Baked potatoes (OK, microwaved mainly) - do they have some kind of magic? Libre 2 Alogliptin

[LittleGreyCat]

[Libre 2 content and Alogliptin but more low carb]
OK
I'm dragging myself back on the wagon.
I am being determinedly low carb and policing my BG with the Libre 2.

Libre 2 seems to consistently read low by around one whole point, but also seems to show mainly what I would expect with trends.

I freely admit to a long term addiction to beige carbohydrate foods used to bulk out the meal.
Bread, pasta, chips and other potato products, rice (not quite so much).
However I am mainly succeeding in avoiding these.

However I am also trying sneaky little tasters to see what my Libre 2 thinks I can get away with.

A hot cross bun confirms that BG goes up like a rocket and the comes down rapidly as well (although higher peak and slower drop than non-diabetic).

However I have been trying "baked potatoes".
Microwave until just about done (around 6-8 minutes usually).
Finish off by placing directly in front of the fan of the fan oven for 10 minutes.
Pre-cut, so split open along the joins and fill with butter.
Eat with something low carb like a chicken and vegetable curry.

For some reason this does not seem to cause a spike in my BG and I'm not sure why.
Is the carbohydrate being modified by the microwave then direct heat?
Is the carbohydrate being buffered by the fats in the butter and the curry?

Before my significant departure from low carbohydrate eating (see other posts) I persuaded my surgery to start me on Alogliptin alongside the Metformin.
I say persuaded because I had an HbA1c of 7% and this was the target to hit for someone taking Alogliptin.
However I was finding it very difficult to maintain the strict diet required to stay at 7.0% and was looking for a way to relax my control just a little but still maintain my 7% HbA1c.

Regular readers may note that after that I recorded an HbA1c of 8.7% (wild times) and have just hauled it back to 7.2% with better control but quite a few holiday indulgences.
I am now managing a much more reasonable daily profile on my Libre 2 and will push for another HbA1c 3 months after the current one to see if I have managed to get below 7%.

I am now wondering if there is something special about baked potatoes.
Or if the Alogliptin is kicking in now I am being more reasonable.
Or both.
Or something else.

I have resumed cycling so my exercise levels are increasing, but I was seeing this effect before any significant cycle rides.
Then again I have resumed regular walking so that might be a contributing factor.

Any Alogliptin users (or just baked potato eaters) seeing similar?

 

[Cluso]

I'm also testing foods with Libre 2, but dont go into carbs (Im new to this and doing it all very strict when it comes to diet).

The only thing I have noticed is that when I load fats (like olive oil), the post meal spikes are moderate. Maybe the butter?

Also, I have seen a video that when you add protein + carbs it can modify things a lot.

Have you tried eating only the potatoes with butter and see what the sensor says about it?

If you confirm this, I may give it a go and test... as for now potatoes have been a NO-NO absolutely NOT policy. And potatoes used to be my favorite side dish...

What do you mean by this?

Libre 2 seems to consistently read low by around one whole point,

Im using my first sensor (day 13) and went to LAB to do a glucose tolerance test (you take blood then drink 75 g of pure glucose then test again after 2 hours), with a 20 minutes delay my libre2 was spot on with the LAB.

The finger prick ones I was using before (contour Next) were totally garbage. Went several time to lab (every Saturday morning for weeks) and the results of the finger prick were always a lot more than lab... sometimes by around 1.9 +....

So you mean, Libre 2 reads below what? Finger Prick?

 

[barrym]

I have small baked potatoes quite often, 100-150g (20-30g carbs) with lashings of butter and they rarely affect my blood as much as the same amount of carbs from say porridge, All-Bran or bread. For me it's not just delayed I have to take a reduced insulin dose or I go low if I use the same ratio.

Having said that I don't find any potatoes, even mash has disastrous effect. I don't have large helpings, a single roast, or table spoon of mash.

Lots of fat involved though!

YMMV

 

[Cluso]

I have small baked potatoes quite often, 100-150g (20-30g carbs) with lashings of butter and they rarely affect my blood as much as the same amount of carbs from say porridge, All-Bran or bread. For me it's not just delayed I have to take a reduced insulin dose or I go low if I use the same ratio.

Having said that I don't find any potatoes, even mash has disastrous effect. I don't have large helpings, a single roast, or table spoon of mash.

Lots of fat involved though!

YMMV

Barry, would you be able to provide a BG number for that amount? how far it gets and how fast?

 

[Lamont D]

[Libre 2 content and Alogliptin but more low carb]
OK
I'm dragging myself back on the wagon.
I am being determinedly low carb and policing my BG with the Libre 2.

Libre 2 seems to consistently read low by around one whole point, but also seems to show mainly what I would expect with trends.

I freely admit to a long term addiction to beige carbohydrate foods used to bulk out the meal.
Bread, pasta, chips and other potato products, rice (not quite so much).
However I am mainly succeeding in avoiding these.

However I am also trying sneaky little tasters to see what my Libre 2 thinks I can get away with.

A hot cross bun confirms that BG goes up like a rocket and the comes down rapidly as well (although higher peak and slower drop than non-diabetic).

However I have been trying "baked potatoes".
Microwave until just about done (around 6-8 minutes usually).
Finish off by placing directly in front of the fan of the fan oven for 10 minutes.
Pre-cut, so split open along the joins and fill with butter.
Eat with something low carb like a chicken and vegetable curry.

For some reason this does not seem to cause a spike in my BG and I'm not sure why.
Is the carbohydrate being modified by the microwave then direct heat?
Is the carbohydrate being buffered by the fats in the butter and the curry?

Before my significant departure from low carbohydrate eating (see other posts) I persuaded my surgery to start me on Alogliptin alongside the Metformin.
I say persuaded because I had an HbA1c of 7% and this was the target to hit for someone taking Alogliptin.
However I was finding it very difficult to maintain the strict diet required to stay at 7.0% and was looking for a way to relax my control just a little but still maintain my 7% HbA1c.

Regular readers may note that after that I recorded an HbA1c of 8.7% (wild times) and have just hauled it back to 7.2% with better control but quite a few holiday indulgences.
I am now managing a much more reasonable daily profile on my Libre 2 and will push for another HbA1c 3 months after the current one to see if I have managed to get below 7%.

I am now wondering if there is something special about baked potatoes.
Or if the Alogliptin is kicking in now I am being more reasonable.
Or both.
Or something else.

I have resumed cycling so my exercise levels are increasing, but I was seeing this effect before any significant cycle rides.
Then again I have resumed regular walking so that might be a contributing factor.

Any Alogliptin users (or just baked potato eaters) seeing similar?

I would say that the butter and other low carb will also have the desired effect.
I agree it could be the gliptin, as it helps with first phase insulin response. So, that would also lower the spike.
Walking is great for blood glucose levels control, fifteen minutes after eating for fifteen minutes is what helps me. Cycling may be too much.
But you seem to be figuring things out.

Keep experimenting, try a potato on its own!

Hopefully you are taking all this down in a food diary.

Best wishes

 

[barrym]

Barry, would you be able to provide a BG number for that amount? how far it gets and how fast?

Hmm, I'm not sure what the value of my numbers would give as we are all different.

I just looked back over the last few jacket & roast wedges I've had and as they are part of meals with other carbs it's a bit hard to differentiate between the action of each component.

I was told ages ago by my DSN that 'roughly' 5g raises me 1 mmol. In the recent meals I looked at, I have eaten at 6 mmol approx, and the meal has not taken me over my upper range limit of 10, and usually has briefly taken me low in the first however for which I didn't take any action, just waited. The rise came slower and later, maybe a guide would be three hours, but seemingly lower than the guide rise for those carbs, and presumably suppressed by the insulin.

Putting it like that shows just how complex this condition is to manage and how unique we all are.

Not a lot of help, sorry, but as @Lamont D says, try it and see. I used to think potato was off the menu, but not so for me with the paramters I set my self.

HTH

 

[LittleGreyCat]

<snip>

What do you mean by this?

Libre 2 seems to consistently read low by around one whole point,

Im using my first sensor (day 13) and went to LAB to do a glucose tolerance test (you take blood then drink 75 g of pure glucose then test again after 2 hours), with a 20 minutes delay my libre2 was spot on with the LAB.

The finger prick ones I was using before (contour Next) were totally garbage. Went several time to lab (every Saturday morning for weeks) and the results of the finger prick were always a lot more than lab... sometimes by around 1.9 +....

So you mean, Libre 2 reads below what? Finger Prick?

Libre 2 is inconsistent.
Occasionally it agrees with the finger prick test but often it reads low - from about 0.8 to 1.5 mmol/L
This seems to be the individual sensor.
Accurate at start is pretty accurate all the way through although there is a tendency to read low towards the end of the 14 days.
Low at start is usually low all the way through.
Accuracy is usually better in the 4-6 range (as expected).
I don't think that I have had any sensors read higher than a finger prick.

Also, whatever I do (more or less) the predicted HbA1c is 6.2% which is very optimistic, but consistent with months of optimistic (i.e. lower) readings.

 

[Mrs HJG]

@LittleGreyCat there is a lot of science behind the order you eat; carbs should be last, ideally with salad to start then the fats and protein before the carbs, eating with butter with the potatoes will help reduce glucose spikes. I believe even better still (although they aren't spiking you - you lucky thing) is to let the potatoes cool then reheat.
Check out Jessie Inchauspé @Glucosegoddess on Instagram and her book for more examples and explanation.