Fruit drinks. Which one?

[onnecar]

I like to go walking and find that this can often cause my glucose levels to go too low. I therefore now carry a fruit drink of some description. As well as the glucose tabs that I always have on me.
My question is about types of fruit drink. I'm looking for something smallish and I also carry plain water, so don't want too many large bottles to carry. Also something that isn't going to leak and also something that doesn't have any sugar or sweeteners in it. Only fruit. Some drinks don't last once they are opened, so that can lead to a lot of wastage. I was thinking of a long lasting concentrate maybe, or a powdered option. I have fruit shoots at the moment but not happy about the sweeteners in them. I don't have the time to make smoothies from scratch either. Besides I can't drink it before it goes off anyway. All suggestions welcome. What do other people do?

 

[HSSS]

How would fruit shoots work if they have sweeteners rather than sugar? Surely you need the real thing (the carbs) to counter a hypo?

 

[catinahat]

When you say too low, what sort of level do you have?

 

[onnecar]

Hi Sorry I can't see your name anywhere so Cannot use it. HSSS. Fruit has it's own natural sugar so is full of carbs. Not everyone needs added sugar in a fruit drink to ward off a hypo. I'm on relatively low amounts of insulin and my diabetic nurse told me that I probably would not need to have the added sugar drinks. That may not be the case for everyone. Fruit shoots work fine for me and put levels up very quickly. So therefore, if I don't need the added sugar, I certainly don't need the added sweeteners. Hence my question.

 

[onnecar]

When you say too low, what sort of level do you have?

Hi there. I was advised to go more by the direction of the arrow on my app. I would say If I'm below say 6.5 and the arrow is falling, it's best for me to take fruit juice sips at that point. If I don't I would likely fall to hypo level. ie below 4. It happened to me once when I was not so up on it to start with. Fortunately I had Glucose tabs, so no panic.

 

[catinahat]

I'm on relatively low amounts of insulin

OK I get it now, your info says you're on metformin, I was wondering why you were going low.

 

[HSSS]

Hi Sorry I can't see your name anywhere so Cannot use it. HSSS. Fruit has it's own natural sugar so is full of carbs. Not everyone needs added sugar in a fruit drink to ward off a hypo. I'm on relatively low amounts of insulin and my diabetic nurse told me that I probably would not need to have the added sugar drinks. That may not be the case for everyone. Fruit shoots work fine for me and put levels up very quickly. So therefore, if I don't need the added sugar, I certainly don't need the added sweeteners. Hence my question.

Fruit shoot is basically squash/cordial and has very little fruit in it though less than 10% for some flavours. I wasn’t talking about added sugar, just the same natural ones you are. Obviously if it was actual fruit juice I’d agree entirely with you. I’m surprised they work at that level but if it does for you it does.

 

[onnecar]

I have tried to change my profile to insulin. But for some reason it won't show up. I noticed that HSSS isn't showing up as an insulin user either. Can anyone help with that? Actually I've just looked at my profile and the insulin info wasn't saved it would appear. I've just resaved that and it's showing on my profile. However it may still not show on here as the topic is already started. Not sure.

 

[onnecar]

Fruit shoot is basically squash/cordial and has very little fruit in it though less than 10% for some flavours. I wasn’t talking about added sugar, just the same natural ones you are. Obviously if it was actual fruit juice I’d agree entirely with you. I’m surprised they work at that level but if it does for you it does.

In some cases you don't need much. I was advised squash by the nurse which is diluted so it's all the same thing. Yes luckily I don't need the added sugar. The nurses are very experienced, they know what works for people in different situations. I'm also a skinny type 2.

 

[TriciaWs]

What about the small tetrapaks of juice? Some are just squash but you can get pure juice.

 

[onnecar]

What about the small tetrapaks of juice? Some are just squash but you can get pure juice.

Not sure how well they would fare in my rucksack and whether I would be able to drink all of it. I don't know who the suppliers here are either. I have just bought pressed fruit and water this morning, in small cartons from Cawston press which is nothing added. They are relatively small. Actually designed for school kids. I'd probably have to transfer it to a reusable plastic container for carrying in my rucksack. I have one on them so could do that I guess. I always have plain water too.

 

[HSSS]

I have tried to change my profile to insulin. But for some reason it won't show up. I noticed that HSSS isn't showing up as an insulin user either. Can anyone help with that? Actually I've just looked at my profile and the insulin info wasn't saved it would appear. I've just resaved that and it's showing on my profile. However it may still not show on here as the topic is already started. Not sure.

I’m not an insulin user - nor ever claimed to be so I’m unclear why you think it should say I am. My profile should show diet only. If it doesn’t please let me know.

That doesn’t mean I know zero about what raises glucose or the carb/sugar contents of a fruit shoot and have read much from other insulin users commenting on squash not working the way juice does. Diet controlled type 2 usually know a fair bit about what raises levels in type 2 as on the whole we try to avoid them.

As I said if it works for you that’s great you only need a slight nudge the squash can give, it just didnt seem typical as a hypo treatment which is why I asked the question.

 

[onnecar]

I’m not an insulin user - nor ever claimed to be so I’m unclear why you think it should say I am. My profile should show diet only. If it doesn’t please let me know.

That doesn’t mean I know zero about what raises glucose or the carb/sugar contents of a fruit shoot and have read much from other insulin users commenting on squash not working the way juice does. Diet controlled type 2 usually know a fair bit about what raises levels in type 2 as on the whole we try to avoid them.

As I said if it works for you that’s great you only need a slight nudge the squash can give, it just didnt seem typical as a hypo treatment which is why I asked the question.

Because the thread I chose for the post is Diabetes Type 2 with insulin. I've just checked and I have posted in the right place???

• Forums
• Diabetes Discussion
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Type 2 with Insulin

When you're on insulin, things change a bit. That I can tell you. It's been a steep learning curve for me. Everyone is unique with their dosage and lifestyle. I've had to completely change my attitude to when I was oral meds only.

 

[KennyA]

I have tried to change my profile to insulin. But for some reason it won't show up. I noticed that HSSS isn't showing up as an insulin user either. Can anyone help with that? Actually I've just looked at my profile and the insulin info wasn't saved it would appear. I've just resaved that and it's showing on my profile. However it may still not show on here as the topic is already started. Not sure.

Hi onnecar

this "change of status" issue has been a problem. I'll check if anything has happened on the admin side - mods don't have access to anything techie.

 

[KennyA]

I have tried to change my profile to insulin. But for some reason it won't show up. I noticed that HSSS isn't showing up as an insulin user either. Can anyone help with that? Actually I've just looked at my profile and the insulin info wasn't saved it would appear. I've just resaved that and it's showing on my profile. However it may still not show on here as the topic is already started. Not sure.

It's showing to me as you using insulin now.

 

[HSSS]

Because the thread I chose for the post is Diabetes Type 2 with insulin. I've just checked and I have posted in the right place???

• Forums
• Diabetes Discussion
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Type 2 with Insulin

When you're on insulin, things change a bit. That I can tell you. It's been a steep learning curve for me. Everyone is unique with their dosage and lifestyle. I've had to completely change my attitude to when I was oral meds only.

We’re allowed to post here even if we aren’t on insulin. The sub forum just lets us know the topic.

I’m really not sure why you are so defensive. This forum is also about sharing knowledge, so I asked a question about how it could work - because it’s not what’s typical. I now know that even squash can work if all you need is a tiny nudge to change direction rather than juice as most people seem to use. I don”t think being on particular meds or not is the problem here.

 

[HSSS]

It's showing to me as you using insulin now.

Still shows as oral meds to me. (iOS web based, landscape, with the standard formatting).

@onnecar when you select the treatment option in profile does there appear to be two identical options? If that is the case try the other one. It was the case that whilst they looked the same to you they’d appear differently to others depending on how they viewed the forum.

 

[KennyA]

Still shows as oral meds to me. (iOS web based, landscape, with the standard formatting).

@onnecar when you select the treatment option in profile does there appear to be two identical options? If that is the case try the other one. It was the case that whilst they looked the same to you they’d appear differently to others depending on how they viewed the forum.

I had thought this had gone away. I'll raise it. Apologies for the interruption.

 

[Jamesb66]

If your sugars drop low and depending on what you deem as low, my diabetic nurse said to drink orange juice as gets into blood stream quickly

 

[In Response]

Could you decant your drink of choice into a small water bottle? Rather than looking for small, sturdy, resealable original packaging, use your own.
Depending how little you need, I guess you could use one (or more) of the small cosmetics bottles that are sold in places like Boots. I always use these for shampoo, etc. when travelling for a day or two but my partner has taken one to use for milk if we take a flask of hot water and teabags.