Confused on what to look for

The traffic light system is no use at all to diabetics, as it is carbohydrates which turn to simple sugars as they are digested, so both sugars and starches.
Look on the side or the back of the pack for the full nutritional information.
I try to eat foods which are 10 percent carbs or less, as they seem to be the safest.

Carbohydrates are sugars and starches. The big problem is both quantity and quality.
If you eat an apple or drink some sugary carbonated drink with the same amount of calories, the effect will be really different, because the apple sugars are fructose and bound with fibers.

The best thing you could do is to try to buy things without a label, like eggs, vegetables and fruits or meat or fish.
Beware of potatoes, rice, pasta and bread, if you relly like bread buy fresh wholewheat loafs and not white bread, the same for pasta, and if you like pasta use a vegetable sauce. Stay away from mashed potatoes or fried potatoes, especially the one served in fast foods and cafeterias.
Stay away from lactose free and gluten free products (if you don't have intolerance).
Next look to carboyhdrates total count and if in the ingerdients there are sugar, dextrose, fructose, od fructose syrup be wary.
There are a lot of apps that make querying a database of nutritional fact quite easy.

It's total carbohydrates you should look for. The lower the better. If you are buying processed food try to keep to less than 5 gms of carbohydrates per 100 gms (5%).

Yes but aren't certain other carbs more slow releasing? I have read on many sites that sweet potato can actually lower your BG levels. They call it the superfood. Quinoa is supposed to be slow releasing also. Whereas white bread, pasta, rice causes sugar spikes. So you are all saying that even complex carbs are bad? Even a measured out portion of 30 grams a couple of times a week?

derry60 said:

Yes but aren't certain other carbs more slow releasing? I have read on many sites that sweet potato can actually lower your BG levels. They call it the superfood. Quinoa is supposed to be slow releasing also. Whereas white bread, pasta, rice causes sugar spikes. So you are all saying that even complex carbs are bad? Even a measured out portion of 30 grams a couple of times a week?

Click to expand...

I am trying to carb count at the moment for type 1 purposes but some of my findings might be of interest. when I was pregnant I was very strict about eating and one of my meals was whole wheat pasta I nearly always went slightly low after this meal as the pasta didn't seem to have a big impact on my bg. I also found this to be true of other wholegrain carbs like quinoa or whole grain cous cous. I thinks because it's slow release and so high in fibre it's digested very slowly

Hi @mycool86
I also find it difficult to follow food labelling so what I have done is keep a simple spreadsheet on which I list all the foods that I eat, together with the quantities that I would normally have. Then, when I choose whatever for a meal, I simply go to my friend, Google, and type in "Carbs xxxxxx" where xxxxxx is the particular food eg: ham, egg, cheese or whatever. What you will get back is a range of websites that will list the carbs (and often the protein, calories etc) in your selected food. I list these values in another column on the spreadsheet so that for any meal, on any day, I can read off the carb value of whatever I am eating.

There are also some sites (eg: MyFitness Pal) that semi automate this for you. For me, though, my spreadsheet is simple .. and it works
Hope this helps

Bon83 said:

I am trying to carb count at the moment for type 1 purposes but some of my findings might be of interest. when I was pregnant I was very strict about eating and one of my meals was whole wheat pasta I nearly always went slightly low after this meal as the pasta didn't seem to have a big impact on my bg. I also found this to be true of other wholegrain carbs like quinoa or whole grain cous cous. I thinks because it's slow release and so high in fibre it's digested very slowly

Click to expand...

Yes, that is exactly what I have read on many forums and articles, all to do with the high fiber content. I also read that if portioned correctly these complex carbs are fine, but obviously, no carb is good in large portions. Thank you for your reply

On the Atkins diet he introduces other carbs in different phases, like phase 1) the lesser carb veg, Phase 2) medium carbs etc and when he gets to say phase 4) he then introduces potatoes, carrots etc..He does not seem to be advocating that people stay on very low carbs for a lifetime, yes his diet is for a lifetime, o but not cutting other vegs out altogether.

This is the Atkins diet.
YOU ARE AT:Home»Diets»Diet Information»Vegetables You Can Eat on the Atkins Diet

Vegetables You Can Eat on the Atkins Diet
By Sequoia
0
Diet Information

The Atkins Diet is a low carbohydrate meal plan that fires up your metabolism and turns your body into a “fat-burning machine.” When you reduce your intake of carbs by eating chiefly protein, fat and fiber, your body will produce less insulin and when your blood sugar levels-out, you won’t crave the carbs as much. The carbohydrates you do eat are in the form of vitamin rich, high fiber, whole foods, such as vegetables. When you eat carbs that metabolize slowly, you have more energy.

How the Atkins Diet Works
Your body turns carbs into glucose, which enters the blood stream and raises your blood glucose level. The hormone insulin rushes in to stabilize the glucose and that creates a cycle of your blood sugar spiking then crashing, which makes you hungry and crave more carbohydrates. The body doesn’t store more than a half-day supply of energy from glucose. If you eat more carbohydrates than can be used, your body stores it as fat, even if you’re limiting your daily caloric intake.

When following the Atkins Diet Plan, you work your way through your weight loss in four phases. You can combine your vegetables to make tasty dishes and that will help you stay on track. For example, make an asparagus and leek soup or try a pepper and zucchini soup. In warm weather, enjoy a cool and crunchy cauliflower salad, or a cobb salad. Or fix yourself some comfort food and create a spinach, swiss chard and cheese bake.

1. Vegetables You Can Eat in Phase 1
In Phase 1, or the Induction Phase, you should eat 12 to 15 grams of carbohydrates (net carbs) per day. In general, the serving size is one-half to one cup, where a one-cup serving is approximately the size of a baseball.

Vegetables that have 0 to 1 net carb(s):

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Artichoke hearts
• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Broccoli (raw)
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chicory greens
• Chives
• Cucumber
• Daikon radish
• Endive
• Escarole
• Hearts of Palm
• Iceberg lettuce
• Olives, black (5)
• Parsley
• Radicchio
• Radishes
• Romaine lettuce
• Spinach (raw)

Vegetables that have over 1 to 2 net carb(s):

• Bamboo shoots
• Broccoli (cooked)
• Broccoli rabe
• Broccoflower
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Rhubarb
• Sauerkraut
• Spaghetti squash
• Summer squash
• Swiss chard
• Zucchini

Vegetables that have over 2 to 5 net carbs:

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Avocadoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Collard greens
• Fennel
• Jicama
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Okra
• Olives, green (5)
• Onion
• Peas
• Peppers
• Pumpkin
• Tomato
• Turnips
• Water Chestnuts

2. Vegetables You Can Eat in Phase 2
In Phase 2, or Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), you add variety to your meal plan and gradually increase your net carbs. In Phase 2, you eat the same vegetables as in Phase 1.

3. Vegetables You Can Eat in Phase 3
Phase 3, or Pre-Maintenance, is the next step after you’ve lost most of the weight, with only around 10 pounds to go. In this phase, you can eat all of the vegetables from Phase 1, plus:

• Acorn Squash
• Carrots
• White potatoes
• Yams

4. Vegetables You can Eat in Phase 4
The Atkins Diet Lifetime Maintenance phase, or Phase 4, is where you begin your new life at your goal weight. By this time, eating well has become your lifestyle and all you need to do is commit to being in charge of what you eat for the rest of your life. You can eat all of the vegetables in phases 1 and 3.

ALL carbohydrate converts to sugar once inside the system, no matter what the source or colour. Some take a bit longer, but still convert at some point. This is fact.

There are similar amount of carbs in ordinary spuds and sweet potatoes. There are similar amounts of carbs in white bread and wholemeal, and so on. Fruit contains fructose, which is unlike other sugars as it is processed in the liver rather than the gut (like alcohol) and is blamed for contributing to fatty livers and from there to possible diabetes.

Eating to your meter is the best way to go, along with low carb and a food diary. Our meters tell us which foods we react to, and also portion size.

No one seems to have told my gut that low GI means that it is digested more slowly - perhaps it is because I eat slowly and chew my food, so that the starches are broken down straight away, but for me there is no such thing as slow release carbs.

mycool86 said:

i tend to be living on eggs & bacon

Click to expand...

Nowt wrong with that (although others may disagree). There are quite a few people who follow a "zero carb" way of eating most eating steak bacon and eggs, others eating any meat or fish, some include some dairy and cheese. It's really a zero plant food eating plan with just animal products. If you are happy eating that way and your blood sugars reduce on it (which they should) then go for it. You might want to add some extra fat as well so butter on the meat or some mayo..
If you are really interested check out here
https://zerocarbzen.com

You can have any meat or fish, sea food, cheese, eggs, and all sorts of salad stuff and vegetables - mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, radishes, peppers, cucumbers, courgettes asparagus aubergine - it is a long list.
The reason that the grains and potatoes are cut out is that they spike blood sugars for most people, and that means the danger of damage to small blood vessels in the eyes and feet.
Cauliflower and broccoli are used to make a substitute for rice, various things are used to make a mash, celeriac or turnip - or cauliflower. When starting to make low carb meals for themselves many people are quire surprised by the results, far too tasty to be healthy.
You can have cream in your coffee, high cocoa chocolate in moderation, or sugar free if the sugar alcohols don't bother you.
Personally I much prefer the Atkins diet to 'normal' food. I do the New Diet Revolution version, not the modern Atkins Corporation one.

It is a big adjustment, but believe me, when you see what carbs do to your blood glucose, it can be incredibly motivating.

Have you got a meter and are you testing your blood glucose?
Getting a meter and learning what blood glucose levels are damaging, are the things that got me firmly on track.
Nothing like seeing a high number, and thinking 'oops, that is probably damaging me. Can't do that too often!'