I am terrible at keeping my blood sugar levels down, I'm type 2 diabetic, I eat chocolate, I know I shouldn't, can anybody recommend something for a sweet treat, I really should have a whole new diet but I don't know where to start. Grateful for any help received
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Sweet tooth
- Thread starter bren06
- Start date
I thought the reason people with type 2 are recommended to try dark chocolate was because it has less carbs in it.
Docb
Moderator
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And I though it was because you could get the same satisfaction from eating less of it.
Maybe be it is all three.
Sorry, I wrote my last comment before drinking my first cuppa and now realise it was incomplete.
The reason I thought the focus was on carbs was that it is carbs not fat which raises blood sugars which was what @bren06 commented on.
I guess eating less of it has the same effect - less chocolate = less carbs = less BG rise.
Alan44
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Not my words, just a copy and paste
Dark chocolate can be good for people with diabetes because it contains polyphenols, which may help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. This can help delay or prevent the onset of diabetes, and may also be beneficial for people who already have diabetes.
Here are some reasons why dark chocolate may be good for people with diabetes:
Dark chocolate can be good for people with diabetes because it contains polyphenols, which may help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. This can help delay or prevent the onset of diabetes, and may also be beneficial for people who already have diabetes.
Here are some reasons why dark chocolate may be good for people with diabetes:
- Polyphenols
Dark chocolate contains polyphenols, which are naturally occurring compounds that have antioxidant properties. These compounds may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation.
- Cocoa
Cocoa may help induce pancreatic β-cell regeneration, stimulate insulin secretion, and improve glucose tolerance.
- Less sugar
Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk or white chocolate.
- Cocoa content
The higher the cocoa content and lower the sugar content, the greater the health benefits.
Leadinglights
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As you say you need to have a new way of eating rather than A DIET. That will involve making some sensible decisions about what foods to cut down on and which you can safely eat.
Have a look at this link as it gives a good explanation and there are some menu plans which will enable you to see you can still have filling meals which are enjoyable. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
Once you start to reduce sweet things you are having then your tastes will change and adapt.
But as mentioned Dark chocolate is better (Aldi do some good ones ) but still in moderation.
The website sugarfreelondoner has recipes for low carb cakes and biscuits which could satisfy your sweet tooth.
rebrascora
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Dates are pretty much as high in sugar as chocolate. You are probably looking at about 4-5g carbs per date which is the equivalent of a spoon of sugar each, so maybe not the best choice, but at least they do also contribute fibre to your diet.
I can't find enjoyment in 80% chocolate but a square of 70% dark chocolate (5g carbs) broken into quarters and eaten with a spoon of crunchy peanut butter works for me.
@bren06 You do know that all carbs are broken down into glucose and absorbed nto our blood stream and not just sugar don't you? So dietary changes often need to involve a reduction in all carbs like bread and pasta and rice and potatoes and cereals and pastries as well as the sweet stuff. I found going low carb and eating more fat (cream in my coffee, cheese, nuts, avocado) mostly stopped the cravings for comfort food and stopped me feeling hungry all the time. I was a bit of a sugar addict and chocoholic and bread and potato fiend pre-diagnosis, so it has been quite a significant change in diet for me but well worth it as my general health has improved significantly including some quite serious long term issues like acute migraines.
goodybags
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @bren06
when I looked at your post, I kind of thought to myself
that could’ve been my post (a few years ago)
regarding as I also called it sweet tooth
poor control and not knowing where to start….
think a lot of us here been there
yes
probably you will need some dietary changes (defending on what your eating at the moment) and of course what kind of Hba1c your showing - when was your last test and how good is your control ?
Myself
I eat more fruit, berries nuts & seeds than actually chocolate these days
also
if I get the urge for snacking on sweets (which I don’t so much enjoy really these days)
I try to snack on boiled egg & cheese (to get some extra protein)
However
when I do eat chocolate - which I still do sometimes
unless it’s to treat a forthcoming hypo (when I need a spike occasionally I do as I take insulin)
so usually regarding chocolate I do try to eat really dark high cocoa content chocolate (as a-posed to the standard dairymilk etc)
as already recommended by @Leadinglights i
take a look at the freshwell website for some ideas of some healthier eating
when I first found this great forum
someone recommended I look at the Carbs&Calories book (which I got online) that I found helpful to me
I think you are suggesting you sometimes use chocolate to treat a hypo.
It is important to remember that a hypo needs to be treated with fast acting carbs. Sadly, the fat in chocolate (regardless of whether it is high is cocoa solids or not) slows down the absorption of carbs. Therefore, it is not a good choice to treat a hypo.
If I misunderstand and you are referring to having a small snack to maintain your BG after you have confirmed your recovery from a hypo, I apologise for my misunderstanding. Chocolate can be used for this.
paultrose
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It was a tip i got told on this very forum not so long ago......just shows you cant trust advice given on here
I prefer a couple of dates to a mars bar or a handful of boiled sweets or a bag of crisps......
Ive been slowly weening myself off sugar.....got to point where i dont even have sweeteners in my tea anymore
When i look back and think how much sugar i ate....without even realising mostly.....to what i consume now........and ive always been one of those that chooses a sugar free or fat free or whatever free option if there is one........just glad im not in america when sugar is tipped into everything
goodybags
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hi @helli thanks for your concern, but be assured, any actual
hypo (which since I got my Libra is rare these days)
I treat with obviously GluoTablets I usually use the Lift Fast Acting Glucose Chews
sometimes the popular choice of JellyBabies
I ment to say in my post if I’m going low (rather than hypo)
like when I occasionally notice I’m getting in low 5’s and maybe late for a meal / skipping lunch then that’s the time I do sometimes eat some "normal" chocolate
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CliffH
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Given that managing (rather than 'controlling') your diabetes may be a lifelong task for you, it's important to keep in mind the art of the possible, rather than aiming for perfection. 'Perfect' can be the enemy of 'good' for diabetics.
With that in mind, I notice that you're using quite a lot of 'all or nothing' language, such as "terrible", "shouldn't" and "I really should have a whole new diet". 'Shoulds', 'oughts' and 'musts' can get in the way of us making small, sustainable changes. Aim for small changes - and praise yourself when you achieve those small changes!
Drummer
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I eat chocolate, just not the bars which are half sugar.
Carbohydrates are all starches and sugars, after digestion they end up as simple sugars in the blood. Just because something is sweet doesn't mean that it needs to be avoided as savoury things can be just as many or perhaps more grams of carbohydrate.
Just by looking at where your carbohydrates are coming from you could start to plan changes or reductions.
Very few people need a whole new diet, quite a few type twos find that their blood glucose levels drop significantly when they take out high starch foods/start counting carbs - just read some of the many threads about successful returns to normal numbers on the forum.
Sweet tooth, yup that's me. I try to keep my love of chocolate under control, by either moderating how much I eat of the stuff or better then that I don't have any in the house and don't buy any. Not easy, I manage most of the time but Bank Holidays are a bit of a trial. I do fall off the wagon, but then climb back on again. What I don't do is feel guilty. I just accept I will eat it and that's that.
I'm a sweet tooth too and its hard to not eat chocolate and sweets. I have improved my diet but needs a lot more work, but I don't want to completely ban the naughty things as the urge to eat them will not go. I have found that if I have some chocolate nearby I don't want it - but if there was none nearby I'd be craving it like mad and will go and buy a load and binge on it. Fingers crossed this keeps working - lost about 4st in the past couple of years with this method. As said my diet needs further improvement - having less bread, pasta, potato etc but at least things are going the right direction with my weight - just need to get the blood sugars sorted now. Next blood test planned for early March after a few weeks on new medication.
Drummer
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Just a warning that you might be disappointed if you have been concentrating on werghtloss not low blood glucose levels. After a couple of months doing a low calorie slimming shakes diet my HbA1c was higher than I expected. I did lose weight.
I bought some chocolate bar moulds and some flaked almonds and made several bars of Christmas chocolate, using high cocoa content chocolate - just freeze and grate the chocolate, put it over the flakes of almond and melt them together. I did add a few rum soaked sultanas to one bar, carefully placed in the middle of the squares.
Thank you Drummer. I agree, and am hoping that both will go down. The priority is the blood glucose, but as long as the weight goes down too I will be happy. I am going to try not to be disappointed if weight loss slows or stagnates but I am the lightest I have been for years so that has helped with motivation to make better choices and keep going. As said diet / food has changed a lot but needs more work to it - I think that is the hardest bit understanding what is good and what is not so good. I don't do regular blood tests only what the GP sends me to. I have a Diabetic Nurse appt in March so hope to get more advice there, but I think this forum is fabulous for the advice and help. There is so much to take in so will take me a while.
Leadinglights
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You may get a better idea of what is good and what may not be so good but looking a this link, https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
The thing about not testing is that there may be foods you reject but are actually OK and you may be having foods which are not OK for YOU. It does allow you the control of how you manage the condition.
If you are into baking you may find some of the recipes for low carb cakes and biscuits on sugarfreelondoner website will help give you your sweet tooth fix.