Breakfast question

[tippy316]

I had the breakfast buffet at Courtyard and tried to pick sensibly. After 2 hours, I took a measurement and my glucose was 248!

Wondering what could have spiked it. I had a glass of cranberry juice, a cup of decaf coffee with one creamer, a small slice of quiche, one sausage patty, 3-4 eggs, 3 pieces of honeydew, 2 pieces of pineapple, and a small helping of cottage cheese.

I did put a little bit of ketchup on the eggs.

Anyone have an idea why so high a reading?

[Alice]

You had a mix of carbs that all add up...crust on quiche + cranberry juice (very high carb, do you know how many ounces?) + fruit.

You could have probably had a sip or two of juice, a bite or two of fruit...skipped the crust on the quiche...and come out quite a bit lower.

A little bite is best if trying to enjoy carbs and Type 2 (not on insulin)...quantity is more important than type.

Sounds like a fun breakfast! But, yes, you had quite a few carbs there...

[princesslinda]

Cranberry juice, honey dew melon, pineapple and quiche ALL AT THE SAME TIME would certainly cause you to spike.

A better choice would have been eggs, sausage, cheese, small serving of melon and your coffee. Walmart has a "generic" apple juice powder that is s/f and you add to a bottle of water...it tastes just like apple juice. I have it when I am in the mood for juice. I carry them in my purse and if we go out for b/fast, I just add it to my glass of water...instant juice!

I try to make my breakfast VERY low carb, usually having a protein shake or eggs and bacon or even turkey and cheese (no bread). My fasting #s are the hardest for me to keep in line, so I certainly don't want my blood sugars to rise after breakfast if they are already above 110 (which was the goal my doctor set, 110 or less fasting).

I NEVER have juice, I don't think i've had one sip since diagnosis....remember, its what they give diabetics who are having low blood sugars to help raise them, so they have to be full of sugar! If you want fruit, eat it in its natural form...have an orange or a bit of melon or a small apple with peel. I don't tolerate pineapple well....or grapes for that matter, so I tend to avoid them. With regular testing, you'll find what works for you. Its a learning process....i'm still learning new things everyday myself. Don't let yourself get discouraged.

[lisa821]

Yeah, that cranberry juice especially might have pushed you over the edge. There's lots of high-fructose corn syrup in it (unless it's specifically the all-juice, no sugar added kind) that can get you into trouble. At least it has with me. Some diabetics can't tolerate any kind of fruit juice at all, even the freshly squeezed kind.

There was enough fat in the meal that might have helped your body absorb the carbs from the fruit more slowly (though I'm unclear how big the pieces of fruit were), as well as protein from the eggs and sausage, so I suspect the cranberry juice was the real culprit. There was quite a bit of protein in that meal--did your blood sugar rise even more after the 2 hour mark? Large amounts of protein in one meal can gradually push your blood sugars up a few hours later.

Kudos for trying, though! :)

[Alice]

It also helps with juices to remember that a dietary serving (for carb counting) is often only about 3 oz. or so...not much compared to what restaurants typically serve.

Remember those tiny juice glasses our grandmothers use to keep? Those are probably more along the lines of a single carb serving of juice. Very Little.

I buy the Tropicana 8 oz. oj cartons since they are pre-measured and clearly marked. I think about 26 carbs per small carton. I take two units of Humalog to cover...so a Type 2 can see how that might affect them.

[matingara]

so I suspect the cranberry juice was the real culprit.

i agree.

-- joel.

[tippy316]

I ate two eggs, a piece of steak, a hash brown, and a breakfast burrito from McDonalds today with coffee to drink.
The blood sugar reading 2 hours later was 170.

I really thought the burrito, with the soft tortilla and the hash brown would have spiked my sugar.

[Jill-O]

I would bet the real or worst culprits in this are the cranberry juice and the pineapple. I haven't had honey dew mellon in ages, but cantalope does okay by me (and thinking they'd be similar in sugars?). The good thing is you're keeping track of what you've ate and seeing how it effects your glucose levels. It just takes awhile to know how _______ food effects you :)

[Jill-O]

BTW, if you have a Safeway near you, they have different low calorie cranberry juices in bottles like "regular" cranberry juice. I think they call them Eating Right or something like that. Bad me....... I get it to mix with Vodka for drinks and don't have any (Eating Right cranberry juice) right now. But they have only a couple carbs and like 28 calories a serving and are really good.

[Cyborg]

Also, take a look at the ingredients on a bottle of ketchup next time you get a chance. Sugar is probably one of the first ingredients...

[princesslinda]

I ate two eggs, a piece of steak, a hash brown, and a breakfast burrito from McDonalds today with coffee to drink.
The blood sugar reading 2 hours later was 170.

I really thought the burrito, with the soft tortilla and the hash brown would have spiked my sugar.

Glad you got a lower reading with this breakfast; however, I think you should try and avoid the tortilla and hashbrowns. Your post-meal readings would have most likely been MUCH lower without them. When I get b/fast at McDonalds, I get an order of eggs and an order of bacon (yes, they'll let you special order). Cheap and filling.

[MJB]

You may want to rethink the amount of food you are eating.

Two eggs, steak, hash browns; did you really NEED a burrito too?

Buffet = evil

You'll have a tendency to overeat.