Type 2 Apples?

fizz50

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hi everyone. I've gone and scared myself silly! My blood sugars are always high in the mornings (DP) and no matter what I try to do they won't come down. This morning they were 8.1 (at 7.15am). So, I arrive into work and at 10.30am I eat an apple. One hour later I spike to 12.5! I am mortified. Is it normal for an apple to do this? :(
 

Alison Campbell

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Was the apple the first thing you had today? Some people are more sensitive to fruit/sugar in the mornings.

Did you test just before eating the apple? It may not have been all the apples fault eg stress from getting to work or continuing DP?
 

Kristin251

Expert
Messages
5,334
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I would say yes. An apple by itself in the morning is not a good bf option. Maybe a few slices with nut butter would be better

Eating fruit without fat and protein will most likely cause a spike any time of day. Berries would be better. And even better saved for later in the day.

If you need something fast and easy a big spoonful of peanut butter. Or a hard boiled egg made ahead of time.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Even my nurse, who pushed the NHS dietary stuff, told me only to eat fruit as part of a meal and never as a snack.
All you can do is test another one, before and after.
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,868
Type of diabetes
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Diet only
Hi everyone. I've gone and scared myself silly! My blood sugars are always high in the mornings (DP) and no matter what I try to do they won't come down. This morning they were 8.1 (at 7.15am). So, I arrive into work and at 10.30am I eat an apple. One hour later I spike to 12.5! I am mortified. Is it normal for an apple to do this? :(
Yes, perfectly normal - though it would be easier to judge just how bad the effect was with a reading at two hours - but there are more diabetes friendly options available. For some people an apple is equal to a whole days carbs.
 

phdiabetic

Well-Known Member
Messages
880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Apples have about 15g carbs (obviously dependent on size though), so expect them to raise your blood sugar at least a little bit. There are plenty of other options for a snack, other people have mentioned some ideas, personally I like having salad as a low-carb snack. You can add cheese, meat, nuts etc if you are extra hungry. If you would like to eat the apple, perhaps you could exercise a bit more to help keep your blood sugar down - take a short walk on your break, for example.
 
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Totto

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Messages
2,831
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
In the autumn and winter, when I have my own apples, I sometimes have half an apple with cheese or with a large handful of walnuts or hazelnuts as dessert.
 

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I you like to have an apple most days, as I do, Sainsbury's et al sell bags of small apples, I think they are for kids lunch boxes. At about half the weight of a normal apple they don't hurt my BG.
 

KathyCP

Well-Known Member
Messages
207
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I usually eat at least one apple a day, but only as an item in a meal together with protein and vegetables - I've been doing so for a year, and by cutting out all carbs such as rice, pasta, potatoes, cereal, etc., I have managed to reduce my HbA1c to 36 - so I find that apples are a 'good' fruit to include in my diet. I always wait for just over 2 hours after eating before testing my levels, as otherwise I scare myself silly!
 

Hampshire_Lad

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Messages
49
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but i'm a little shocked at how many carbs are in apples
To confirm this I looked in my new book - Carbs and Cals - and yes, a medium size red apple is listed as having 13g of carbs in it.

I have been eating 2 apples a day oblivious to this as i my diabetic nurse told me apples were fine to eat.
No wonder I've been struggling with my BS levels :(

Am I alone in being shocked to learn this or have I been a tad naive to trust what my nurse told me?

 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,575
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
have I been a tad naive to trust what my nurse told me
You have answered your own question there I'm afraid.Your nurse probably has less idea than you about what is good for Type 2's to eat. I'm guessing you aren't testing either or you would have seen what the apples were doing to your bloods..
 

Guzzler

Master
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It takes a while for us to get our heads around the fact that the 'Five a Day' fruit and veg may not be the wisest choice when it comes to fruit, especially bananas, grapes and citrus. You know why they decided that five was the optimum number? Someone put their hand up!
 
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Hpetal

Well-Known Member
Messages
114
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
cold weather!
Apples for me are a No No... big spike in bg numbers. so I just avoid them. But I can eat a banana and it does not spike my bg's. I think it is a test after 2 hours alot of trial and error! you will soon get to know what works for you personally.
 

Arab Horse

Well-Known Member
Messages
884
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Sadly fruit is a NO NO for me although I do occasionally have some berries. I really miss it as before diagnosis I ate a lot of fruit and very little veg!!!
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Apples for me are a No No... big spike in bg numbers. so I just avoid them. But I can eat a banana and it does not spike my bg's. I think it is a test after 2 hours alot of trial and error! you will soon get to know what works for you personally.

Bananas are very fast release. They release the glucose almost instantly, so by 2 hours the effect is likely to have almost gone. Have you tested at half an hour and an hour? You may still be OK but it would be unusual.
 

rom35

Well-Known Member
Messages
431
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I can eat Apple with fat yoghurt if I at once go for a brisk walk (around 2-3 km -> 30m). This trick (fat and walk) will not allow the spike over 7.7 (my target). I use this trick also for other carby (but so tasty!!!) meals.
 

brianmt

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I Don't, as a rule, have a problem with apples or small satsumas but the other day I ate a " pink lady" after a hour I felt awful , did my BG and found it to be 8.8, ( these days I rarely go above 6.5 ). Be careful what variety of apples you eat
 

Hpetal

Well-Known Member
Messages
114
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
cold weather!
Bananas are very fast release. They release the glucose almost instantly, so by 2 hours the effect is likely to have almost gone. Have you tested at half an hour and an hour? You may still be OK but it would be unusual.
No I haven't tested any less than 2 hours, will give it a go and report back soon
 
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