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Nuts

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EricaBlack

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Have been told nuts are a good snack for diabetics but their value changes to carbs if you eat them straight after carbs. Any truth to this?
 
Welcome @EricaBlack
I eat a lot of nuts as they are high in protein and low in carbs.
However, as someone with Type 1 diabetes, I need to be aware, if I eat a low carb meal, my body will break down the protein to glucose so cI need insulin for the protein. If I eat nuts with carbs, I do not need to consider the protein.

So, the carb content does not change but the impact on my blood sugars changes depending what I eat with or before the nuts (or any no/low carb food).

This can be challenging to calculate insulin doses for which is why, as someone with Type 1, I avoid a low carb diet.
 
EricaBlack said:
Have been told nuts are a good snack for diabetics but their value changes to carbs if you eat them straight after carbs. Any truth to this?
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Walnuts have about the lowest Carbs per 100 grams and probably most extra healthy extras.
 
If I need a snack it’s always nuts, if I’m out I’d have them on their own or if near a fridge usually pair with cheese strings ( if I ate from a block of cheese I’d have far too much)
 
EricaBlack said:
Have been told nuts are a good snack for diabetics but their value changes to carbs if you eat them straight after carbs. Any truth to this?
Click to expand...

No idea where the "carb value changes" comes from, sounds like nonsense.

But for a guide to carbs in nuts

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/nuts

The problem I usually find is you loose control of the "off" switch especially for salted nuts.
 
I really don't know why but I have always found that if I eat salted peanuts with a similar carb content to any other snack my bg goes up more than I would expect .
 
jaywak said:
I really don't know why but I have always found that if I eat salted peanuts with a similar carb content to any other snack my bg goes up more than I would expect .
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Possibly because peanuts are legumes and not nuts? Just a thought..
 
I eat loads of nuts! Not salted ones, but the normal assorted nuts that you find in large bags at Tesco. I've never had a problem with my blood glucose level despite eating a handful at a time!
Those, and 90% dark chocolate (1 or 2 squares) are my 'go to' snacks every day
 
As a T2, I regularly eat nuts and use nut flours for baking without any problems, but avoid the small more processed nut snack packs e.g. salted and/or honey roasted.

Re nuts " turning to carbs" - they already contain some carbs (together with fat and protein) - are you maybe confusing this with the fact that carbs are converted to glucose when eaten?
 
Never heard anything like the statement, happy to be educated if there is any truth in it, but this sounds far fetched and a fact if true should have been mainstream knowledge some time ago.

What I do know is that nuts are highly caloric, so need watching. I would say nuts are in to the top 2 items which are looked at if a stall happens, or if additional fat is going on to the body. I used to literally eat a breakfast bowl serving of nuts, sometimes twice a day. I have got this under control now as represented in my breakfast this morning (that is a side plate):



I essentially have "snacks" with my meals as an optimisation on a 16 / 8 protocol.
 
I a fairly new Type 2 (September). I find nuts brilliant, I have some everyday. Low carbs, good for protein and healthy fats. I have either walnuts, almonds or pecans. Definitely not salted or honeyroast. I have a few crushed and sprinkled on my breakfast (berries, yoghurt and nuts) and a few whole after dinner with a cup of tea. I don’t eat handfuls as they are quite calorific.
 
jaywak said:
I really don't know why but I have always found that if I eat salted peanuts with a similar carb content to any other snack my bg goes up more than I would expect .
Click to expand...
I see the same thing with all beans and peas - roughly 180 percent of the expected rise, and a couple of others have mentioned the same thing happens to them. I suspect a subset of Humans who can digest them better than the average.
 
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