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And I thought broccoli was bad...

Swiggy

Well-Known Member
Messages
330
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I was 7.1 before dinner, two hours later I have gone up to 11.1. I don't understand why. I had pork chops for both breakfast and lunch ( I wanted to see what would happen if I had no carbs earlier in the day).
For dinner I had a leek cooked in butter with a dessert spoonful of full fat Philadelphia cheese and a smoked haddock fillet and a coffee with 60ml double cream.
Has anybody got any idea why I would get such an increase? I have been seriously low carb since the end of January and I am starting to think that I am doing something wrong...
 
Although I'm T1, if I ate what you ate - I'd have an increase in BG.

For me it would be a combination of the protein and the high fat levels.

The protein gets turned into glucose when I eat LC (gluconeogenesis).

The fat causes me temporary insulin resistance which results in a delayed BG rise.
 
Some forum members have mentioned that too much protein can also cause problems. See if you can find references.
 
Hi @Swiggy

Will also be interested to see the answers you get.

Totally empathise with you - what you've eaten is definitely low carb!

I'm new to all this but from what I've observed it's definitely not a science. I've just eaten the exact same meal as I've had several times with no more than an 0.6 increase after 2 hours and have shot up from 5.5 to 7.1! Eating time much the same too.

Reaching the conclusion that doing the right things will send the readings in the right direction, but that there will be hiccups along the way. So I'm thinking to test meals a few times (unless they're obviously carb ridden) and not to be thrown by the odd higher than expected reading.

As others have said might be worth checking that your protein portions are not too high.
 
Thanks everyone, I have checked the weight and nutrition labels (yes I have been rooting in the bin yuck) and it is less than 100g of protein for the day.
I will make a note in my food diary for future reference and hope for a decent fbg tomorrow.
I'm off for a pint (water) and then my bed. Sweet dreams all. X
 
the excess eaten proteins many times is only transformed onto glucose very slowly in some people and in some situations...
when I do a lot of exercise it seems my liver is overactive transforming proteins into glucose....no matter how long I exercise I never get low in blood glucose...

I think it differs from one person to the other.
Most people only need like 0.8 grams of protein pro kg body.weight a day or 0.35 grams pro pound of bodyweight... so a person of 100 kg would need like 80 grams of protein a day, and preferably shared over all 3 meals a day...to be able to use it all, or after exercising... unless one is a body builder, then the person need more protein daily...

if one is very low in calories the body can also change protein from ones muscles into glucose... especially if one eat too few proteins...
it is common though that diabetics type 2 have an overactive liver... actually most have a somewhat raised liver activity in the mornings , some much more than others...
 
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I had no idea that fat could have this effect. Something to factor in...
 
I definitely have an overactive liver. X
 
I had no idea that fat could have this effect. Something to factor in...
I think this IR effect was noted in T1D only, and may not apply to T2D. The study only concluded for T1D,

Think T2D has a different mechanism.
 
Protein spikes me almost as much as carbs. I have to take insulin for half my protein. Fat will delay things but wills still spike. I eat SOME fat with every meal but not gobs. 1/3 avocado and perhaps some mayo or olive oil.

Protein also require almost as much insulin as carbs.

I'm always with @Freema on the required protein. It's much less than most people eat. I need 5-6 oz a day and split that over 3 meals.
 
Hi @Swiggy Smoked haddock fillet is one of my favourites. I always have it with butter and tender stem broccoli. The big problem with it for me is that it's a lot of protein with no fat, but it sounds like you have plenty of fat with yours! Another of my favourites is sea bream fillets, which again are mostly protein, but I get on better with kippers, which have a high fat content in themselves. I think for me it is not so much the fat as the sheer quantity of protein. I find that anything over 70g/day increases both my fasting blood sugar and my weight (my target is 60g/day and I weigh 72kg).
 
I weigh 55 kg and can only handle 45-50g protein without spikes.
 
I weigh 55 kg and can only handle 45-50g protein without spikes.
I think you have to calculate your protein requirement according to lean body weight. Alternatively use "target" body weight. https://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-protein-per-day/
Link 23 is the one to blood glucose and number 22 blood pressure. There does not seem to be a definitive answer. I think it is down to genetics, lifestyle and what the body has previously built up hitting a reaction level. So what the body has previously processed becomes an overload situation. Certainly no simple answer. I have taken to running on the spot until my heart and lungs are working after meals.
 
I only weigh 43.5 k surely the amount of protein per body weight would not be enough ?I need to put on weight but I can only eat a certain amount of fat
CAROL
 
Standing 5'8 and 122 pounds (55 kg) I would think that would be my lean body weight. And even a tad on the low side. I am slender. The 45-50 is the high end of my cumulative tipping point. Tested many times. I spread those 2 oz portions out as well. Never more than 3 oz at one meal or I'll spike and stay higher much longer
 
I only weigh 43.5 k surely the amount of protein per body weight would not be enough ?I need to put on weight but I can only eat a certain amount of fat
CAROL
So you should eat about 43g pure protein. That's what I eat and I'm 12kg heavier. I'm maintaining everything just fine on even less.

I find the type of fat I eat makes a huge difference for energy, satiety and weight. I eat an avocado a day divided, then some mayo or olive oil and fatty fish.
If I wanted to gain weight I would reach for nuts, dairy and saturated fats.
 
I eat a lot of protein and always have done at all meals (except I now skip breakfast). I have no kidney problems so it doesn't worry me. I lost a third of my body weight when I first started LCHF and have maintained this new weight since November 2014. Yet I still eat the same amount of protein. I don't see any spikes. The only thing I have noticed is my FBG does rise maybe half a mmol/l the morning after a day when I ate more protein than normal. (strangely enough it is usually after having liver)

I can only conclude that in my case my body has had many years of this amount of protein and likes it so uses it. I am also not an exerciser.
 
I could eat a lot more protein before the progression to LADA. I stayed low carb for 25 years but started noticing protein was raising me so had to drop some. I was mis/undiagnosed LADA for a few years all along needing to reduce all food to keep bs steady. Now on insulin I can see how much protein raises me. I have to dose for half of it. It raises me almost as much as carbs albeit somewhat slower and over eating it make me more insulin resistant. I suppose it an individual thing as is everything.
 
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