Testing tolerance for different foods

[retrogamer]

Hey all, I've decided to do a little bit of testing as I finally got round to applying the libre CGM yesterday evening.

It's apparently good for 2 weeks so I'm going to take the opportunity to test a few regular foods to see how I react so I know what to avoid completely.
I've been almost exclusively keto for the last couple of months, carbs have been very infrequent and only low carb items. I cut out all sugary snacks, chocolate, sweets, cake etc and I have lost about 2.5 stone

Test began last night for my evening meal, I had a small portion of pasta bake and some peas. Pasta bake was made with just a packet Bolognese sauce from Aldi, some tomato puree and just regular pasta shapes. Topped generously with cheese.
I ate a reasonable sized portion and monitored my BG over the next couple of hours. Before the meal it was 4.1, after about 1.5 hours it was up to 8.1. Just 30-40 minutes later it was down to 6.9
I'm no expert but I reckon I can tolerate pasta quite well.

Today I tried a bacon sandwich with regular bread (because I still can't find a low carb options that I enjoy)
2 slices of Warburton's toastie with plenty of bacon on it, I did have a small squirt of Aldi brown sauce as well!!
It seems my body didn't like that too much because my BG readings before were 4.7, after 2 hours it had risen to 11.1! Either bread or the sauce did not agree with me. My money is on the bread.
It has now been about 2.5 hours and I'm still only down to 9.2 so I'll be avoiding white bread from now on.

I'll be doing a few more tests over the coming days to see how I get on. I hope to find some foods that don't affect me too badly so I can have something like a normal Christmas with the family, I don't want to be the only one at the dinner table with just turkey on my plate and a drizzle of gravy!!

I'll post more results as I test stuff.
This libre 2 monitor is awesome by the way, shame they're so **** expensive.

 

[KennyA]

Hey all, I've decided to do a little bit of testing as I finally got round to applying the libre CGM yesterday evening.

It's apparently good for 2 weeks so I'm going to take the opportunity to test a few regular foods to see how I react so I know what to avoid completely.
I've been almost exclusively keto for the last couple of months, carbs have been very infrequent and only low carb items. I cut out all sugary snacks, chocolate, sweets, cake etc and I have lost about 2.5 stone

Test began last night for my evening meal, I had a small portion of pasta bake and some peas. Pasta bake was made with just a packet Bolognese sauce from Aldi, some tomato puree and just regular pasta shapes. Topped generously with cheese.
I ate a reasonable sized portion and monitored my BG over the next couple of hours. Before the meal it was 4.1, after about 1.5 hours it was up to 8.1. Just 30-40 minutes later it was down to 6.9
I'm no expert but I reckon I can tolerate pasta quite well.

Today I tried a bacon sandwich with regular bread (because I still can't find a low carb options that I enjoy)
2 slices of Warburton's toastie with plenty of bacon on it, I did have a small squirt of Aldi brown sauce as well!!
It seems my body didn't like that too much because my BG readings before were 4.7, after 2 hours it had risen to 11.1! Either bread or the sauce did not agree with me. My money is on the bread.
It has now been about 2.5 hours and I'm still only down to 9.2 so I'll be avoiding white bread from now on.

I'll be doing a few more tests over the coming days to see how I get on. I hope to find some foods that don't affect me too badly so I can have something like a normal Christmas with the family, I don't want to be the only one at the dinner table with just turkey on my plate and a drizzle of gravy!!

I'll post more results as I test stuff.
This libre 2 monitor is awesome by the way, shame they're so **** expensive.

Testing is clearly the way to establish what you can and can't eat regularly. Well done on making a start.

Incidentally, your pasta test - am I missing something? Initial reading 4.1: reading at 2 hours 6.9. That's a difference of 2.8, when the intention is to be no more than 2mmol/l different. If the figures are right I'd want further info before concluding you can tolerate pasta well.

 

[retrogamer]

Testing is clearly the way to establish what you can and can't eat regularly. Well done on making a start.

Incidentally, your pasta test - am I missing something? Initial reading 4.1: reading at 2 hours 6.9. That's a difference of 2.8, when the intention is to be no more than 2mmol/l different. If the figures are right I'd want further info before concluding you can tolerate pasta well.

Ah, I thought so long as it's within normal ranges it was fine.
See, this is why it pays to post this stuff, I learn each time.

Anyway, it seems that pasta didn't affect me as much as the sandwich did so it would obviously be slightly better for me.
My BG reading now is still 6.6 so the sandwich has had a huge effect. Obviously a definite no-no.

Tonight I'll probably go for something carb free to get my levels back on track, then I'll test something else tomorrow.

 

[KennyA]

Ah, I thought so long as it's within normal ranges it was fine.
See, this is why it pays to post this stuff, I learn each time.

Anyway, it seems that pasta didn't affect me as much as the sandwich did so it would obviously be slightly better for me.
My BG reading now is still 6.6 so the sandwich has had a huge effect. Obviously a definite no-no.

Tonight I'll probably go for something carb free to get my levels back on track, then I'll test something else tomorrow.

Under 7.8 is half of it, the other half is being within two points of the starting reading.

Obviously (as you'll know from the CGM graph) you'll have been at much higher levels during the two hours - what you're really testing is how how efficiently your insulin response clears the excess glucose from the blood.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I would recommend regular finger pricks during your test phase.
Libre sensors are not always accurate, and even if a finger prick test shows that they are accurate at the time of the test they may not be a couple of days later.

My current sensor, with 5 days to go, is reading 3.7 against a finger prick of 6.7.
It was more or less spot on at the start of the 14 days.

 

[retrogamer]

I would recommend regular finger pricks during your test phase.
Libre sensors are not always accurate, and even if a finger prick test shows that they are accurate at the time of the test they may not be a couple of days later.

My current sensor, with 5 days to go, is reading 3.7 against a finger prick of 6.7.
It was more or less spot on at the start of the 14 days.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll do that. Just need to order some test strips now

 

[Lamont D]

Keep a food diary, portion size, pre meal readings and other post meal readings.
Then next week try the same meal, and record.
Then subsequent weeks.

With T2, prediabetes, the lower the spike from the meal, is the ultimate goal.
Over time, the lower carb you go, the trends will be seen.

You may find that like me, all carbs will produce a spike that is too high.

 

[retrogamer]

So, I decided to try the pasta dish again as it was just so darn tasty!
Guess the results from day 1 were skewed in some way. Maybe something to do with me only just applying the CGM monitor?? BG before was 4.6, 2 hours after it was 7.8, it reached a peak according to the graph in the app of about 8.9 approximately 3-4 hours after eating.

Pasta is off the menu!

I'll be going carb free for a day or so to give my body a break. I'll still be monitoring my levels because I'm not 100% sure if everything I do eat is ok for me. Some items have a very low amount of carbs but as you know, it's pretty impossible to avoid everything.

 

[IncogKeto]

Guess the results from day 1 were skewed in some way. Maybe something to do with me only just applying the CGM monitor?

Yeh, it's generally recommended to wait 24hrs before activating the sensor because of potential inaccuracies on the first day.

I'll be going carb free for a day or so to give my body a break. I'll still be monitoring my levels because I'm not 100% sure if everything I do eat is ok for me.

For the hell of it you could challenge yourself to do a 'flat line' day with the use of low carb and fasting/TRE. You could also use it to experiment with how exercise affects your bg.
Here's a screenshot of my attempt where I used OMAD but kind of spoilt it with a jog at 11am which took my bg back up to almost as high as my low carb tea at 6pm the night before.

 

[IncogKeto]

And then for the hell of it you could go for the 90 degree angle on the graph. Here's my attempt with the use of an indian takeaway i.e. poppadoms, white rice and naan bread.

 

[retrogamer]

And then for the hell of it you could go for the 90 degree angle on the graph. Here's my attempt with the use of an indian takeaway i.e. poppadoms, white rice and naan bread.
View attachment 64900

Oh I'd kill for a chicken madras with a plate of crispy chips. Plenty of bread to mop up that sauce!!

Think I've just hit 10.5 just imagining that!

 

[KennyA]

Oh I'd kill for a chicken madras with a plate of crispy chips. Plenty of bread to mop up that sauce!!

Think I've just hit 10.5 just imagining that!

You'd probably be OK with the madras. It's the chips and breads that are the problem.

 

[retrogamer]

You'd probably be OK with the madras. It's the chips and breads that are the problem.

Can't have it without though, it's the law!

 

[MrsA2]

Can't have it without though, it's the law!

Be a law breaker. I have my curry on a base of cabbage ribbons. Still tastes of curry!

 

[KennyA]

Can't have it without though, it's the law!

That's the thing. You can.

 

[Lamont D]

You can make your own curry, then batch freeze it.
Curry in most forms are low carb, but chips and bread are what is why you have been diagnosed.
You are cutting your nose to spite your taste buds.
Chicken tikka, with masala sauce is heavenly. Side salad.
And as suggested a ride substitute if you really want to. I don't!
Enjoy your curry! I do!

 

[retrogamer]

You are cutting your nose to spite your taste buds.

Not really, the chips and bread remark was just humour. I have a weird sense of humour that some don't get. I am simply making light of the situation I am currently in.

Chips was about the only thing I had with curry because I never liked rice. As I have stated in other threads, I have a very limited range of foods that I eat. The usual green stuff that people put on the side of a plate, be it salad or cooked vegetables have always had a bitter, nasty taste to me. Maybe it was due to my diet of high carbs and sugary foods but I've never been able to eat them. God knows, I've tried, just looking at a plate of salad makes my mouth water. Love the look but can't stomach the flavour.
Same with many vegetables as well, in fact the only one I could eat is possibly one of the worst for diabetics, peas!

If I could, I would make myself a nice madras (prefer hot spicy curry) and pour it over a layer of whatever green items were good for me. It's just not possible, at least not yet.

P.S I tried some salad last week and it still tasted awful to me. I will keep trying though.

 

[Lamont D]

Not really, the chips and bread remark was just humour. I have a weird sense of humour that some don't get. I am simply making light of the situation I am currently in.

Chips was about the only thing I had with curry because I never liked rice. As I have stated in other threads, I have a very limited range of foods that I eat. The usual green stuff that people put on the side of a plate, be it salad or cooked vegetables have always had a bitter, nasty taste to me. Maybe it was due to my diet of high carbs and sugary foods but I've never been able to eat them. God knows, I've tried, just looking at a plate of salad makes my mouth water. Love the look but can't stomach the flavour.
Same with many vegetables as well, in fact the only one I could eat is possibly one of the worst for diabetics, peas!

If I could, I would make myself a nice madras (prefer hot spicy curry) and pour it over a layer of whatever green items were good for me. It's just not possible, at least not yet.

P.S I tried some salad last week and it still tasted awful to me. I will keep trying though.

I'm in a very similar situation as you food wise, either by choice or cos of my condition.
I'm with you about cooked vegetables. They taste awful! Only processed peas and potatoes! But now they cannot be eaten. I do eat mushroom, onions fried with tomatoes, but as a treat with gammon and egg, in a huge frying pan. I have some lard to line the pan, as I can't use veg oils or any other oils.
I'm dairy (lactose) intolerant. And other forms of milk just don't taste right.
My diet consists mainly of meat and salad. I only eat freshly cooked meat and cannot eat processed food. I cook it all myself.
A dietician asked me once to consider the various forms of vegetarianism, but, when she realised my problems. It wasn't discussed again.
I am fairly fit for an old codger, my hba1c was in normal levels.
My diet is keto and I use intermittent fasting.
I had a lovely piece of haddock for my evening meal.
And my energy levels are very high.
There is no excuse to avoid foods which you know are bad for you.
The worst veg, that I could eat are spuds! They spike my bloods very high from normal, and any grains do the same.
Best wishes.

 

[retrogamer]

Only processed peas and potatoes

Ha, just like me except I only liked garden peas!

I actually had some peas last night with a gammon steak. Didn't appear to affect my BG at all, I remained at 4.5/4.6 for the following few hours.

I hope they are ok for me because it was the one thing I could eat by the plate full, gimme a bowl of peas and I'd be happy.

Haven't tried spuds yet, nearest I got was pinching a few chips from my missus. Didn't test after though as I had ran out of test strips. I feel pretty sure potato will spike my readings though as it was probably the biggest part of my diet when I was diagnosed.

I am also following the keto diet but I am testing high carb stuff at the moment to see how they affect me since I got this libre sensor (may as well make the most of it). I'm mainly eating fish, meat and eggs but it gets a little boring at times and just feels like something is missing.

 

[MrsA2]

I had my curry tonight with....
... a spoon!

No rice, only a few green beans on top but they are optional