One Teaspoon of Sugar - what's your BG like before and after?

[Cocosilk]

On the LDL cholesterol part of your question, glucose can oxidise LDL making it toxic, when it gets under the endothelial area within the arterial wall - not good. Think of a block of iron which is exposed to water, the effect this has compared to water on stainless steel.

Cholesterol is a complex area, as it about context. LDL tends not to be a problem if Trigs are low and HDL high (and insulin and blood pressure are low), context is so important.

I'll have to wait till I have this baby to find out what my cholesterol is doing now. Last test was over a couple of years ago and the doctor was puzzled how my HDL was as high as it was (3.1 mmol) and my trigs were 0.9 mmol. My LDL was 4.0 mmol so total cholesterol was a bit high at 7.5 mmol but the ratio was 2.4. But I expect I have become more insulin resistant since then because I didn't have gestational diabetes in my first two pregnancies but this time I have it and no matter how I reduce carbs during the day and get good day time readings, my fasting level is always a bit higher than they want to see so I'm on insulin before bed. I know the hormones play a part in pregnancy but I'm expecting that I must be a little insulin resistant anyway because I've had such a sweet tooth all my life.

 

[Cocosilk]

There are a couple of things to think about here. Firstly, carb creep.
Then there is the fact that under normal circumstances the human body holds about 5g (roughly a teaspoon) of glucose at a time. This is apart from glycogen stores. A non Diabetic will sort this out quick smart. So a teaspoon of sucrose (table sugar is sucrose, sucrose is made up of one molecule of fructose and one of glucose) doubles the amount of glucose in the body.
The glucose will go straight into the blood stream provoking an insulin response. The fructose will go to the liver to be stored there as fat. (If fructose is eaten by way of fruit then a tiny bit will be changed into glucose, another small amount will be carried through to the gut with the fibre and the rest, the bulk, will go to the liver).

That was a long winded way of saying there are two things we cannot measure, the fructose that ends up in the liver and the insulin response. So, is it worth it? That is a personal choice.
My own choice is that my body knows what to do with sugar, albeit badly, but with regard to sweeteners my body may struggle to deal with the chemical make up. So, I have decided that a treat of something sweet once in a while is ok but once in a while equates to three or four times a year.

I admire the willpower you must have to abstain from treats like that and if I could get to that goal one day, that would be my aim. The silly thing is, even if I am past craving the sweet things from a physiological perspective, it's the psychological aspect of equating the good life with having a little piece of cake with my coffee, sitting in a nice cafe (not that I do that very often with 2 toddlers). But even that ritual of sitting down with a cup of tea or coffee, for me that has always included a biscuit at least and to fill that gap with something, I've tried unsweetened carob nibs with nuts and raspberries and that's not bad (still fructose there), but this hazelnut cake with minimal sugar is the real thing, albeit a reduced amount of sugar, and it just gives me that feeling that life is good. Perhaps oxytocin is also released when we do something we perceive as pleasurable, hence the addictive nature of such rituals. How you get around letting go of something you have done for years and years is no easy task. And then I look at my 84 yo aunt who had gestational diabetes in the 50s with her second child. She has been lucky enough not to develop T2 diabetes and to this day still eats toasted muesli and lots of fruit. She may be insulin resistant but she has made it into her 80s and appears to be in pretty good health. I doubt she was eating quite as many biscuits and chocolate as I did but she certainly makes cakes regularly for her visitors and eats some herself still, and seems to get away with it. Some have lucky genes I guess... I'll have to ask what she typically eats and see if she's checked if she has a fatty liver developing. I imagine they check BG in the elderly but maybe not insulin sensitivity.

 

[Cocosilk]

YeAh but it just seems a bit reckless to just swallow it as an experiment........rather than enjoyment.......probably a weird mindset but hey.....that's me

Don't just swallow it as an experiment. I'm not doing very precise measurements actually anyway. I just estimated that if I put 4 teaspoons of sugar into a cake (that was for enjoyment and ate a quarter of the cake in two serves, that I had ingested approximately 1 teaspn of sugar. The hazelnuts and bit of cocoa would also add to the carbs a little bit too so it was just an estimation. Taking a straight teaspn of sugar would be as bad as the glucose tolerance test . Don't do that to yourself if you don't have to! I'm just experimenting with baking things rather than eating processed things that also contain sugars. I can better control the amounts that way and can see clearly how much sugar I am ingesting rather than do what I did the other day and eat a few chicken nuggets and cheese pastries and discover the hard way that they were loaded with carbs that I didn't fully appreciate until I had done a BG reading and got a 10.0 mmol . I'm still learning obviously

 

[Cocosilk]

The problem with sugar is not so much the glucose burden - bread is often worse - but rather its direct contribution to hepatic insulin resistance thanks to the 50% fructose content that no one sees on their glucose meter. So while x amount of sugar my be tolerable on day 1, the impact on insulin sensitivity might mean that the same amount of sugar isn’t quite so tolerable on day 2.

Sugar really is poison. Especially to insulin resistant diabetics. My advice is to avoid it regardless of anything, but of course everyone is free to make their own choices.

I figured this is the reality. The lesser of the two evils is still **** evil in other words. I guess red capsicums will make a substitute for a sweet treat one day soon enough. (Are those allowed or is that just more fructose? I read they have some protective qualities when it comes to diabetes...) And eventually life goes on without the sweet treats. One day I just look forward to being busy enough not to think about food like I was in my 20s. I always had something better to do than eat. It's only the last 5 years of making babies and being stuck in the house, sleep deprived, with babies and toddlers, that has had me really reaching for food to keep myself awake. And sweets with the caffeinated beverages to make it through the day. . Total change of lifestyle seems the only solution.

Post edited for language

 

[Guzzler]

I admire the willpower you must have to abstain from treats like that and if I could get to that goal one day, that would be my aim. The silly thing is, even if I am past craving the sweet things from a physiological perspective, it's the psychological aspect of equating the good life with having a little piece of cake with my coffee, sitting in a nice cafe (not that I do that very often with 2 toddlers). But even that ritual of sitting down with a cup of tea or coffee, for me that has always included a biscuit at least and to fill that gap with something, I've tried unsweetened carob nibs with nuts and raspberries and that's not bad (still fructose there), but this hazelnut cake with minimal sugar is the real thing, albeit a reduced amount of sugar, and it just gives me that feeling that life is good. Perhaps oxytocin is also released when we do something we perceive as pleasurable, hence the addictive nature of such rituals. How you get around letting go of something you have done for years and years is no easy task. And then I look at my 84 yo aunt who had gestational diabetes in the 50s with her second child. She has been lucky enough not to develop T2 diabetes and to this day still eats toasted muesli and lots of fruit. She may be insulin resistant but she has made it into her 80s and appears to be in pretty good health. I doubt she was eating quite as many biscuits and chocolate as I did but she certainly makes cakes regularly for her visitors and eats some herself still, and seems to get away with it. Some have lucky genes I guess... I'll have to ask what she typically eats and see if she's checked if she has a fatty liver developing. I imagine they check BG in the elderly but maybe not insulin sensitivity.

I agree and I have to be honest I never did have much of a sweet tooth so it may have been easier in a way to give up treats. My treats have become non foodstuffs, a new handbag, a gift to the grandchildren (which pleases me no end) and for my first non Diabetic number I treated myself to a table that I had had my greedy eye on for ages.

You are right in that food is so important to us, we celebrate and commiserate with it so I made a conscious decision to try to step away from that habit which is not always easy. One thing that does help is that the palate changes so that when I have a food treat (mince pies at Christmas for example) it is impossible to overdo it because stuff tastes sickly sweet to me.

 

[LooperCat]

@Cocosilk - have you tried erythritol sweetener? I’ve found it has no aftertaste (maybe a slight cooling effect in the mouth like mint does) and it works well in baking. I make all my low carb cakes with it.

 

[Traceymac23]

Fair enough too. I think I want to eventually get over my sweet tooth altogether. You can only have your head in the sand for so long really, can't you?[/QUOTE

I'm the original Mr Ostrich when it comes to giving up smoking so I know where you're coming from

 

[daisy1]

@Cocosilk
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 147,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

 

[Cocosilk]

@Cocosilk - have you tried erythritol sweetener? I’ve found it has no aftertaste (maybe a slight cooling effect in the mouth like mint does) and it works well in baking. I make all my low carb cakes with it.

I only tried a brownie a friend made especially for me with both erythritol and stevia in it. I suspect it was the stevia that left the after taste if you say erythritol doesn't have one. I haven't seen it on the supermarket shelf yet so maybe I'll experiment with it sometime.

 

[Mbaker]

I'll have to wait till I have this baby to find out what my cholesterol is doing now. Last test was over a couple of years ago and the doctor was puzzled how my HDL was as high as it was (3.1 mmol) and my trigs were 0.9 mmol. My LDL was 4.0 mmol so total cholesterol was a bit high at 7.5 mmol but the ratio was 2.4. But I expect I have become more insulin resistant since then because I didn't have gestational diabetes in my first two pregnancies but this time I have it and no matter how I reduce carbs during the day and get good day time readings, my fasting level is always a bit higher than they want to see so I'm on insulin before bed. I know the hormones play a part in pregnancy but I'm expecting that I must be a little insulin resistant anyway because I've had such a sweet tooth all my life.

You might want to consider a fast insulin test from Medichecks, you can then work out your HOMA-IR (https://www.thebloodcode.com/homa-ir-calculator/)

 

[Antje77]

The original recipe was one that my Croatian grandmother used to make and it was basically walnuts, eggs and sugar, and that's it:

Thanks! Sounds wonderful and easy to make. And I have everything I need! I'll use sugar, as I don't even have sweeteners, and such a little amount is perfectly fine for me, it probably wont even get me out of a hypo

Croatian granny cake is definitely on the menu later this week

 

[HSSS]

Stevia along with erythritol and xylitol are in fact natural sweeteners not artificial (fermented from fruit and veg I think).

Stevia for me has an awful aftertaste and I can’t use it.

Erythritol is brilliant in baking other than it can be a little drier. I’ve only found it on amazon. (Supermarkets have some stevia mixes with erythritol used as a bulking agent but advertised as stevia. Try looking on the back of packets. This mix works for some people.) It’s the least likely of the sugar alcohols to cause digestive upset too. It can have a slight cooling taste.

Xylitol tastes the closest to sugar but has more calories than erythritol and is toxic to dogs. Sainsbury’s at least sell it. Can upset some tummies, especially in large amounts.

I use erythritol and xylitol in much smaller amounts than recipes require so as to avoid that overly sweet taste I no longer need or want that original recipes would have given. Ie if you reduce the table sugar in recipes now your tastebuds are more sensitive then do the same with sweetener. Hopefully keep adjusting downwards too or still keep it to the rare treat to avoid carb creep.

 

[Breck Lundin]

Well, 1 teaspoon of sugar is about 5 grams of carbs and 1/2 cup of rice over 20. And I guess there were a lot more carbs in the corn chips. So it would be expected to make your bg go higher.

I never heard of sugar attaching to LDL cholesterol and making it stick in your arteries, but I admit that I do not know a lot about cholesterol.

I can't check out your profile to see if you've read @daisy1 info sheet already, so I tagged her and she will put it here.

May I ask you the recipe of your hazelnut cake? It didn't make your bg go up by much and it sounds yummy

So much interesting observations. i csn add suggestions to make pure stevia a bit easier to swallow.

Stevia is not an artificial sweetener, it's a plant. Lots of misunderstanding about it.

Almost 18yrs ago I was introduced to stevia by an old neighbor who was from Paraguay. Apparently that's where or near to it's origins. Just a weird tidbit. And WOW where did that time go?

Anyway, stevia is difficult for some people. My thought is we expect it to be pure sweet with zero real flavor. I guess we have been indoctrinated that the only sweet is derived from sucrose or it's close cousins. At first it wad sure a shock to me.

I get a black licorice flavor. That is maybe the one candy I think anyone who actively seeks it our. That salted black licorice is the devil i tell you!

I had to dedicate myself if i learned to use it somehow i would be that better off.

Eventually i found products from Sweet Leaf. Never tried their flavored tinctures but found their whole plant dark brown tincture. Big believer in whole plant products. i buy a 2oz bottle a few times a year.

It lasts so long because just s drop or two is enough. Ok, I'll put 10-12 in my coffee drinks.

That's the secret to stevia use. As a rule i never need a teeny tiny amount. And bolder food or beverages are great masking agents.

Gotta watch stevia on the store shelf as here in the US the stevia on the shelf in grocery stores is not pure stevia. They mix in their own masking products... even sucrose this defeating the whole point.

if ya ever consider trying it again I can suggest tinctures/extracts from Sweet Leaf. Maybe try a bottle of their flavored options? I've never tried flavored versions but the reviews are usually helpful on Amazon.

I have to avoid any use of glycerin as it skyrockets my BG. Same for any sugar alcohols.

Give it a shot one day when you're in a devil may care mood...

Almost forgot. Any starchy ingredients, sugar alcohols, potatoes, plus sugar all shoot my BG through the roof.

Honey actually doesn't have near as much an affect on my levels. I can add a 1/4 teaspoon without significant reaction.

 

[HSSS]

Any starchy ingredients, sugar alcohols, potatoes, plus sugar all shoot my BG through the roof.

Can I clarify which specific sugar alcohols you refer to? They are not all alike in effect. They aren’t starchy as far as I know.

Erythritol very rarely has a blood glucose effect. Others such as maltitol, used in lots of low carb bars, definitely does for me and lots of others, as well as a lot of digestive complaints to it.

 

[Breck Lundin]

Can I clarify which specific sugar alcohols you refer to? They are not all alike in effect. They aren’t starchy as far as I know.

Erythritol very rarely has a blood glucose effect. Others such as maltitol, used in lots of low carb bars, definitely does for me and lots of others, as well as a lot of digestive complaints to it.

essentially any of them give me spikes. It's unusual and was surprising when i discovered it shortly after they were being promoted as sugar alternatives. And i have tried all that had bern commercially available on the store shelf or in "sugarfree" candies.

Yup, the sure can affect the intestines in special ways. I once wad hooked on a hard "sugarfree" candy, sorbitol i think it was, that kept me checking the plumbing out.

Btw, in my comment i never indicated that sugar alcohols were starchy. That was a list of problematic substances for me. Had o intended to say it wad starchy it would have been written like this:

Any starchy ingredients SUCH AS sugar alcohols, potatoes, plus sugar all shoot my BG through the roof.

Only omission was a comma after "starchy ingredients".

Sorry for any confusion...

 

[HSSS]

essentially any of them give me spikes. It's unusual and was surprising when i discovered it shortly after they were being promoted as sugar alternatives. And i have tried all that had bern commercially available on the store shelf or in "sugarfree" candies.

Yup, the sure can affect the intestines in special ways. I once wad hooked on a hard "sugarfree" candy, sorbitol i think it was, that kept me checking the plumbing out.

Btw, in my comment i never indicated that sugar alcohols were starchy. That was a list of problematic substances for me. Had o intended to say it wad starchy it would have been written like this:

Any starchy ingredients SUCH AS sugar alcohols, potatoes, plus sugar all shoot my BG through the roof.

Only omission was a comma after "starchy ingredients".

Sorry for any confusion...

Not a problem. I wasn’t trying to be a grammar nazi, just confused as I thought that’s what you meant. I only asked as I’ve not found anything much here in the uk on supermarket shelves that uses erythritol or xylitol (other than chewing gum). It tends to be the more reactive sugar alcohols. Stevia of all forms I can find in the UK (and I bought them all) for me has that awful aftertaste even in tiny amounts. I tried them all as it would have been my first choice being a plant fairly directly used.

If you are managing just fine without them then no issues and that’s ideal. If you are still trying to find sugar alternatives then specifically finding erythritol on its own and trying that might be worth it.

 

[Cocosilk]

You might want to consider a fast insulin test from Medichecks, you can then work out your HOMA-IR (https://www.thebloodcode.com/homa-ir-calculator/)

I asked my GP the other day about an insulin test and her response was "you don't need one" which makes me want to find another GP who can give the customer what they are asking for. I'm in Australia so I'll have to find out what the equivalent process is here. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I asked my GP the other day about an insulin test and her response was "you don't need one" which makes me want to find another GP who can give the customer what they are asking for.

Doctor shopping is frowned upon here in Australia, whether it's for medication or diagnostic tests.

I'm in Australia so I'll have to find out what the equivalent process is here.

Medicare picks up on this very quickly.

 

[Mbaker]

I asked my GP the other day about an insulin test and her response was "you don't need one" which makes me want to find another GP who can give the customer what they are asking for. I'm in Australia so I'll have to find out what the equivalent process is here. Thanks!

It is not the norm to get this vital in my view test in the UK either; a potential LADA or Type 1 can get a c-peptide test. Due to diabetes crippling health services and the obvious link to I insulin, things may change, but I won't hold my breath, as an obvious way to lower insulin is low carb.

 

[Cocosilk]

It is not the norm to get this vital in my view test in the UK either; a potential LADA or Type 1 can get a c-peptide test. Due to diabetes crippling health services and the obvious link to I insulin, things may change, but I won't hold my breath, as an obvious way to lower insulin is low carb.

I think I will just assume I am insulin resistant to some extent and change my diet accordingly. I probably don't need a test from that perspective. If I was in denial, maybe a test would wake me up, but if no one takes me seriously enough to get me one, then my only other option is assume that I might be heading that way and to look after myself by avoiding refined carbs. Not sure they would even do anything even if they find someone with a bit of insulin resistance. They probably have to wait till you are pre-diabetic at least to be allowed to spend any money and time on you. Which is fair enough if the budget is stretched I guess. There is enough information out there now that people can help themselves if they have enough initiative. It's just more fun if you can get the before and after numbers on a test and have something tangible to motivate you more.