chinese takeaway

[Yorksman]

Hi Yorksman and Luna21, I have looked on Tesco's site for the Blue Dragon Wholewheat Noodles and it states they contain 37.2 grams carbs per 50g noodles. My question is that with all those carbs how can they not affect your B/G levels?

You could eat a whole tree, which is very high in carbohydrates, but it won't affect your blood sugar levels because they are the wrong type of carbohydrates. There are a huge number of different types.

In any grain you have several types of carbohydrate; monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and then, like trees, the cellulose based carbohydrates. Grass is high in cellulose based carbs and typically you need more than one stomache to break it down. As you can't digest cellulose, those bits pass straight through you. Humans don't produce the enzymes necessary to break them down. Today it's called dietary fibre and it used to be called roughage.

One group of polysaccharides are called oligosaccharides and again we don't produce the necessary enzymes to digest them. However, they are broken down by bacteria in the intestine. Typically they give you wind. You get lots of them in beans and pulses.

Most of the carbohydrates diabetics want to avoid are the monosaccharides and some disaccharides. Monosaccharides start to get broken down as soon as you chew your food. Enzymes in the saliva get to work right away. Your stomache has more enzymes waiting to have a go at the rest. Many of our highly refined products are these simple sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides, easily digested and quick to enter the bloodstream. The more complex the carbohyrate, the longer it takes, so they are more 'friendly' for the diabetic.

If you look at a sugar substitute such as Truvia, you will see that 100g of Truvia contains 99g of carbohydrate. But, it remains safe for diabetics because you can't digest them. However, beware, too much will cause all sorts of stomache problems and like diabetic chocolates, you'll end up running for the loo.

 

[diadeb]

Thanks for that very comprehensive reply Yorksman, can I ask, do you eat 50g at a time or less, thanks, Deb

 

[Yorksman]

Thanks for that very comprehensive reply Yorksman, can I ask, do you eat 50g at a time or less, thanks, Deb

It all depends. With the noodles I probably eat less because I tend to add them to soups, a thai style chicken and prawn noodle soup for example. If I have spaghetti however, I usually have 70 g, sometimes 60 g.

I guess the noodles are like spaghetti, ie if you have thicker ones and cook them less, ie chewier, they are lower GI than very thin and very soft.

 

[diadeb]

Many thanks again Yorksman, I shall certainly try them