Snacks

[luke633]

Hi all, I'm wondering what people have for snacks in-between meals?
Atm I have nuts/90% dark chocolate and fruit which is great but I know I will get bored of it at some point. Thanks

 

[Martin.A]

Hi all, I'm wondering what people have for snacks in-between meals?
Atm I have nuts/90% dark chocolate and fruit which is great but I know I will get bored of it at some point. Thanks

I snack on nuts, extra dark chocolate and fruit too plus I always have nut bars or cereal bars in the larder - Nature Valley, KIND, Plants for example. Many of them are 10% carb or thereabouts and some are less than that, so not a big carb hit if I have one.

 

[helli]

@luke633 as you have type 1 and insulin, you can snack on whatever you want provided you take insulin.
If you want to avoid insulin between meals, you can also snack on things like cheese and olives.
When I was on MDI, I was advised I could eat up to 10g of carbs between meals.

 

[Inka]

Hi all, I'm wondering what people have for snacks in-between meals?
Atm I have nuts/90% dark chocolate and fruit which is great but I know I will get bored of it at some point. Thanks

I have flapjacks, oatcakes, fruit, brownies, chocolate milk (homemade) with an apple, popcorn - lots of things. Depending on the carbs, what I’m doing afterwards and when I last ate, etc I bolus if needed or don’t bolus if I think I won’t need it.

@luke633 Practice makes perfect! Find snacks you want to eat and then see what works for you bolus-wise.

 

[Martyn P]

@luke633 as you have type 1 and insulin, you can snack on whatever you want provided you take insulin.
If you want to avoid insulin between meals, you can also snack on things like cheese and olives.
When I was on MDI, I was advised I could eat up to 10g of carbs between meals.

I have Type 1 Diabetes 54 years and when diagnosed Specialist had Type 1 Diabetes and said not to eat ANY THING WITH NORMAL CHOCOLATE, AS THIS IS UNSAFEAND NOT TO EAT. I am am now in good condition all these years later not eating any normal chocolate as has sugar in it and will cause problems.

 

[helli]

I have Type 1 Diabetes 54 years and when diagnosed Specialist had Type 1 Diabetes and said not to eat ANY THING WITH NORMAL CHOCOLATE, AS THIS IS UNSAFEAND NOT TO EAT. I am am now in good condition all these years later not eating any normal chocolate as has sugar in it and will cause problems.

Things have changed a lot in 54 years such as CGMs, basal bolus insulin regime, etc. I do not think we should be limited by rules defined due to limitations in old tech.
With Type 1, sugar does not cause problems, wrong insulin doses cause problems.
I was diagnosed 20 years ago, was never told chocolate (or any other food) was UNSAFE so happily ate it and learnt to dose my bolus insulin to ensure my BG is not too high or too low after eating it. I have no complications due to diabetes, I am not overweight and, apart from my current (non-diabetes) sports injury, I am much fitter than others of my age.

 

[Martyn P]

Yes Doctors here in England also only go by results of 2 weeks readings from Sensors, I suppose you go by there readings as well and go by Sensor results. Well I know from experience they as not always accurate and this has been confirmed by the makers Abbotts, that you should take a blood test if readings LO (LOW) as Sensor not always safe. That was said from Abbotts themselves said from there top people.
Things have changed but varies with different people, but I had friend who Dad is a Pharmacist and had to change his Insulin from Human to Animal Type Insulin as he was getting side affects. This improved when Insulin was changed by his Dad to Animal Type and this less than 20 years, so you would say this incorrect then. You say a Pharmacist is wrong then?
It ok if you inject more to maybe eat bit chocolate but you have to be careful. My Father had Type 2 Diabetes when in he's late 60's early 70's diagnosed and eat bits of normal chocolate and became partial blind in both eyes, so only saw things as blur, due to eating small amounts of normal chocolate. This may not happen to all but can affect some people and you not find out till you older?

 

[Inka]

I have Type 1 Diabetes 54 years and when diagnosed Specialist had Type 1 Diabetes and said not to eat ANY THING WITH NORMAL CHOCOLATE, AS THIS IS UNSAFEAND NOT TO EAT. I am am now in good condition all these years later not eating any normal chocolate as has sugar in it and will cause problems.

That’s totally untrue now. Of course Type 1s can eat chocolate! The recommended diet for Type 1s is the same healthy diet recommended for non-diabetics. We just need to think more.

I’ve eat a bar of Dairy Milk today with no problems at all. My blood sugar has been below 8 all day. I’ve also eaten plenty of normal chocolate over the decades and it’s definitely not unsafe!!

That bar of Dairy Milk is no more unsafe than a bowl of wholemeal pasta or a potato. All those foods turn to glucose, even the sugar free pasta and potato. An incorrect bolus for pasta can easily cause higher blood sugar than a bar of chocolate.

 

[Inka]

Yes Doctors here in England also only go by results of 2 weeks readings from Sensors, I suppose you go by there readings as well and go by Sensor results. Well I know from experience they as not always accurate and this has been confirmed by the makers Abbotts, that you should take a blood test if readings LO (LOW) as Sensor not always safe. That was said from Abbotts themselves said from there top people.
Things have changed but varies with different people, but I had friend who Dad is a Pharmacist and had to change his Insulin from Human to Animal Type Insulin as he was getting side affects. This improved when Insulin was changed by his Dad to Animal Type and this less than 20 years, so you would say this incorrect then. You say a Pharmacist is wrong then?
It ok if you inject more to maybe eat bit chocolate but you have to be careful. My Father had Type 2 Diabetes when in he's late 60's early 70's diagnosed and eat bits of normal chocolate and became partial blind in both eyes, so only saw things as blur, due to eating small amounts of normal chocolate. This may not happen to all but can affect some people and you not find out till you older?

What has changing insulin type got to do with chocolate being unsafe? Of course people should use animal insulin if it suits them better.

What insulins do you use? You mention taking ‘extra’ for chocolate but you just count the chocolate carbs along with the rest. Do you not use a basal/bolus regime?

 

[Inka]

My Father had Type 2 Diabetes when in he's late 60's early 70's diagnosed and eat bits of normal chocolate and became partial blind in both eyes, so only saw things as blur, due to eating small amounts of normal chocolate. This may not happen to all but can affect some people and you not find out till you older?

First of all, I’m very sorry to hear about your dad’s sight problems. That’s very sad. However, to say that chocolate causes blindness is totally incorrect. It’s high sugar that increases the risk of complications such as retinopathy - and Mr/Ms Diabetes doesn’t care if that blood sugar became high from eating chocolate, drinking organic milk, eating All Bran, eating meat and two veg. It’s all the same.

 

[helli]

Yes Doctors here in England also only go by results of 2 weeks readings from Sensors,

This maybe the case with your doctor but should not be the case. My doctor considers TIR over the previous 6 months and my HbA1C.
However, what my doctor looks at is a tiny part of my diabetes management. I manage my own diabetes on a day to day basis not my doctor. I keep an eye on my BG during the day and adjust my dose and basal.

Well I know from experience they as not always accurate and this has been confirmed by the makers Abbotts, that you should take a blood test if readings LO (LOW) as Sensor not always safe. That was said from Abbotts themselves said from there top people.

Finger pricks are not always accurate but like CGMs there are standards the must comply with.
And there are known limitations which are described here https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/cgm-limitations-and-precautions.108188/
And, as you say, it is recommended to check CGM readings (not just Libre) when high or low or the CGM does not match how you feel. This does not make them unsafe. But you need to know how to use them safely.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

You clearly have very strong opinions on the subject @Martyn P - and everyone here should feel completely free to manage their own diabetes as they see fit. If your choice is not to eat chocolate, and you are comfortable with that and it works for you then that’s great. Keep going!

But it is important to respect others’ choices, based on their experience, advice they have received from their specialists and DSNs, and diabetes management preferences.

There isn’t anything specific about the sugar in chocolate that makes it particularly difficult for people with T1 diabetes (in moderation). And sucrose (sugar) is only one form of carbohydrate that we need to manage with our insulin doses. 🙂

 

[luke633]

Thanks all for your recommendations on snacks. I fancy a dairy milk now.

 

[nonethewiser]

I am am now in good condition all these years later not eating any normal chocolate as has sugar in it and will cause problems.

Curious how you've treated hypos all these years if you avoid sugar? Lucozade Coke & other sugary drinks are recommended here as are sugary sweets like Jelly Babies for example.

Dairy milk chocolate is no different in that it contains sugar so it isn't harmful in moderation, don't mind admitting partial to some chocolate so don't deny myself it, like both dairy & high cocoa chocolate as its one of life's little pleasures.

 

[trophywench]

The main prob with chocolate esp milk choc is the difficulty bolusing the correct amount for it because of the fat content of it. Is why high cocoa content dark choc is a much better choice. And rubbish to treat a hypo with. And sugar in whatever form it happens to occur is merely yet another form of carbohydrate. Nothing more, nothing less.

But that's in my book after living with Type 1 diabetes for nearly 53 years now.