• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Low carb cookbooks recommendation for birthday present new T2

Antje77

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,183
Location
Friesland (the Netherlands)
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm sideways involved with a fairly newly diagnosed T2, a friend of my best friend.
Together we've been feeding him information, and recently it clicked! He started testing, which led to him embracing cutting the carbs and becoming determined to get off medication.
(If you've decided to join the forum after all, Paul, click away now, not your business what Inges birthday present will be!)

So now my friend asked me to ask you all what low carb cookbook to give him. :)
He can of course use google, but telling him that wouldn't be a very nice birthday present, would it. :hilarious:

She's looking for something to help get a feeling for the possibilities for regular meals, so not high quisine or specialty books on desserts only or such.
 
Last edited:
Oh, while English is fine, Dutch books are a possibility as well.
@JoKalsbeek , do you have any recommendations from your early days?
I'd just go for a keto cookbook. When I just started out Diabetesfonds Nederland sent me a book when I signed up, and while there are pretty good recipes in there, there are some that just, you know... Veg-pineapple curry, 41 grams of carbs per serving. Even when I'm off the wagon, I barely get that much in a day. Lots of nice stuff in there with 1 to 4 grams of carbs, but they're not all like that. (Diabetes Kookboek van Dr. Matthias Riedl). I know sometimes people go "But it's in a diabetic's cook book!" rather than actually checking whether they can handle the amount of carbs in, so dunno what your friend is like? Maybe not take the risk, unless you're sure they can make decisions like that this early in the game. And when going for a keto book, try and find Dutch authors. Most writers/cooks are Americans, and they'll come up with ingredients like monk fruit, and that's still, far as I know, not available on the European market. Janine and Annemieke Jansen write cookbooks too, claiming them suitable for diabetics (Annemieke is a cardiologist), and there's plenty of nutritional information, but considering they do list "silky soft" potato mash... Maybe not. ;) A friend of mine is editing their newest, which concentrates on tinned meals, because fresh foods are just becoming too expensive for the average human being. ;) No idea when that'll come out though, and whether it truly is good for a T2. (I am very curious though, have to admit!!!)

For the moment there's so much discussion about what is suitable for a T2 diabetic, (which they can't even know because it differs from person to person anyway!), I'd just go for a Dutch keto cook book... Because there isn't going to be anything in there that might cause a spike and is still peddled as suitable, plus no weird ingredients we can't get anyway.

Good luck!
Jo
 
I know sometimes people go "But it's in a diabetic's cook book!" rather than actually checking whether they can handle the amount of carbs in, so dunno what your friend is like? Maybe not take the risk, unless you're sure they can make decisions like that this early in the game.
Yes, he can!
He's all into the scientific approach, using his meter and counting carbs. Smart too. :)
But I have no idea what his usual cooking is like, so no idea what to build on.

He joined my friend for a week on their holiday, so my friend made sure to have everything to show him tasty low carb eating and approaching food in a different way, like encouraging him to have a small slice of bread with enough toppings for three sandwiches, or just raiding the fridge for cheese and chorizo, no sandwich needed without shame.

I think the lack of reactions to this thread shows that most of us use google or dedicated websites rather than cookbooks.
So tips for other books a new motivated T2 should absolutely read are welcome as well!
 
I'm sideways involved with a fairly newly diagnosed T2, a friend of my best friend.
Together we've been feeding him information, and recently it clicked! He started testing, which led to him embracing cutting the carbs and becoming determined to get off medication.
(If you've decided to join the forum after all, Paul, click away now, not your business what Inges birthday present will be!)

So now my friend asked me to ask you all what low carb cookbook to give him. :)
He can of course use google, but telling him that wouldn't be a very nice birthday present, would it. :hilarious:

She's looking for something to help get a feeling for the possibilities for regular meals, so not high quisine or specialty books on desserts only or such.
The Caldesi books get really good press
 
Yes, he can!
He's all into the scientific approach, using his meter and counting carbs. Smart too. :)
But I have no idea what his usual cooking is like, so no idea what to build on.

He joined my friend for a week on their holiday, so my friend made sure to have everything to show him tasty low carb eating and approaching food in a different way, like encouraging him to have a small slice of bread with enough toppings for three sandwiches, or just raiding the fridge for cheese and chorizo, no sandwich needed without shame.

I think the lack of reactions to this thread shows that most of us use google or dedicated websites rather than cookbooks.
So tips for other books a new motivated T2 should absolutely read are welcome as well!
Then Diabetes Kookboek is a decent enough choice, if he doesn't go blindly by the "suitable for diabetes" handle. (Some nice things in there, though I can't make them due to the milk thing.) I can so thoroughly appreciate a decent list of nutritional info. ;) And yeah, it does help when someone doesn't shame you for what you're eating for your health, of all things. It takes a little shift in thinking, when moving to especially the high fat part, and encouraging back-up is so welcome then!
 
I'm sideways involved with a fairly newly diagnosed T2, a friend of my best friend.
Together we've been feeding him information, and recently it clicked! He started testing, which led to him embracing cutting the carbs and becoming determined to get off medication.
(If you've decided to join the forum after all, Paul, click away now, not your business what Inges birthday present will be!)

So now my friend asked me to ask you all what low carb cookbook to give him. :)
He can of course use google, but telling him that wouldn't be a very nice birthday present, would it. :hilarious:

She's looking for something to help get a feeling for the possibilities for regular meals, so not high quisine or specialty books on desserts only or such.
https://www.amazon.de/-/nl/dp/17716...031&s=books&sprefix=jason+fung,aps,144&sr=1-6 <-- I don't have this one, but Fung's a good dude to go by.
 
I was going to suggest The Diabetes Weightloss Cookbook by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, and I see @AndBreathe has already done so.
It’s definitely nice enough to give as a present. There is a good introduction explaining all the science behind low carb and some easy swaps you can make.
Some recipes are simple, some more elaborate but they are all delicious ( at least the ones I’ve tried)
 
I found these ones very useful at first.
Written by English family who keto for fitness and health.
Practical everyday recipes, but avoid the creative bakes one as that is more difficult and doesn't really help reduce sweetner use
 
Back
Top