Nuts!

[HenryBennett]

I only eat natural nuts instead of salted. Pecan, macadamia, cashew, walnuts, brazil nuts. I buy them individually, and do my own mix. I don’t buy mixed nuts because they invariably contain almonds and often pistashio, both of which I dislike. I find that when I get bored at night, I have to chomp on something for my sanity. My other go to is crackers with different cheeses of which I am a huge fan.

Snap to all of that. I’ve tried mixed nuts and also fruit & nuts and don’t really like either.

I was very good last year but weakened over Christmas and haven’t totally clambered back on to the waggon. I’ve given up crisps and potato based snacks all together - I’ve not eaten a single crisp since being in hospital a year ago. It’s only this last couple of weeks that I started on salted peanuts but need to stop. The only way for me to stop snacking is simply not to have any in the house. I’ve stopped buying crackers. I clearly need to call on my willpower again.

 

[danielmg]

I enjoy having a portion of mixed nuts (i.e. cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts) with some low carb flavoured yoghurt. A lot of variety as I can change the types of nuts or yoghurt depending on preferences.

My favourite nuts at the moment however are Macadamias. Very nice texture, although can be quite expensive so I only have them occasionally as a treat.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Snap to all of that. I’ve tried mixed nuts and also fruit & nuts and don’t really like either.

I was very good last year but weakened over Christmas and haven’t totally clambered back on to the waggon. I’ve given up crisps and potato based snacks all together - I’ve not eaten a single crisp since being in hospital a year ago. It’s only this last couple of weeks that I started on salted peanuts but need to stop. The only way for me to stop snacking is simply not to have any in the house. I’ve stopped buying crackers. I clearly need to call on my willpower again.

I couldn’t live without crackers, my favourites are Ryvita and Crackerbread. I think many diabetics find Christmas difficult. I kniw I ate a whole lot of things I shouldn’t. But, the thing that has bothered me most has been the lockdown.

 

[Bloden]

My fav nuts are M&S almonds - nice n crunchy (not like Tesco’s which are a bit rubbery). All other nuts, nut butters and seeds are by me. In fact, him indoors came up with a lower-carb version of tabbouleh by using crushed toasted hazelnuts instead of cracked wheat, yum!

 

[HenryBennett]

lower-carb version of tabbouleh by using crushed toasted hazelnuts instead of cracked wheat, yum

Sounds nice.

 

[HenryBennett]

I couldn’t live without crackers, my favourites are Ryvita and Crackerbread. I think many diabetics find Christmas difficult. I kniw I ate a whole lot of things I shouldn’t. But, the thing that has bothered me most has been the lockdown.

I liked Ryvita for a short time only.
The first lockdown was bearable but each thereafter has been increasingly difficult and this latest one is just horrible.
These lockdowns remind me of a stock take I had to do many, many years ago in Bristol on New Year’s Day. It was a frozen food storage facility with a temperature of minus 30°C.
We were provided with all the necessary clothing including special boots and gloves. Working in -30° seemed okay but after about 40 minutes we had to come out to get warm, then back in again. Second time in we could only take it for 20-25 minutes before coming and the third time it was 10 minutes and thereafter we didn’t have the fortitude to go in at all.
This is how I’ve felt with the lockdown, and I certainly hope we don’t have a fourth one!

 

[Leadinglights]

I think that is what a lot of people thought, Oh not again. I'm afraid too many people didn't take it seriously enough and flouted the rules or others who were put in difficult situations making it hard to keep to the rules with physical limitations on space to allow social distancing and wearing a mask if you wear glasses is a nightmare as they steam up no matter what you do. No chance of reading the carbs on the back of a food packet.
Incidentally you might like Ryvita thins rather than standard Ryvita.

 

[HenryBennett]

you might like Ryvita thins rather than standard Ryvita

I liked the protein Ryvitas for a few weeks, but the same old problem set in, in that they are just so dry. Even with hummus.
I have a friend who was complaining about youngsters milling around outside McDonalds. She said that the police should disperse them with riot shields and rubber bullets. I thought she was joking but, no, she was serious😱😱

 

[Leadinglights]

I liked the protein Ryvitas for a few weeks, but the same old problem set in, in that they are just so dry. Even with hummus.
I have a friend who was complaining about youngsters milling around outside McDonalds. She said that the police should disperse them with riot shields and rubber bullets. I thought she was joking but, no, she was serious😱😱

Maybe try the Ryvitas with something not so dry like a tuna pate (tinned tuna mixed with a dolop mayo and lemon juice) or brie or philidelphia with cucumber. The reason I like them is because they are crunchy.

 

[grovesy]

I always think of Ryvita as 70's diet food, that did not travel well in Tupperware!

 

[Leadinglights]

I always think of Ryvita as 70's diet food, that did not travel well in Tupperware!

Then a lot of things didn't travel well in tupperware, they always had a plastic taste.
I remember Energen rolls which tasted like sawdust.

 

[HenryBennett]

Maybe try the Ryvitas with something not so dry like a tuna pate (tinned tuna mixed with a dolop mayo and lemon juice) or brie or philidelphia with cucumber. The reason I like them is because they are crunchy.

I like the fact they’re crunchy but I might have got lazy and not bothered with butter.

 

[grovesy]

Then a lot of things didn't travel well in tupperware, they always had a plastic taste.
I remember Energen rolls which tasted like sawdust.

Never tried those but sold a few in my time used to work in a Pharmacy. Nimble was the only slimming bread I tried a bit like eating air.
Never noticed the plastic taste of Tupperware myself.

 

[Annette&Bert]

I do think the country has had enough of lockdown, at least those worthy souls with intelligence to have stuck to the rules, which includes me. If I had a relative in a nursing home, however, I would want any staff who refuses to have the vaccine to be sacked, no ifs, buts. In the past up to 2014 my aunt was in a terrific nursing home which I have since recommended to others, she had vascular dementia and died aged 94. If we had the virus then, I am fairly willing to bet, as I knew the staff, owners and carers that none would have refused.
Getting back to the topic of ryvita, I hate the thins, but they break up too easily when you try to spread on them, so that's a no no for me.
I am told there are many low to very low carb crackers out there, yet I can't seem to pin them down, hence I go for Crackerbread which I love, and ordinary Ryvita. I so miss dunking my crusty white loaf in my soup, no bread comes anywhere close, so crackers don't hit the spot with my soup either.

 

[HenryBennett]

If we had the virus then, I am fairly willing to bet, as I knew the staff, owners and carers that none would have refused.

I’ve a sister in law and brother in law who own and manage care homes. They got vaccinated as soon as they could, and both have already had the two doses. I’m waiting on the second.

It sounds as though you are going for a super low carb diet? I started by cutting out pretty well all carbs I could. But I’m a year on now and would say I’m somewhere between low and medium. Instead of two slices of toast I’ll have one. I’ve halved the quantity of both rice and pasta and eat them half as frequently - so a 75% reduction. I rarely have potatoes - possibly once a fortnight. No sweets or crisps. I don’t drink any less wine than I used to but never drink cider, ale, beer or lager. Guinness occasionally. I prick my finger regularly, at least every day in the morning.

So I’m reasonably settled but am finding it hard to hit my ultimate target weight.

Is a slice (or two) of crusty bread out of the freezer too much for you? A shame if it is.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Henry, the thing is our body needs carbs, but less if you are diabetic of course. I tend to think that we can have something like pasta which I love, but just once a fortnight or even once a month for one meal, but not every day or even once a week, I see it as a treat. Unfortunately, there is not a bread that is not white that I like, and I have tried them all. Therefore, as much as I like bread if I had white, I couldn’t resist having more than one slice even, as I have done kept it in the freezer. I love cheese on toast. I love cheese full stop. I have loads of chedder, Full fat soft and Continental cheeses in my fridge as well as olives and cream cheese stuffed little peppers. Cheese has no carbs but are full fat, so I still have to be careful.

I don’t like a breakfast but it is normal for me to stick to eggs in one form, however today my breakfast was actually at 1pm because I didn’t fancy it in the morning, ran out of eggs so hey presto I had sliced beans, diced carrots and smoked mackeral, all done in my steamer. It was delicious.

As for fluids, I love wine and a Bombay Sapphire, ice and slice of lime, but I have had not one since I was diagnosed in 2016. I drink a lot of sparkling water between 2 and 3 litres a day, this is not since being diabetic, however, I have been doing this since the 80s for no other reason, except being good for skin, than I just like it and sometimes put slices of lemon and mint in. Coffee black is what I drink all the time,

 

[HenryBennett]

@Annette&Bertie, yes, white crusty bread I used to go to France regularly and came back with sore gums!

 

[Drummer]

Every time I see the title of this thread I think about the advert - Nuts! Whole hazel nuts. Cadburys take them and cover them with chocolate - to a rhythm which might be calypso.
You can use nuts and seeds to make low carb crackers which are rather good, just don't burn them.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Every time I see the title of this thread I think about the advert - Nuts! Whole hazel nuts. Cadburys take them and cover them with chocolate - to a rhythm which might be calypso.
You can use nuts and seeds to make low carb crackers which are rather good, just don't burn them.

Thanks Drummer but I prefer having them ready made LoL

 

[Newbie777]

Interesting read,

My snacking is very limited to about 30g of cheese, but since I run out of walnuts. am snacking on almonds about 30 throughout the day.

Peanuts, well they are in a totally different category aren't they and so so addictive, I can't start a bag and then stop half way.

I guess the good bit is you know they are unhealthy in terms of salt or saturated fat and for everyday is best avoiding them.

But enjoying food and a treat now and then is essential for me, including cakes, pies, pizza and of course peanuts.