What's the deal with coffee?

[siren6214]

Hi all,
Relatively newly diagnosed here, trying to use only diet and exercise to keep diabetes in check. My first week before I got my glucose monitor I was testing at around 101 -104 range for my fasting glucose because I was mostly eating protein shakes and salads. Once I got my meter and tested other foods I added them to my repertoire so long as they were low carb no/low sugar and agreed with me. I found a way to curb my sweet tooth by having coffee after my dinner, before bed. I used soy creamer 1g. carb per 2 tspn and 2 monk in the fruit packets 0 carb and top it off with a little whipped cream 1g. per tspn and cinnamon. I noticed in the morning my fasting glucose would be around 131 - 135 even though I exercised at night too. Yesterday I decided to start my day with a coffee and skip it at night and my fasting this morning was 115 -- I did not exercise at all yesterday. After reading about coffee I saw many articles about how it was good at warding off Type 2, but that once you had Type 2 it had an adverse effect. My doctor told me drinking coffee was fine as long as I didn't make it a sugar cocktail. Does anyone have a similar experience with coffee? I haven't tried switching to decaf to see if that changes things...hmmm..very curious.

 

[Indy51]

Seems there can be strong individual reactions to coffee/caffeine - some people metabolise it faster than others. Seems to be a genetic thing.

 

[Jacquelineann]

I am here to look up what other people have experienced re coffee. I live in Spain - the land of the GREAT coffee and I always drink a "cortado" which is made with just a drop of milk. My fasting BS this morning was a very respectable if not a tad low 86 (different measurements here as well) and two hours after my same-as-I-eat-every-day breakfast it was again a respectable 164. I then went out for a cortado, tested about 45 minutes afterwards, pre lunch, and it was 203! The milk must be, maybe, 15 mls, so the caffeine must be the culprit, mustn't it? I am type 1 on insulin

 

[Chook]

I had the reverse experience on Christmas Day. Normally I drink decaff (filter or from a jar, with or without double cream) but on Christmas Day I had a filter full caffeine mug of coffee - my first in several years - and my BG dropped like a stone down in to the 3s. More than a bit scary. At that point in the day I hadn't eaten anything that I don't normally eat so it had to be the coffee with caffeine in it.

 

[Jacquelineann]

Odd isn't it? There are no fixed rules in this game

 

[Brunneria]

I love coffee, but it will keep me awake if I drink it after midday (even decaff does it but slightly less so) and it sends my blood pressure up by about 5 points.

So I have one decaff cup with cream and erythritol for breakfast most mornings. And that is it for the day.

I find that milk pushes my bg up to a ridiculous degree, considering the carb content. So I have cream instead.

 

[Jacquelineann]

I love coffee, but it will keep me awake if I drink it after midday (even decaff does it but slightly less so) and it sends my blood pressure up by about 5 points.

So I have one decaff cup with cream and erythritol for breakfast most mornings. And that is it for the day.

I find that milk pushes my bg up to a ridiculous degree, considering the carb content. So I have cream instead.

Ah...interesting- I find I can't take cream at all for the same reason!!

 

[Chook]

I love coffee, but it will keep me awake if I drink it after midday (even decaff does it but slightly less so) and it sends my blood pressure up by about 5 points.

So I have one decaff cup with cream and erythritol for breakfast most mornings. And that is it for the day.

I find that milk pushes my bg up to a ridiculous degree, considering the carb content. So I have cream instead.

Wow! Thats exactly the same as me. Even decaff sends my BP up and my husband says its my imagination that decaff drunk too late can keep me awake. I'm the same with the carbs in milk, too, which is why I now drink redbush with vanilla tea instead of Yorkshire decaff tea.

 

[Jacquelineann]

Wow! Thats exactly the same as me. Even decaff sends my BP up and my husband says its my imagination that decaff drunk too late can keep me awake. I'm the same with the carbs in milk, too, which is why I now drink redbush with vanilla tea instead of Yorkshire decaff tea.[/QUOTE
Interesting. I drink Earl Grey (and redbush) but have never tested what affect it has. I should do so!

 

[Chook]

Odd isn't it? There are no fixed rules in this game

Its just a question of trial and error to find out what suits you. Everyone is different.

Its like mushrooms - they are low carb and suit most people but they spike me - makes no sense at all.

 

[Jacquelineann]

No! That's crazy isn't it?! I always laugh when my dietitian calmly tells me how if I eat X amount of carbs and inject X amount of insulin all will be well......

 

[Brunneria]

Wow! Thats exactly the same as me. Even decaff sends my BP up and my husband says its my imagination that decaff drunk too late can keep me awake. I'm the same with the carbs in milk, too, which is why I now drink redbush with vanilla tea instead of Yorkshire decaff tea.

I was so puzzled by the decaf thing that I did some googling.
Did you know that totally decaf coffee is an impossibility?
They should really market it as reduced caffiene.

Also, there are different methods of decaffifying.
Some involve water. Some involve some really horrible chemicals which leave traces behind.
Now I will only drink a few brands - the ones that specifically state 'water decaff' (which included Costa decaff, last time I looked, but not Starbucks)

Also (you are sorry you asked by now, aren't you?) I have no problem at all drinking hot choc. And that contains caffiene. I wonder what the difference is...?

Also, I have now switched to decaff (water treated) tea, because a couple of years ago THAT started keeping me awake. MAkes a big difference! Can't stand rooibosh.

Yes, I am a delicate little flower.

 

[Chook]

No! That's crazy isn't it?! I always laugh when my dietitian calmly tells me how if I eat X amount of carbs and inject X amount of insulin all will be well......

Its mad, isn't it. Yes, I had that little talk with my DN - she knows its rubbish but its the party line and she isn't able to tell people about low carbing which is, of course, what would really help them.

I have no problem at all drinking hot choc. And that contains caffiene. I wonder what the difference is...?

Also, I have now switched to decaff (water treated) tea, because a couple of years ago THAT started keeping me awake. MAkes a big difference! Can't stand rooibosh.

Yes, I am a delicate little flower.

OMG - I wish, wish, wish I could drink hot chocolate beause I love it (especially with croissants dunked in it) but it has the same affect on me as really strong coffee. I never did understand why they marketed hot chocolate as a pre-bedtime drink.

I have got a cupboard full of different kinds of caffeine free or decaffeinated teas - and most of them affect me. I have to have milk with any kind of black tea, green tea gives me amazing headaches, herbal teas smell nice but don't taste nice which leaves me with redbush. I don't like the plain varieties but the Tetley one with vanilla is yummy.

I think we are all delicate little flowers

I shall go off now and dream about lovely hot chocolate!