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Sugar question

Earthy

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have just been diagnosed with borderline diabetes, diabetes is rife in my family so its a case of when i get it not if i get it.
I do have lots of changes i can make in my diet though, so my question is this (seeing as i forgot to ask the nurse)

When i am looking at nutritional info, what is the upper limit for sugar per 100g?

Carol x
 
Hi Carol and welcome to the forum I'm not sure that I've understood your question but I think this basic information for new members should be very helpful to you. Ask all the questions you want and someone will have an answer for you.

 
Thanks Daisy, i will look at all this

When i look at yoghurts for instance and the sugar in it is, say, 11g per 100g..is that too much? What should i keep the sugar levels under?
 
Forget about the of which sugars on a label, it is the total carbohydrate content you want to look at. A slice of white bread has 17.8 grams of carbs, of which 1.5 grams of sugar. You may think, oh good not much sugar in this, but the whole carbohydrate content will soon turn to sugar in your body and raise your blood sugar levels.

I was never told this by my GP or practice nurse, so it wasn't until I came here that I realised that it was total carbohydrates that I need to watch.
 
Earthy said:
Thanks Daisy, i will look at all this

When i look at yoghurts for instance and the sugar in it is, say, 11g per 100g..is that too much? What should i keep the sugar levels under?

Its not just sugar you need to look at but Total Carbohydrate. It is carbohydrate in all forms that significantly effects blood glucose levels. Sugar is just a refined form of carbohydrate. If you are carb counting then you need to add up the Total carbs on the backs of packets not just the "of which sugars" amount.

You will find that "starchy carbs" like rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, cereals and anything else made of flour have a high carbohydrate content. Cutting out just plain "sugar" is effectively taken for granted by Type 2 diabetics. So things with sugar in them like biscuits, cakes, sweets, pure fruit juices are really only for special treats and then only in very small amounts.

Many newly diagnosed diabetics on the forum initially aim to eat in the region of a TOTAL of about 120-150g of carbohydrate a day. Based on what their blood glucose meter readings are telling them they then adjust up or in quite a few cases down from that starting point. To maintain my blood sugar levels within safe limits I eat roughly 75g / day.

I will warn you that even at 150g / day you will probably be eating a lot, lot less of the foods I've mentioned.
 
Thank you so much
Wow..this is going to be difficult, i used to live on carbs but at least i know what to keep a check on now. Thank you again.
 
A rule of thumb when looking at the nutrition box on the back of packets, is that total carbohydrate ideally will be less than 5 grams per 100g.
 
Hello Earthy. I too used to have carbs, lots of them, for every meal. Once I made a list of what low carb foods I could have, I cried.

Now, 2 weeks on, I feel great. I have found for me that eating lots of protein is the key. This may not work for you, your blood glucose test results will tell you if it will.

For example, my usual lunch was 2 bread rolls with tuna or ham and salad. 1 packet of crisps, and something chocolaty.

Now I have a big bowl of salad with a whole small tin of tuna or 4oz chicken or ham, and some mayonnaise (just a bit) and I am full.

i found it important to up my protein as I reduced my carbs to avoid feeling faint and hungry. And my blood glucose levels have gone from double figures to under 9 in 10 days.

i hope this helps. There is a whole sect on meals and recipes on here.
 
Earthy said:
I have just been diagnosed with borderline diabetes, diabetes is rife in my family so its a case of when i get it not if i get it.
Progression to a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is by no means a given. Restricting carbohydrate, exercise and living a low stress lifestyle can do wonders. Be an optimist.
 
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