Smoothies

[Member496333]

Eatin’s cheatin’

I’ve read that this Huel thing is all the rage

 

[Zenzen1000_]

Do you take any medication for T2?

Yes metformin

 

[Guzzler]

I would advise that you avoid all fruit in a smoothie especially bananas and grapes. Fructose (the sugar in fruit) is a major player in fatty liver. Having fructose in a smoothie delivers the fructose straight to the liver even more quickly than eating fresh, whole fruit.

 

[Member496333]

I would advise that you avoid all fruit in a smoothie especially bananas and grapes. Fructose (the sugar in fruit) is a major player in fatty liver. Having fructose in a smoothie delivers the fructose straight to the liver even more quickly than eating fresh, whole fruit.

I’ll drink to that

Fructose is kryptonite to a diabetic and serves no purpose other than to increase insulin resistance. In fact, that is its role in our evolutionary development - to increase insulin resistance - so that we can store some fat during the summer months in order that it may be used for fuel in the winter. It even contains glucose to speed the process along. Mashed up in juices and smoothies it’s even worse.

Fruit isn’t even particularly nutritious in the grand scheme. The idea that it’s somehow an essential food is just the standard bamboozling from those who sell stuff. Fruit contains nothing you can’t get from something else that doesn’t contain fructose and glucose - a deadly combo for a diabetic. Our infatuation with it is as ridiculous as our insistence on eating bowls of glucose for breakfast every day.

Only in my opinion of course. Everyone is free to choose what they put into their body.

 

[Listlad]

I’ll drink to that

Fructose is kryptonite to a diabetic and serves no purpose other than to increase insulin resistance. In fact, that is its role in our evolutionary development - to increase insulin resistance - so that we can store some fat during the summer months in order that it may be used for fuel in the winter. It even contains glucose to speed the process along. Mashed up in juices and smoothies it’s even worse.

Fruit isn’t even particularly nutritious in the grand scheme. The idea that it’s somehow an essential food is just the standard bamboozling from those who sell stuff. Fruit contains nothing you can’t get from something else that doesn’t contain fructose and glucose - a deadly combo for a diabetic. Our infatuation with it is as ridiculous as our insistence on eating bowls of glucose for breakfast every day.

Only in my opinion of course. Everyone is free to choose what they put into their body.

That being so Jim, part of the problem is the national five a day campaign, recently raised to 7.

 

[Member496333]

That being so Jim, part of the problem is the national five a day campaign, recently raised to 7.

Absolutely.

 

[Listlad]

Absolutely.

Well I have spent the last 20 years or so believing in fruit. Because I like it I have tended to favour it over vegetables and had my 5 or 7 a day largely in the form of fruit including dried fruit and fruit juice. So in a sense I could be described as a “victim” of that campaign.

 

[Member496333]

Well I have spent the last 20 years or so believing in fruit. Because I like it I have tended to favour it over vegetables and had my 5 or 7 a day largely in the form of fruit including dried fruit and fruit juice. So in a sense I could be described as a “victim” of that campaign.

For sure, and the five-a-day campaign is very aware that your experience is typical. Most people would favour the bulk of their five being fruit - because it’s sweet - and also because kids generally don’t like vegetables. To be clear I’m not saying that fruit will necessarily give anyone diabetes, but it won’t prevent it and definitely wont cure it if you already have it.

 

[Listlad]

For sure, and the five-a-day campaign is very aware that your experience is typical. Most people would favour the bulk of their five being fruit - because it’s sweet - and also because kids generally don’t like vegetables. To be clear I’m not saying that fruit will necessarily give anyone diabetes, but it won’t prevent it and definitely wont cure it if you already have it.

Thanks for clarifying.

It has become quite common for employers to put out a fruit bowl at work on the basis of a healthy employee is a good employee. My experience of that is that most of the time the fruit remains in the bowl untouched. In my case I was the only one eating the fruit.

Another interesting point is that at my child’s school they are all given a piece of fruit each day.

 

[daisy1]

@Zenzen1000_
Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it 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 235,000 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.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

 

[1spuds]

Well,the homemade green vegetable juices with carrots,kale,spinach,and such will lower my BG after 2 hours lower than when I drink it.
Just had a smoothie yesterday with my HPLC lunch.... 1/2 plain Greek yogurt,half 4 % milk,and some blackberries,maybe 10 ounces? 2 hour post sugars were still great,wound up at 105 (US)