradually rather than lurch from high levels straight back down all in a hurry. This is a marathon, not a sprint 🙂
Hey Everyone. Nearly 2 weeks into my metformin. I up the dose to 2 tablets a day from Friday.
I ordered some test strips for a gluco rx meter my dad gave me. Good news is my GP has now prescribed them
Today I have my foot check. Eyes seem much better this week so far.
I ordered some test strips for a gluco rx meter my dad gave me. Good news is my GP has now prescribed them
Today I have my foot check. Eyes seem much better this week so far.
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