Confusion over what can and can't eat, what is classed as high carbs and sugars

mirdragon said:

I'll bin the granola

But this is where it gets confusing as the diabetes UK magazine they have given me both by hospital and doctors say you can eat whole oats.

They also say not to stop eating fruit and whole fruit is fine but recommend berries, plums and peaches.

So can see why people get confused when seeing different information being handed out to them.

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the trouble with conflicting advice is that you just get pulled backwards and forwards depending on the latest voice.

But there is one quick and simple way to cut through all the noise and find out what is best for YOUR body.
Get a glucometer and start testing. If you buy wisely, and test carefully, you can do it for around £1 a day. I use the Tee2, but there are a lot of others out there.

just test before eating and 2 hrs after. If the rise is more than 2mmol/l then that food, in that quantity didn’t suit you, and you can make a different choice next time. Either smaller portion, or if the portion gets so small it isn’t worth eating, then switch to another food.

A few weeks of comprehensive testing and you will have discovered for yourself what works for you.
Sorted.

mirdragon said:

I'll bin the granola

But this is where it gets confusing as the diabetes UK magazine they have given me both by hospital and doctors say you can eat whole oats.

They also say not to stop eating fruit and whole fruit is fine but recommend berries, plums and peaches.

So can see why people get confused when seeing different information being handed out to them.

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Personally I'd bin the Diabetes UK rag too... Great organisation for T1's (who it was originally founded for) but severely compromised for T2's.

Andydragon said:

Also, bin as last resort. if unopened and in date and no one in house can use. food bank it

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agree x 100000 not all of us can afford to bin food either.

lucylocket61 said:

agree x 100000 not all of us can afford to bin food either.

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I didn’t want to state as such as not fair to guess on anyone’s situation, but yeah, that. Not saying it’s always the best but sometimes we have little choice hence me saying that reduction may be an option until different food is available

@mirdragon I was diagnosed Type 2 several years ago.
I absolutely agree that the advice given is confusing. The thing I would say to you is testing is important
My GP practice is common in concentrating on a three-monthly HbA1c blood test. My last result was quite high.
To the medics this tells them how well or badly your disease is progressing - and is absolutely necessary.
I will be blunt and say it does not help me day to day - it just tells me I have been a 'bad boy' for the last three months.
In the beginning, I used testing strips and a meter, but got out of the habit.

What changed things for me was a Freestyle Libre 2 meter. Please do NOT get one of these just cos I say so - my point being that I started testing again. I was surprised to find that half a ripe banana caused a spike in my glucose. Also with granola.

I guess my advice is - even though your GP practice probably won't prescribe them, get testing strips. Use them to suss out which foods cause spikes for you.

ps. I am not telling you to stop eating bananas. You need to suss out what is right for you.

HSSS said:

As far as blood sugar goes bacon is fine, sausages depend on what’s been added to the meat.

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FWIW, maybe it's different in the UK, but over here, bacon often has sugar added. I need to read labels and ingredients carefully. Turns out Costco bacon (which is also one of the cheaper options has near 0 carb, so I'm happy with that one.

Roggg said:

FWIW, maybe it's different in the UK, but over here, bacon often has sugar added. I need to read labels and ingredients carefully. Turns out Costco bacon (which is also one of the cheaper options has near 0 carb, so I'm happy with that one.

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Fair point. Bacon does not have sugar added here in the U.K. it never occurred to me that it would. I have to assume USA? United sugar addicts? (Sorry attempt at humour not judgement)

HSSS said:

Fair point. Bacon does not have sugar added here in the U.K. it never occurred to me that it would. I have to assume USA? United sugar addicts? (Sorry attempt at humour not judgement)

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Canada, but close enough. A lot of products are common to both countries.