Different Carbs?

[DumfriesDik]

Do different carbs affect you in differently? Or is a carb a carb a carb?

For example, does eating the same amount of carbs in the form of potato, rice or pasta affect you the same?

 

[Guzzler]

As a general rule the more processed a carb is the faster it is metabolised and the higher the reaction. As we are all different our reactions are not always the same and the portion size can matter. The only way to find out what your personal threshhold is is to test before and after.

Fructose is a funny carb as it is only metabolised in the liver but for those with Insulin Resistance this can be even more of a problem.

 

[lessci]

I can eat a small amount of rice or bulgar wheat with little effect on my BG's, a couple of small, tinned potatoes or a handful of chips. but pasta, mash, jacket potatoes and other grains have a big effect so I try to avoid them

 

[NicoleC1971]

I have learnt that in addition to quality (degree of processing), quantity (obvious) the other variables are timing (we respond more to carb in the mornings for hormonal reasons and compnay (eat them with fat and protein to slow down the glucose spike..

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Refined sugars, liquid sugars and fruits hit my system faster than rice, spuds and pasta would, but while the rise may be slower, it's still a rise I can do without. Far as that is concerned, in my mind, a carb is a carb is a carb... But yes, they do affect a person differently, and it's different for everyone.

 

[TooSweetForMe]

To me, each carb is different - just like each person is different.

 

[Resurgam]

A recent test showed me that the 30 gm of carbs I might have for dinner as veges and berries affect me less than 30 gm of carbs from a seeded roll - I would normally see a rise to about 7 ish, but the roll put me at over 10 mmol/l, eaten with the same protein and fat as the veges.
I already knew that carbs from legumes affect me more than the numbers should imply.

 

[Flora123]

My body hates carbs in the morning. I can’t even think about having anything even slightly carby (half a slice of LC bread - 2g) until the late afternoon or early evening. But not late evening. It’s the timing for me which I’ve only discovered with lots of testing.

 

[COLC1]

One of my biggest problems is the inconsistent readings of the same meal on different days.
For example I use the Vetta brand of pasta (high fibre or high protein, other brands are deadly usually)
I usually eat 180 to 200 grams (cooked weight) , most days results are normal down to as low as 5.5, yet on other days it can throw up a 10 or more.
Dietitians in my experience will tell you to eat more whole grains, yet I grind my own wheat and bake my own 100% wholemeal bread, but I still spike, yet I am able to eat chocolate or ice cream for example.
I have was diagnosed with Impaired Glucose tolerance about 10 years ago, my HBA1C is usually around 5.5 but I do get unacceptably high spikes more often than I would like.​

 

[Stephen Lewis]

My endocrinologist a few weeks after putting me on insulin in Feb 2018 told me that measuring carbs was a waste of my time and would not achieve anything.
A couple of months later a dietitian at the diabetic clinic gave me more information about the glycemic index, insisting that I should mainly eat crabs with a low index and provided a list of the GI values for different foods.
A couple of months later this site was recommended and after a little look around I started myself on a low carb diet. I kept a close check on my carbs and gradually reduced them to about 50 gms a day, totally ignoring the GI. I was able to gradually reduce my insulin down to 0 units 6 months later.
In January I was able to start using the Freestyle Libre and with a interstitial glucose check every 15 minutes I get a very detailed picture of the effects of different foods and I can plan my diet and meals as necessary.
I have now lost about 45 lbs and 8 inches of my weight. Not sure if this is metabolically accurate but I have certainly lost a lot of fat from around my liver and I believe this is where the liver gets fats to create glucogens when the pancreas stimulates the liver with glucagons (I may have glucogens and glucagons reversed). I believe this is how I work because as I have lost weight, the increase on bg levels as I wake up, the dawn phenomenon, has got less and less. I have also seen that when I have a day with higher calories my body works normally and converts the unused into fat and my bg levels are higher on waking for the next few days.
I also thing that the decrease in abdominal fat has helped to improve the working of my pancreas. If bg goes low I follow the recommendations and have a small amount of a fast acting glucose producer (sherbet lemons!) and my bg goes up very fast and comes down even faster to below the previous low point so now I have to make sure to keep my bg as level as possible (advice from this forum).
My A1cs have gradually reduced over the last 18 months down to below 6.5% and my target is below 6.0%. My next A1c test is due for late January, no longer quarterly, and my goal is to get my last diabetic medication, Metformin, reduced or stopped.
The moral of this tale is to cut the carbs, check the effect of different carbs on you (we are all different) by testing before meals and at least 2 times after a meal, adjust your diet as necessary, lose weight and lots of exercise. Weight lifting is best for me as it helps to force glucose into the muscles.
Finally ask questions, provide information and help each other on this forum - better than a conference of endocrinologists or a dinner plate of dietitians.

 

[Listlad]

Weight lifting is best for me as it helps to force glucose into the muscles.

Thanks for that.

 

[COLC1]

Weight lifting is best for me as it helps to force glucose into the muscles.

Works for me too, but not for long, I have a home gym and recumbent bike, which I use every morning 30 minutes on the bike then bench work; bench presses, squats etc. Pre yesterday morning workout BGL was 6.2, after workout 5.8, two hours later 6.8.
The latter was taken on my meter at the same time as blood was taken at a pathology lab, will be interesting too see the results in a few days to compare my meter with the lab result.
No Meds, 183cm 72kg, BMI 21.7 85YO, last A1C 5.5

 

[ianf0ster]

Works for me too, but not for long, I have a home gym and recumbent bike, which I use every morning 30 minutes on the bike then bench work; bench presses, squats etc. Pre yesterday morning workout BGL was 6.2, after workout 5.8, two hours later 6.8.
The latter was taken on my meter at the same time as blood was taken at a pathology lab, will be interesting too see the results in a few days to compare my meter with the lab result.
No Meds, 183cm 72kg, BMI 21.7 85YO, last A1C 5.5

Not for long ? - Resistance exercise like weight lifting builds muscle. The more muscle, the bigger the Glucose load it can hold, so the smaller the BG spikes.

 

[COLC1]

Not for long ?

No offence but I fail to see the point of your answer, I am aware of the benefits of using weights, that is why I am religious about my regime. I was merely commenting that two hours after a workout my BGL had risen and was in the "orange" zone. I was fasting due to my BGL test at the lab, there was no food intake in the equation.

 

[WackyJacky64]

I've gone back to eating carbs around 130 a day , my blood sugar has gone down , i have even tried porridge and it hasn't spiked me at all , testing two hours later is around 6.9 I now eat small amounts of potatoes , haven't tried pasta yet and won't try rice as i don't like rice. It all seems to be going well , nearly a stone in weight loss too .

I now think the double cream was spiking me a lot and that is probably unusual to some on here as double cream is a big part of the lchf keto diet , but it didn't suit me at all made me very ill , i was always feeling sick and eventually it built up to the point of me being really ill one night , that is when i decided to change back to eating carbs , i do have smaller portions though and I think that keeps the spikes down .

Keto kicked started me , it was miraculous I got the Ac1 down from 106 to 59 in 11 weeks , so it was very good.
I am happy right now with the results , perhaps the lower calories and weight loss are the key to my lower blood sugar numbers ?

 

[KK123]

Works for me too, but not for long, I have a home gym and recumbent bike, which I use every morning 30 minutes on the bike then bench work; bench presses, squats etc. Pre yesterday morning workout BGL was 6.2, after workout 5.8, two hours later 6.8.
The latter was taken on my meter at the same time as blood was taken at a pathology lab, will be interesting too see the results in a few days to compare my meter with the lab result.
No Meds, 183cm 72kg, BMI 21.7 85YO, last A1C 5.5

At 85 years old doing all that, you're an inspiration! x

 

[Stephen Lewis]

No offence but I fail to see the point of your answer, I am aware of the benefits of using weights, that is why I am religious about my regime. I was merely commenting that two hours after a workout my BGL had risen and was in the "orange" zone. I was fasting due to my BGL test at the lab, there was no food intake in the equation.

I had the same issue with bg after a workout but that stopped now that I have lost nearly 45 lbs most from around my waist. My liver has little fat to work with in order to create an uncontrolled glucose dump.

 

[Stephen Lewis]

perhaps the lower calories and weight loss are the key to my lower blood sugar numbers ?

Definitely. I am at the point where I do not want to lose any more weight as I am down to 150 lbs - 10 st 6 lbs. - so I am carefully increasing my carbs very slowly to find out if I am able do maintain my reduced weight without increasing my bg. I am 69 and my weight is about where it was 50+ years ago when I was trying to increase weight for my rugby team. I hope I have reached a good new balance point for my body. Though I think rugby is out. As in many things in our bodies (and life) balance is the key.

 

[COLC1]

At 85 years old doing all that, you're an inspiration!

Thanks for that, it is exactly what my GP says. It is comments like that encourage me to keep up with my exercise regime.
I know one thing for sure, if I stopped, the rot would set in very rapidly.

 

[KK123]

Thanks for that, it is exactly what my GP says. It is comments like that encourage me to keep up with my exercise regime.
I know one thing for sure, if I stopped, the rot would set in very rapidly.

COLC1, I'm a mere stripling at 58 but my aim is to exercise for as long as I can in the hope that it will keep me mobile for longer, so if I can reach your fabulous age and still be doing all you're doing, then wow! x