Margarine v Butter

[junieliz]

Hi all, I use Bertolli margarine for sandwiches as my husband takes a sandwich for work. The more I read the more I get confused. I really enjoy reading the forum loads of information, I have a look on the site every day for ideas. I think I am coping as his reads are quite good usually between 3.6 and 5 compared with 30 at the beginning. I cut all fat off any meat and then read eat all fat on low carb diet and will feel full. Also is red wine better than beer? Thanks for any info junieliz

 

[Lady J]

Hi

Your husband's readings are excellent. Provided his readings are between 4-7 most of the time (3.6 is ok, but possibly a tiny bit too low), I wouldn't worry too much about high fat etc etc.

What you are doing is WORKING and that's the most important thing!



LJ

 

[Dennis]

Hi Junieliz,

Alcohol generally (in small doses) is supposed to help in reducing blood sugar. The risk of a hypo after too much to drink is one of the reasons that diabetics are warned not to over-do it. A glass or two of red wine is supposed to be good for diabetics because the skins of red gr apes contain a substance called resveratrol which helps insulin sensitivity. White gr apes don't contain resveratrol.

Most red wines, particularly red wines, are fermented until there is little or no remaining sugar. By contrast most beers have quite a high amount of residual sugar so will raise blood sugars.

 

[junieliz]

Hi LadyJ and Dennis, as always a big thank you for the info, and giving me the confidence that I am doing ok. Brilliant site junieliz

 

Many white wines are made with red g****s so the probability is that there will be some of resveratrol is likely to be present but in smaller quantities in these products.

 

[fergusc]

Junielz,

Those are great numbers, so you're doing a fine job there. But there is nothing to be gained by eating low fat food, or cutting the fat off your meat. Fat requires no insulin for digestion so it will not raise blood sugar. It's the sugars and the starch you need to be very wary about.

All the best,

fergusc

 

[junieliz]

Hi fergus, thank you for your comments, I have bought a couple of books on low GI and am trying to change eating habits from low fat to low GI. It is amazing how much there is to learn, but with help from all of you I am getting there. The only thing as my husband works shifts, 10 hour on nights I need to pack him something substantial so make him sandwiches on granary bread. I know we ought to be steering from this but he does sometimes have lows of below 4, one day this week he was 2.6 so had some lucozade and a snack and he was ok again. Also he has had 3 heavy colds since Christmas he does seem susceptible to this and yes he did have the flu injection. Take care junieliz

 

[LesleyB]

yeah, colds can affect your blood sugar so you need to keep a close eye on your readings when you have any illness.

Beer contains loads of carbohydrates so initially has the action of raising your blood glucose, however, the alcohol contained within the beer will have the reverse effect of lowering your blood glucose. I am a beer loving Yorkshire Lass - I drink bitter as well as lager, however have moved to gin and tonic on nights out at the pub due to the excessively high readings I was getting after a night out on the pints followed by the extreme hypos the next day.

Anything in moderation is fine though and I would never completely stop drinking beer. i have also been told to drink consistently (i.e. have one glass of wine every night rather than eight glasses on a Friday night, as my insulin requirements would then be the same every day).