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Porridge

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letsy

Active Member
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I am confused about porridge. (the rolled oats type not instant mixes)

It is obviously high in carbs, but then some things I read say it's mostly soluble fibre which is a type of carb that is good for diabetics?

In general is porridge good for people with diabetes?
 
It raises mine too. There are one or two lucky ones on here who can eat it. The best thing is to have a meter and check your before and after readings (at 1 hour after and 2 hour after) then you will know if it's OK for you personally or not. You can still get individual spikes that are too high even if your HbA1c is OK.
 
I find I can eat porridge without any spike - but I stick rigidly to the portion suggestion of the pack - and don't add any sugar. I also make it an occasional breakfast, not an every day one - once at the weekend kind of thing. But as Zand has said - the only way you will know if its ok for you is to see how your blood sugars react to it. Do you have a meter Letsy?
 
hi thanks for the replies. I was dx just before xmas so am waiting for appointment with practice nurse (18th jan) who I hope will give me meter and strips, if not I will buy them myself, so at the moment I'm making changes without being able to get such good feedback as testing would give.

I've been looking up online and other things suggested as a substitute for porridge are buckwheat, millet and quinoa but gain there is so much contradictory stuff (and of course the nhs high carb advice) that it is quite overwhelming and confusing. I'm going for a low carb high fat approach as that makes more sense to me than the nhs line.
 
Everywhere you look you will find contradictory stuff when it comes to food and in the end it is a personal choice.

For myself, I am Type 1 in the honeymoon phase, I have porridge every morning with high fibre and dried fruit. What this does is cause a spike for me 2 hours after breakfast which coincides with when I do my daily exercise so the exercise brings it down. Whether I will still be able to eat porridge after the honeymoon phase is over is another matter but it is the only easy breakfast I have found which keeps me going till lunch time.
 
Sounds like you have your head in the right place Letsy :). Half the battle is acknowledging the diabetes and choosing to do something about it. Until you get your meter just keep carb portions small. For example, if you're having rice or pasta with a meal, choose the wholemeal variety and just have 1 tablespoon of the cooked product. Regarding potatoes, new potatoes are generally regarded as having fewer carbs, but again limit it to a portion of 2 small potatoes. Bread is another thing that tends to have a surprisingly high impact on BG levels. So stick to seeded or wholemeal - choose loaves with smaller slices and only have one slice. It seems like a ridiculously small portion at first but you do get used to it I promise.
I know from experience how confusing everything is at first! The fun really starts when you get your meter and see how differently your body reacts to different carbs. For example I personally can eat porridge, rice and even the odd sweet treat and maintain good blood sugars, but give me just 1 slice of bread and according to my meter you would think I had eaten a whole cake! We've all been where you are now, so don't hesitate to ask questions or come to us for support.
 
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