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Sugars in foods

patchworks101

patchworks101

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Being diabetic
No wonder I have problems cooking low-carb meals using ready produced materials -a jar of pasta sauce contains 6 cubes of sugar ! See for a press article.
Now I love cooking, nearly as much as I love eating and have found that the only way to accurately cook a low-carb meal is to use fresh produce and make my own sauces, breads etc etc Eating out is a minefield as I never have any idea what the carbs are for a meal in most restaurants.

Another rant, but associated, is why are there NO low-carb crisps and crackers (for cheese)? One of my favourite evening snacks was a few crackers and mature cheddar. I can have the cheddar but now I have to use an iceberg lettuce instead of crackers - nice but not the same :mad:
 
patchworks101 said:
Another rant, but associated, is why are there NO low-carb crisps and crackers (for cheese)? One of my favourite evening snacks was a few crackers and mature cheddar. I can have the cheddar but now I have to use an iceberg lettuce instead of crackers - nice but not the same :mad:
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Because you are looking for something that doesn't exist. Crackers and crisps "work" due to the carb content of the source material they are made from. It's nigh on impossible to make them using anything else.

Instead of worrying about the loss of the Crackers, just eat more cheese. Because you can....
 
What about vegetable crisps .... beetroot etc.
Bit pricier but very tasty.
I'm guessing they may be lower carbs.
 
The lowest carb pasta sauce I've come across is Lloyd Grosman's puttanesca at 5.5 g carb per 100 g. Just don't use it with pasta.
 
Vegetable crisps are lower than potato crisps but they are still high at around 35-40g per 100g depending on the make.
 
The amount of sugar in savoury foods is shocking! We've obviously become accustomed to having all food sweet.

I miss stir fry sauce which was so quick and convenient - I'll have to look for alternatives.
 
Marks and Spencer's do wheat crackers with different flavours that are 2.5g carbs a cracker, I very occasionally have a bag of ready salted walkers crisps from a multi pack as the bags are smaller and have 12g of carbs a bag - maybe too high for some but I build all my treats into my weekly plan and if crisps are your thing like me it's nice to know that they are there if you want to have them
 
Carr's Water Biscuits, Melts and Cheese Melts have only 2.5g carbs each.
They also have lots of different ones so they might be low carb too.
 
If you like cheese, make yourself some (parmesan) cheese crisps - there's various "posh" recipes (ask Google!), and they can be made in the oven or microwave. The only slight downside is that the oils in the cheese will leach out a bit so you lose a little of the high fat benefit.

I use my dumbed down variant - they're quick, easy, and dare I say - fun - to make and look pretty, like little savoury florentines. I grate two or three smallish piles of parmesan onto a silicone baking sheet, flatten these out a bit, and sometimes mix in a sprinkle of golden flaxseed, and cook in the microwave on high for about 3 minutes. They should end up lacy and slightly browned, and I usually have mine with bacon or with a bowl of soup. Yummy!

Robbity
 
Sauces ... make your own.
Tastier and cheaper.
Read the labels and use what they use minus the sugar and the drugs from ICI.
 
JACKTHELAD said:
What about vegetable crisps .... beetroot etc.
Bit pricier but very tasty.
I'm guessing they may be lower carbs.
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Good idea and I can make them by slicing very thinly and slow-baking in the oven to dry them out. :)
 
I've just discovered Morrison's Cheese and Chive Savoury Crackers - only 1.7g for FOUR crackers and they taste alright as well ;)
 
patchworks101 said:
I've just discovered Morrison's Cheese and Chive Savoury Crackers - only 1.7g for FOUR crackers and they taste alright as well ;)
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I should read that label again, you`ll find it`s just over 13g carbs per 4 of which sugars 1.7g. As ALL the carbs turn to glucose, the " of which sugars" part is a bit of a con.
 
I love those Cheese Melt biscuits, but I get gutsy with them, so I've been turning to oat cakes as an alternative, but then you need to watch the salt.
 
chri5 said:
I should read that label again, you`ll find it`s just over 13g carbs per 4 of which sugars 1.7g. As ALL the carbs turn to glucose, the " of which sugars" part is a bit of a con.
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Rats! The info on the website is totally different to what's on the pack. It makes no reference to carb's just sugars. That gives the inference that the carb's = sugars. Even more reason why there should be a regulated standard system of labelling.
 
Just take account of the total carbs, as you say carbs = sugars. The 'of which sugars' bit is irrelevant to us.
 
If you like crackerbreads Ryvita do wholemeal or cheese onescat 3.5carbs per crackerbread. The plain are great with peanut butter spread on them and the cheese ones are great with Philadelphia, Cheddar or St Agar Cheese.
 
Your relationship with food has changed, the adjustment can be difficult, but with a little flair you'll rediscover new textures and flavours on a much healthier level.

Try cheesy almond sticks! As for pasta sauce try salt n pepper, fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, fresh basil, origano a pinch of splender and a little spill of cream on a bed of zoodles (courgette spaghetti)
 
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