Does anyone else's blood sugar react worse to processed foods?

kchapmanma

Over the summer I got a Dexcom meter, and since I now have a continuous record of my blood sugar, I've been revisiting my personal reaction to different foods. One of the trends I'm seeing is that I seem to react more to processed foods, and it looks like it might be whether or not preservatives are added. Has anyone else noticed anything like this? I prefer homemade anyway, so I'm really just curious. It's just been surprising to see I react better to things like a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie than say a low-fat, low-sodium "healthy" can of vegetable soup.

2t9nty

For me the processed stuff seems to have corn starch and syrup and causes the glucose to go up. It is more than just macros - the type makes a difference for me too. I am not sure I have ever seen a link with preservatives, but I can believe they are a factor.

judyvalentine10

Hmmm. that's very interesting. I like to get Montreal style smoked turkey breast from the deli, which is processed, but I've never seen the jump in blood sugar. But, I do take insulin based on how many carbs in my meals.
But, I'm going to watch for that. You've made me curious.

russellholtslander1

Yes. What you eat is just as important as how much, and how many carbs you consume.

Each food, in it's separate form causes an effect on your body, and BG levels.. carbs the most, protein has minimal effect, and fat has almost NO effect.. which is why we eat a bit more protein & fat, and less carbs with diabetes.

Carbs themsleves though are indivual as well though.. a Strawberry is different than a grape, or banana, and certainly different than rice, or green beans.. each of these affect us differently.

If you cook your own meals.. YOU determine what is in them.. and how much it will spike your BG.

This applies to all ingredients too.. so the scientific sounding things ALSO affect how much, and how fast your BG changes.

It's best to cook your meals from single whole foods, combining them yourself, so you know HOW they will affect you.

I ate foods separately.. from a slice of bread to a chicken thigh, and measured the glucose spike 2 hours later.. and go lists of food which had little, moderate, or HIGH spikes in blood sugar.

So if my BG is 110, I eat foods which have little effect. If it is 72, I eat more foods which have a moderate effect.. I don't eat foods which spike my BG a lot.. ever.

Processed foods simply allow someone else to put YOUR food together.. someone who makes it for everyone.. not for a diabetic, or based on any need you have, which a healthy person doesn't care about.

Last night, I had some salami with cream cheese rolled up in it.. normally I don't eat sandwich meat.. I got it from the deli.. Hoffman's hard salami, and my BG was 90 before I ate, and 115 this morning. Not bad for 15 slices of salami. Today, I am eating 0 carbs, but I had 5 sausage links, and my BG was 126 before lunch which was chicken and mayo.. it spikes when I eat sausage instead of eggs from breakfast. I probably should have eggs most days, and if my BG is 70 when I wake up.. THEN eat sausage links for breakfast, so I stay below 120 mg/dL.

I tend to think of salami as more processed, and sausage as not being processed, but that is the extent of my processed foods, which I rarely consume. Most meals I eat something like a 1 lb. pork steak, cooked in butter.. my dinner tonight.

As a diabetic, you should either avoid processed foods, especially stuff in packages.. OR have it, and note the effect.. see if you are willing to accept the effect, to eat the food.. if it bumps your BG up to 165, and you have to take Insulin, then how much do you like the food.. if you got rid of that food, you would need LESS Insulin.. BUT, we are human. Sometimes, we'll trade taking extra meds, for the taste of a meal.

As a diabetic, you should experiment a LOT.. check any and all food, and make decisions based on results.. then when you make a meal, you know withing 20 mg/dL how much it will spike your BG.. you don't want to be testing your BG, and finding the food pushed you to 226, right? It's much better to have a 75 BG, and know that if you have some chicken, mushrooms, and peppers, that your BG will be 110-115 max. That shows that you are on the right amount of meds, and eating the right food.

The goal is to simulate normal.. have normal readings, even if you need pills and Insulin to do so.. if processed foods move you well above 120 mg/dL, either avoid them, or know you will need more Insulin when you eat them.. but it takes some work, so you KNOW how these foods will affect you.