Type 2's: What food *can* you eat that you maybe shouldn't or ..

[cyberus]

... it should have more of an effect on you than it does?

For me its the entire cabbage family (the leafy stuff) and "deep greens" (beet greens, spinach etc). I can eat HUGE plate fulls darn the carbs full speed ahead, whereas the same amount of net carbs would otherwise send my BGL skyrocketing.

Whats YOUR *free* food? The food(s) you can eat without even opening your meter pouch?

*NOTE*: This is a curiosity thread not a low carb vs high carb vs whatever, I'm just wondering how big the variety of things fall into the *free foods* across the T2 spectrum.

[telizas]

Potatoes. I can eat a baked potato and not see a spike whatsoever. But white rice will kill me. I don't eat bake potatoes very often though. :/

[ShottleBop]

Avocados are very BG-friendly to me. It's about the only fruit I can eat with breakfast without paying for it, BG-wise.

[KatGirl]

Pizza doesn't bother me as long as I have a salad with it. However, I can't sit down and eat a whole pizza. I have to limit myself to 2-3 squares (which is enough for me).

[MCS]

Oddly enough, I do not seem to have any trouble with corn of any type.

[foxl]

Second the avocados ... and add the unexpected pleasure of high cocoa content dark chocolate!

Last night I pigged out on fried eggplant (no batter, just eggplant, olive oil, and garlic), and since I did not check post-prandially, discovered this morning that this was not a good idea -- after days and days in the 90's my FBG was 113! I hate to think what it was last evening ...

[notme]

Cheese. Cheese has very little effect on my blood sugar. I like a Canadian Aged cheddar that is a bit sharp. No effect on my blood sugar for a slice or two.

[themarquis]

I seem to be able to eat most fresh fruits and veggies without problems. I don't count the carbs in them anymore -- just shovel them right on in :) I haven't tried a few things like melon and fresh corn yet, so we shall see about those.

I don't know that I'm fully T2, though, so I think I still get a lot more "flex" in my diet because I'm not as reactive as a lot of folks (though give me a corn tortilla and watch me spike thru the roof!)

[Josselyn]

Pepper Jack Cheese and almonds do little or nothing to my BG. They make a great filler when I need a quick meal/snack.

[foxl]

All sorts of nuts, tho peanuts or PB can raise me ... pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds -- I buy raw and skillet roast them with seasonings!

Last night I did sunfl. seeds with BUTTER and they smelled popcorny and tasted great!

[dbaratta]

Well, I can't eat anything so I am no help here. Even lettuce spikes my BG. I am getting used to it though. I do get to bolus less for salads though so that is a good thing.

[RobinP]

-- after days and days in the 90's my FBG was 113!

Man...I'd love to have a 113 reading. lol

[PrettynPurple]

All sorts of nuts, tho peanuts or PB can raise me ... pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds -- I buy raw and skillet roast them with seasonings!

Last night I did sunfl. seeds with BUTTER and they smelled popcorny and tasted great!

huh that sounds interesting, so you took raw sunflower seeds, put butter in a skillet and roasted??? hmmm buttery

how long?????? and were do you get the raw seeds from? i can find shelled seeds but they are already salted

[HealthierMe]

KatGirl " Pizza doesn't bother me as long as I have a salad with it."

I do okay with thin crust pizza as long as it's one slice or two small slices with lots of veggies on top. So up to 30g carbs I'll be fine.

telizas "Potatoes. ... But white rice will kill me."

Mashed potatoes for me. 1/2 cup serving is fine. Maybe it's the added butter or whatever fat that makes it good for me. White rice just doesn't work for me either. Even with whole grain rice I measure and just have one small serving. Otherwise it's a problem. I thought I was just odd to be able to have potatoes and not rice.

themarquis "I seem to be able to eat most fresh fruits and veggies"

I envy this. I want to have fruit all the time like I used to. Now I save them for dessert. And berries are better.
so long as I have small portions I'm okay with most fruit. a serving of grapes for me is 6 grapes and I know the rise will be about 14, so not exactly free but okay. Apples seem to work the best.

[cyberus]

I envy this. I want to have fruit all the time like I used to. Now I save them for dessert. And berries are better.
so long as I have small portions I'm okay with most fruit. a serving of grapes for me is 6 grapes and I know the rise will be about 14, so not exactly free but okay. Apples seem to work the best.

Sigh ... I can't even get in the same room with fruits without a spike :(

[enigmalady777]

Oddly enough, I do not seem to have any trouble with corn of any type.

Same for me. Corn on the cob, canned corn, frozen corn as long as in kernal (not cornbread or corn tortillas) form, I see no spike at all. With corn tortillas I can eat one small one with no spike, but any more than that, I will see a spike. Cornbread sends me to pluto.......

[foxl]

huh that sounds interesting, so you took raw sunflower seeds, put butter in a skillet and roasted??? hmmm buttery

how long?????? and were do you get the raw seeds from? i can find shelled seeds but they are already salted

Pretty, I buy the raw ones in the produce dept of my grocery. I melt a TBS of butter in a skillet, medium high heat, and add the seeds, a sprinkle of salt (MUCH LESS than the pre-seasoned ones). Then the hard part is you have to KEEP STIRRING. If your temp is high enough they will pop (noisy!)and smell lovely. Best eaten while still warm, and the butter interestingly absorbs (makes you wonder HOW MUCH FAT they fry commercial ones in!). Raw pumpkin seeds are also good done this way, or add garlic plus curry powder ... or cinnamon plus splenda ... or chili powder (hold the salt!) ... you name it!

Lower fat and salt than the commercial ones, and no MSG.

[jer.lawrence]

I find that I can have a pretty decent size portion of mashed potatoes without any issues. Just tested again tonight, had a steak and mashed potatoes (as well as a small dinner roll, actually) and only got up (from 96) to about 126.

[Moonglo]

Corn chips don't seem to bother me, as long as I have them with protein... I can have cheese dip and corn chips without a problem. A few weeks ago I even went to a Mexican restaurant and had nachos (cheese, chips, shrimp, chicken, and steak) without any issues at all. Ate the whole plate, no spike :)

[Josselyn]

Corn chips don't seem to bother me, as long as I have them with protein... I can have cheese dip and corn chips without a problem. A few weeks ago I even went to a Mexican restaurant and had nachos (cheese, chips, shrimp, chicken, and steak) without any issues at all. Ate the whole plate, no spike :)

Mmmm. I sure hope I'm like you in that respect, Moonglo...I miss having nachos with cheese 'n' stuff. I miss things that crunch...period. I'm going to try them...but maybe I'll wait until after my A1c test later this month, in case my BG ricochets all over the place. :o
My mileage often varies...:confused:

[jer.lawrence]

So, I've a question. I've been eating kind of a "lot" of mashed potatoes the last few days. I went to Outback with my dad last night (it was fantastic, thanks for asking. :P) and got a steak with a side of Mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. I ate ALMOST all of the mashed potatoes they brought me (maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of them). I checked my sugar every hour for the next like 4 hours, and only got up to 122 (at the 2h mark).

I also woke up this morning with a very nice reading of 88.

Is that normal? I guess I was under the impression that potatoes were pretty much a no-no now.

Hey, thanks.

[Josselyn]

So, I've a question. I've been eating kind of a "lot" of mashed potatoes the last few days. I went to Outback with my dad last night (it was fantastic, thanks for asking. :P) and got a steak with a side of Mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. I ate ALMOST all of the mashed potatoes they brought me (maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of them). I checked my sugar every hour for the next like 4 hours, and only got up to 122 (at the 2h mark).

I also woke up this morning with a very nice reading of 88.

Is that normal? I guess I was under the impression that potatoes were pretty much a no-no now.

Hey, thanks.

I am green with envy, Jeremy. Thus far, potatoes are not my friend. If you weren't so sweet, I could hate you. :T

You had plenty of protein and fat there to counter the effects of the mashed potatoes...that does help prevent spikes if one isn't super sensitive to the carb being eaten. I find I can do that with supposed verboten foods too...like those Sandwich Thins from Arnold's, for instance.

Sure do wish it worked with rice... :(

[jer.lawrence]

Ooo, I should try something with Rice.

I've been craving some chinese food lately, but have heard a lot of horror stores on here. :P I'm a little scared. hehe.

[jer.lawrence]

Chocolate Cake!

So, the last couple of nights, I've had about the equivalent of a small slice of chocolate cake (From the Cheesecake Factory.. OMG good). I only ate a small piece of the entire slice that they provide. I tested at 90 minutes the first night and was only at 126 (up from 94).

So, I finished it up last night, having about the same amount -- it's not a BIG slice, I don't want to portray that. I tested at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. I started at 96. 30m = 106, 60m = 122, 90m = 109, 120m = 103

I was pumped. :)

[princesslinda]

I have found that the occasional bit of cake has had only minimal effect on my blood sugar. Hubby and I will split one on b/day or anniv. or T/giving (me have 2-3 bites, him finishing it)....It affects me much less than a roll or serving of rice would.

Glad you could "have your cake and eat it too! (sorry, I had to say it!)."

[plattb1]

I can eat a little cake, too - not alone - but, at the end of a good balanced meal. And, one scoop of full fat, full sugar ice cream - it only has one carb less than the no sugar added variety, so why not? I haven't tried the lower fat ice cream.

I can eat a few corn chips with cheese, salsa, and avocado, but not cornbread or corn itself. Even a few small red potatoes now & then. But, definitely not rice in any form. When I eat Chinese food, I don't even let them put rice on my plate.

I've experimented & tested with dried beans & can eat black beans & pintos in small portions. A few bites of butternut squash with butter is OK.

[jer.lawrence]

I can eat a little cake, too - not alone - but, at the end of a good balanced meal. And, one scoop of full fat, full sugar ice cream - it only has one carb less than the no sugar added variety, so why not? I haven't tried the lower fat ice cream.

You should check out the Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream and bars. They have very few carbs (for ice cream) -- I want to say 4g of carbs for a serving of the vanilla.

I can eat that with very little movement at all too. It's also very tasty.

[plattb1]

I do like the Carb Smart bars now & then, Jeremy. No one in my little town carries the ice cream itself.

A correction to my earlier post. The full fat, full sugar has only one carb MORE than the no sugar added variety - at least the brands I checked. I said it backwards earlier.

[soso]

I can eat avocado's all I want and lettuce is good..but brussel sprouts are insulin hungry little devils... recently I have had corn on the cob several times with no ill effects..who knew?

[imac]

I can eat apples and apple pie, providing its not loaded with sugar, but peanut butter puts me way high.Maybe australian peanut butter has more sugar or oil in it.

[Josselyn]

I've noticed recently that I seem to be able to tolerate 2-3 cups of buttered popcorn without really spiking. My BG goes up maybe 10 points. This is usually within 90 minutes after eating a modest very low carb meal...so the popcorn is my carby treat.

Cannot figure it out. Is it the butter? The protein/fat of the meal? Because it's a "whole grain"?

Nice for the occasional treat. :D Makes me feel a bit more "normal."

[Larry H.]

So far after two years I seem to be able to still eat many things that might cause problems for others. I have no trouble with low carb sandwiches, low fat chips, low carb ice cream. Today for lunch I had three slices of french toast of the low carb bread with two scoops of low carb ice cream and sugar free sauce and got a 106 to my surprise at two hours.
It seem since I am not on medication that as long as I maintain my half hour of daily walking I can get by with things better. I had a slight break for a couple weeks due to some other commitments and I ended up seeing higher numbers. Didn't like that and quickly went back.
As to foods, we try to select things that fall within a amount of carbs that I can handle for the meal. There are a lot of things I can eat in moderation that I am actually somewhat surprised by at this point. Maybe I better in joy it while I can?

[Abra]

After a couple months of sticking with Bernstein's limits of about 1 1/3 cups of cooked vegetables per meal, I'm starting to try adding back more vegetables into my diet.

One day recently I had about twice that amount of fresh spinach, sautéed in olive oil, and I was absolutely fine. Today I sautéed a big pile of pleurotte mushrooms and a small head of red chicory, to which I added a scoop of walnut cream cheese to melt into a sauce. The chicory was really bitter, which I love, so after eating my normal portion, I decided to eat that much again. Thus, maybe 2 cups of raw chicory and 1 1/2 cups of raw mushrooms, much reduced in cooking, and eaten with a couple of eggs. I was at 107 before lunch, 114 at 1 hr and 115 at 2 hours.

I am so thrilled that I seem to be able to eat more vegetables!!!

[Pote05]

Chili, Oatmeal and wheat bread does not bother me too much! I do OK on potatoes, but White Bread and Pasta watch out...