Pasta - Is it true that .........?

[MissDaisy]

Hi DUK members

True or False? Internet says if you cook pasta the day before and reheat 12+ later (ie next day) that the pasta doesn’t cause such a high carb load to Diabetics.

Seems to be based on research, however I wanted to know your opinions and how pasta affects your BG level.

Are there any pasta substitutes?

Interested to read your replies

MisssDaisy 🙂

P.S. Been doing LCHF since joining forum and I started Gliclazide yesterday and for the first time since diagnosis BG readings between 6-10 !! 🙂

 

[Thebearcametoo]

The carbs become resistant starch so are absorbed slower (they behave more like fibre) which helps avoid spikes but they still contain the same amount of carbs for carb counting purposes. There are lots of articles about resistant starches if you want all the details.

 

[Sally71]

Yes apparently that is true, but I don’t think reheated pasta tastes very nice!

 

[rebrascora]

I am of the opinion that it is a bit like the concept of GI. Some people's digestive system will ignore the concept and digest it just the same if it is high GI or low GI whereas another person might find that low GI really works for them and they can get away with the likes of porridge or reheated pasta and most people will be somewhere in between.
The cooled and reheated pasta still contains the same carbs but in a slightly less digestible or lower GI form for some people but maybe not for others whose digestive system is happy to break down all carbs at record breaking speeds regardless of how or when they were cooked.
If you think about it, most ready meals are cooked and then chilled and just need reheating, so they would come under this situation but you count the carbs they contain just the same.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

The pasta substitute I like best is Konjac Shirataki noodles.

They make udon noodles and spaghetti style and rice style and wok style. They are almost entirely fibre and have a texture a lot like tapioca. Once you stop wanting them to actually be pasta and learn to enjoy them for their own 'personality' they are brilliant. About ten calories for a generous portion and no carbs and they are good for your digestion too. If you ever had glass noodles they are most like them and they have been eaten in Asia for centuries.

 

[Drummer]

Not for me - my gut just sees it as a challenge.

 

[MissDaisy]

Not for me - my gut just sees it as a challenge.

Hi Drummer,

What a shame - seems to work for me as I tried it yesterday only went up to a BG of 9.3

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Drummer]

Hi Drummer,
What a shame - seems to work for me as I tried it yesterday only went up to a BG of 9.3
Thanks for all the replies!

That would be a total failure for me - I aim for under 7.6 at 2 hours after beginning to eat.

 

[ianf0ster]

I tried it with pasta and no noticeable difference 2hrs after first bite, unfortunately.
Also as has been pointed out, even or those for whom the carb spike is lower, the total amount of carbs is the same.
So unless they have a poor digestion of carbs (unlikely for a Type 2 Diabetic), it will just take a little longer to absorb and thus may affect their pre-meal level for the next meal.

 

[MissDaisy]

That would be a total failure for me - I aim for under 7.6 at 2 hours after beginning to eat.

Ah OK is BG 9.3 not good - should I be aiming for lower?

I’ve been aiming for between 6-10. Since adding Gliclazide I’ve been around 6 or 7 on waking.

MissDaisy 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Ah OK is BG 9.3 not good - should I be aiming for lower?

I’ve been aiming for between 6-10. Since adding Gliclazide I’ve been around 6 or 7 on waking.

MissDaisy 🙂

My opinion as a T1 is that 9.3 is perfectly respectable... I think the last time NICE published BG targets for T2s they were to aim for 4-7 before meals, and less than 8.5 by 2 hours after meals.

So 9.3 is pretty close in my book (the T1 guidance for after meals is 9) 🙂

 

[Browser]

I have found that going a step further and actually freezing portions of pasta (120 gms), then reheating when required helps. I boil a quantity till not quite al dente, then, from frozen, I finish cooking in fast boiling water. The consistency is very good. I do the same with mashed potato. I make a quantity, bag into portions of 150 gms and reheat from frozen for four minutes in the microwave. This method certainly reduces the BG spike for me.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

I made keto (ish) ravioli from my own recipe pasta dough using a ravioli mould from Amazon!!

My pasta is made with vital wheat gluten, oat fibre, almond mush left over from when I made almond milk this morning and xanthan gum. I add some garlic powder and some oregano as well.
I brushed the ravioli maker with lots of olive oil.
First of all once I laid my pasta onto the ravioli maker it was pretty clear that roling over the tray would not work for this pastry which is very elastic due to the xanthan gum.

I used my silicone spatula to cut and press the ravioli into place no knives here. Silicone is your friend and will keep the ravioli maker safe from scratches.

I filled the ravioli wells with Boursin cheese using little silicone spoons which are exactly the right size for this job and are easier to use than metal ones as they have no chance of tearing or digging into the pasta and ruining the ravioli.

Then I rolled out another sheet of keto pasta and popped it on top.
There is no worry about whether the keto pasta layers will bond they would fuse together from across the room if you let them!! I use the handle of my spatula to press them down between the raviolis and then I flipped the whole thing over and pushed down on the bottom of the ravioli maker and it punched out the outer edges and most of the way around each individual ravioli.

Then I flipped it all back and finished separating the raviolis using my spatula.

The spatula helped me release the raviolis from their molds. They aren't perfect but for my first attempt I am quite pleased.

I didn't trust my pasta to hold up in boiling water so I cooked them in a sauce made of a tin of chopped tomatoes and oregano.


I oiled the glass dish with olive oil as well to be on the safe side.

I cooked them in my halogen oven at 170C for twenty minutes and they were delicious.
See images of the finished dish and the individual 'test ravioli' cut open to see how it worked.

My husband who is not on a keto diet wants me to make them again.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Ah OK is BG 9.3 not good - should I be aiming for lower?

I’ve been aiming for between 6-10. Since adding Gliclazide I’ve been around 6 or 7 on waking.

MissDaisy 🙂

Many people have their own targets.
You need to look at what is recommended, and then decide what you are happy with.
If you want to push the goalposts closer together, or further apart, make the choice you can achieve without massively disrupting your life.
Then when you are there, review your targets.
I made mine the same as a non diabetic, and that works for me, but I wouldn't tell other people what they should do, as we all have different starting points, and different treatments and symptoms.

 

[Drummer]

With my target of less than 7.6 after eating I see Hba1c of 42, the very top of normal, and have got the same result for several years now. Of course we are all different in our responses, and I think I am particularly broken after all the low fat low calorie diets I have been pushed onto, so I am not saying that everyone should be aiming so low, just warning that for some, over 8mmol/l after eating is not a good idea.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

How to check your blood sugar levels

Knowing your blood sugar levels helps you manage your diabetes and reduces your risk of having serious complications – now and in the future. On this page:

www.diabetes.org.uk

What is HbA1c?

HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below. If you're at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, your target HbA1c level should be below 42mmol/mol (6%).

www.diabetes.org.uk