Don't want to give up my toast for breakfast, but...

[BeadieJay]

I've been doing LCHF for a few months now and doing really well on it (in general). I've continued to eat toast for breakfast (Hovis Granary - carbs total 40g for 2 slices, that's for thick sliced which my hubby likes. I've told him I'm going to get thin sliced from now on, so the carbs will be less, but we need to eat up the thick sliced first - sorry TMI!!!) and it tends to put my blood sugar levels up between 1.8 and 2 points two hours after eating. Which I'm more than happy with if my fasting bloods are low, but generally they're not. Yesterday it was 6.9, today 7.5, which means that 2 hours after eating the toast my bsl yesterday was 8.8 and today 9.4

I have quite happily given up all other carbs - potatoes, fruit etc - but I really, really, really don't want to give up my morning routine of toast & coffee (black coffee from today, as I found out yesterday that milk has sugar in it!). If I can get my fasting bloods down I'll be able to eat toast with a clear conscience, but as it is, I just feel miserable. I can't stomach the thought of having anything else for breakfast, so the big issue is.....how to get my fasting bloods lower?

In another thread someone mentioned that the Propranolol I take for anxiety could possibly put my bsl up. I don't know if I'll be able to come off of them - but I'm going to start with not taking my bedtime pill tonight (I looked at the med pack & it says "One table to be taken three times a day as needed". I'm under a fair bit of stress at the moment, so took a pill this morning, but will see how I get on with not taking my second pill tonight (I rarely take 3 in a day).

I know some of you will think I'm being stubborn by not changing my eating habits, but I really don't want to give up this one thing that gives me so much comfort! Also, I hate cooking & if I did have a cooked breakfast it would take much longer to prepare than the toast, and when I put off eating breakfast earlier this week as my fasting blood was 8.0, it shot up to 9.9 after I'd had a shower. Someone told me that I need to eat as soon as I get up so that the liver dump from overnight fasting will have something to work with - I'm so confused!!

I know there are other options for breakfast, but as I said before, I don't think I can stomach anything other than plain toast.

Please, any suggestions? Thanks

 

[ellagy]

I know nothing about anything Beadiejay, but I would stick with your toast! You enjoy it. However, have you tried the Lidl rolls? They are yummy and have only 9 carbs per roll, and they are HUGE. Someone mentioned cutting them lengthways and that they made good toast. We can have coffee with whipped cream, I know, weird isn't it? Perhaps you could try that. I hope you manage to find something,

(written with two of my three on my knee)

 

[bulkbiker]

Coffee with double cream ( fewer carbs than milk)
And have you tried the Lidl high protein rolls? Slice and toast if you really can't resist bread. Lower carb than Hovis
Personally I would just have the coffee and dump breakfast completely. If you tried something like a bulletproof coffee you could very likely feel full until well after lunchtime.
Carbs are not good for your blood sugar so avoid.

 

[Pinkorchid]

I am with you on the toast I also love it in the morning. Most people here that eat bread have the Burgen Linseed and Soya bread also another favourite is Lidl protein rolls but not an option for me as I can't stand seedy bread or rolls. I have Kingsmill crustless wholemeal bread it is small thin slices. I can eat two or three of these toasted for breakfast without raising my BG to much I have them with poached, scrambled or boiled eggs, pate, cheese spread or Marmite. I can't face the fried breakfast that some here have so usually I just have eggs of some sort or sometimes sardines mashed with vinegar and mayo all with the toast most days

 

[MargaretR]

Try Sainsbury's seeded Spelt loaf. They do a baton and a cob. The cob is better for toasting, and doesn't affect my blood sugar at all.

 

[debrasue]

I've been doing LCHF for a few months now and doing really well on it (in general). I've continued to eat toast for breakfast (Hovis Granary - carbs total 40g for 2 slices, that's for thick sliced which my hubby likes. I've told him I'm going to get thin sliced from now on, so the carbs will be less, but we need to eat up the thick sliced first - sorry TMI!!!) and it tends to put my blood sugar levels up between 1.8 and 2 points two hours after eating. Which I'm more than happy with if my fasting bloods are low, but generally they're not. Yesterday it was 6.9, today 7.5, which means that 2 hours after eating the toast my bsl yesterday was 8.8 and today 9.4

I have quite happily given up all other carbs - potatoes, fruit etc - but I really, really, really don't want to give up my morning routine of toast & coffee (black coffee from today, as I found out yesterday that milk has sugar in it!). If I can get my fasting bloods down I'll be able to eat toast with a clear conscience, but as it is, I just feel miserable. I can't stomach the thought of having anything else for breakfast, so the big issue is.....how to get my fasting bloods lower?

In another thread someone mentioned that the Propranolol I take for anxiety could possibly put my bsl up. I don't know if I'll be able to come off of them - but I'm going to start with not taking my bedtime pill tonight (I looked at the med pack & it says "One table to be taken three times a day as needed". I'm under a fair bit of stress at the moment, so took a pill this morning, but will see how I get on with not taking my second pill tonight (I rarely take 3 in a day).

I know some of you will think I'm being stubborn by not changing my eating habits, but I really don't want to give up this one thing that gives me so much comfort! Also, I hate cooking & if I did have a cooked breakfast it would take much longer to prepare than the toast, and when I put off eating breakfast earlier this week as my fasting blood was 8.0, it shot up to 9.9 after I'd had a shower. Someone told me that I need to eat as soon as I get up so that the liver dump from overnight fasting will have something to work with - I'm so confused!!

I know there are other options for breakfast, but as I said before, I don't think I can stomach anything other than plain toast.

Please, any suggestions? Thanks

How about trying a cup of coffee or tea with cream on waking to pacify your liver, and then, when you're ready for breakfast, try one of the low-carb alternatives to regular bread for your toast - protein rolls from Lidl, LivLife from Waitrose or Amazon, Genius from Tesco, etc.?
Look for low-carb or gluten-free varieties; they still contain carbs, but much less than ordinary bread and they're not that bad. OK, so they're never going to be the same as thick sliced Hovis Granary, but the longer you endure high BGs, the greater your chances of developing some of the vast range of nasty diabetic complications, so maybe for that reason alone it's worth creating a new habit? (And, it's just a thought, but although I hate to waste food too, there's no law that says YOU have to eat up the remaining thick sliced bread! You could delegate that arduous task to your husband... )
As regards stopping your meds, in the same way as you wouldn't consider starting to take propanolol without advice from your GP, I personally feel it might be ill-advised to stop taking it without advice, too.
I hope this helps.
Good luck in your journey - and keep sharing!
Hugs x

 

[ickihun]

If I had toast I would spike to 13.0 from 6-7mmol/l. Cereal too (porridge).
I have eggs, cooked any way with butter most days but coffee and cream with pork scratchings or cheese other days.
I'd be tempted to concentrate on other high bgs other than a spike of 8-9mmol/l say on a week day only or weekend only.
Compromise could work!?
Ultimately, it's a spike you're aware of and could just be monitored if no diabetic complications being caused or made worse?
How is the rest of your bgs? Any other spikes or delayed high bgs as a result of accumulative carbs?

 

[BeadieJay]

Thank you for all the replies and suggestions (sorry tho, @bulkbiker I won't give up my toast if I can find a good low-carb alternative!)

I don't have a Lidl near me, so that's not an option, but, why is it that I need to post on a forum to get advice about looking for other low-carb options, and yet I can't think of doing that myself LOL I consider myself fairly smart, but sometimes, I'm just so dumb!!

@debrasue You're right, I should talk to my GP about stopping the meds first. I guess I felt it would be okay as the packaging says "as needed". I definitely wasn't planning on stopping completely without talking to him, just stopping my evening pill. But, again, I'm being dumb and will talk to him first - thank you

Just from doing a quick search I've found Sainsbury's Hi-Lo Bread, only has 5 carbs a slice - a huge improvement on the Hovis. Sometimes I feel like such an idiot LOL

 

[BeadieJay]

If I had toast I would spike to 13.0 from 6-7mmol/l. Cereal too (porridge).
I have eggs, cooked any way with butter most days but coffee and cream with pork scratchings or cheese other days.
I'd be tempted to concentrate on other high bgs other than a spike of 8-9mmol/l say on a week day only or weekend only.
Compromise could work!?
Ultimately, it's a spike you're aware of and could just be monitored if no diabetic complications being caused or made worse?
How is the rest of your bgs? Any other spikes or delayed high bgs as a result of accumulative carbs?

My other bgs are fine - well within range. It's just in the mornings that I spike.

 

[debrasue]

Thank you for all the replies and suggestions (sorry tho, @bulkbiker I won't give up my toast if I can find a good low-carb alternative!)

I don't have a Lidl near me, so that's not an option, but, why is it that I need to post on a forum to get advice about looking for other low-carb options, and yet I can't think of doing that myself LOL I consider myself fairly smart, but sometimes, I'm just so dumb!!

@debrasue You're right, I should talk to my GP about stopping the meds first. I guess I felt it would be okay as the packaging says "as needed". I definitely wasn't planning on stopping completely without talking to him, just stopping my evening pill. But, again, I'm being dumb and will talk to him first - thank you

Just from doing a quick search I've found Sainsbury's Hi-Lo Bread, only has 5 carbs a slice - a huge improvement on the Hovis. Sometimes I feel like such an idiot LOL

Hey! You are NOT an idiot! A diagnosis of diabetes can sweep the feet out from anyone and it has thrown very many of us into turmoil at first. You have taken the bull by the horns and started to make lifestyle changes, and you have identified a problem and taken it to a place where you know you can find some answers. What's wrong with any of that?
You deserve a pat on the back for taking control of your life and your health - millions of people never get that far.
Well done! You are on the road to a better, healthier future.

 

[ickihun]

My other bgs are fine - well within range. It's just in the mornings that I spike.

I think that is brilliant diabetic managememt. Well done. A little envious

 

[asparagusp]

If I do eat carbs it tends to be Nairns plain oatcakes on their own. They are lovely! I have recently tried their three seeded organic ones and they too are lovely. Once you toast bread it loses B vitamins but yes nice!

 

[Freema]

how about only eating toast on sundays...?

 

[Jay-Marc]

Just from doing a quick search I've found Sainsbury's Hi-Lo Bread, only has 5 carbs a slice - a huge improvement on the Hovis. Sometimes I feel like such an idiot LOL

Do appreciate that one of the reasons it is especially low per slice is that the slices are small, being a 500g loaf rather than a 800g one. It is however a bit under half the percentage carbs of the average 'regular' bead. Tastes better in my opinion than the LivLife bread from Waitrose.

 

[asparagusp]

Oatcakes are extremely low in carbohydrates. 6.1gm per oatcake!

 

[bulkbiker]

My other bgs are fine - well within range. It's just in the mornings that I spike.

Hey guess why that is....the toast maybe?

 

[4ratbags]

I bake my own LC bread, it comes in under 2 gr carbs per slice. Therw are lots of different recipes out there its just a matter of finding one you like.

 

[asparagusp]

Hum - from Google -
How many carbs should a diabetic have in a day?
If you eat 2,000 calories a day, you should consume about 250 grams of complex carbohydrates per day. A good starting place for people with diabetes is to have roughly 45 to 60 grams of carbs per meal and 15 to 30 grams for snacks.

 

[4ratbags]

For a lot on here that is way too many. I try to limit mine to less than 10gr carbs per meal and snacks under 5gr per snack and I try not to snack much either. Everyone is different though thats why they say eat to your meter.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hum - from Google -
How many carbs should a diabetic have in a day?
If you eat 2,000 calories a day, you should consume about 250 grams of complex carbohydrates per day. A good starting place for people with diabetes is to have roughly 45 to 60 grams of carbs per meal and 15 to 30 grams for snacks.

I would say less than 30g per day should give you much better sugar levels and very few if any snacks..