# Best alternatives to bread , pasta



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 16, 2022)

I know about califlower rice

Can you get low carb pasta and is nimble the best bread for diabetics ?


----------



## Nayshiftin (Jul 16, 2022)

I use leeks as pasta and also courgette. There is low-carb pasta out there but I am not a fan as they are bland and have an aftertaste. I love celeriac instead of potato. However, nothing is as good as the original.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 16, 2022)

Nayshiftin said:


> I use leeks as pasta and also courgette. There is low-carb pasta out there but I am not a fan as they are bland and have an aftertaste. I love celeriac instead of potato. However, nothing is as good as the original.


Thanks


----------



## Felinia (Jul 16, 2022)

I found soy bean noodles are OK.  A bit firmer and with a nuttier taste, but fine with my home made ratatouille.  I also like roasted squash wedges instead of potato ones.


----------



## Rae (Jul 16, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> I know about califlower rice
> 
> Can you get low carb pasta and is nimble the best bread for diabetics ?


There's a soya bread called livlife that's 3.8g carb per slice. The taste and texture is a little like rye bread, which I really like, but it isn't for everyone.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 16, 2022)

Rae said:


> There's a soya bread called livlife that's 3.8g carb per slice. The taste and texture is a little like rye bread, which I really like, but it isn't for everyone.


Oh that's good I like rye bread


----------



## Rae (Jul 16, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> Oh that's good I like rye bread


Oh then give it a go! I can only find it in Waitrose, but there's one near a friend so I go to hers and stock up on the way home. Freezes fine, toasted I would choose it over any wholegrain bread I've tried. Not cheap at £1.90 a loaf but also 1 loaf has done me 7 days and survived even in this heat. Doesn't seem to mold the same as regular bread, probably because the sugar is so low.


----------



## Leadinglights (Jul 16, 2022)

I use edamame or black bean pasta which is much lower carb 15g per 100g and cooks much more quickly.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 16, 2022)

Rae said:


> Oh then give it a go! I can only find it in Waitrose, but there's one near a friend so I go to hers and stock up on the way home. Freezes fine, toasted I would choose it over any wholegrain bread I've tried. Not cheap at £1.90 a loaf but also 1 loaf has done me 7 days and survived even in this heat. Doesn't seem to mold the same as regular bread, probably because the sugar is so low.


There's a waitrose 5 mins drive from me . Will check it out , thank you


----------



## Caroline1967 (Jul 17, 2022)

Hi the coop also stocks Livlife bread.  I find that it doesn’t last long out of the freezer though.  I have had it go mouldy in only a few days.  Tastes very nice though.
I found brown pasta did not raise blood glucose like white pasta so that may be worth a try.
Tried conjac pasta sold as slimming pasta.  It was vile!  Can’t believe I actually put it in my mouth!!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 17, 2022)

I think bread is one of those very individual things. Some people find that seed breads or stoneground are easier in their BGs, while others find little difference in the BG bump they see. Still others find that breads are absolutely fine... but the get a sharp rise with potato or rice. 

 Opting for smaller slices and/or lower carb options (Liv life / Vogel) can help - but it’s tricky to know for sure unless you can measure the results for yourself. 

Have you got a BG meter @Taffyboyslim ? Have you seen what happens to your BG after bread? What sorts of BG rises are you getting?


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 17, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> I think bread is one of those very individual things. Some people find that seed breads or stoneground are easier in their BGs, while others find little difference in the BG bump they see. Still others find that breads are absolutely fine... but the get a sharp rise with potato or rice.
> 
> Opting for smaller slices and/or lower carb options (Liv life / Vogel) can help - but it’s tricky to know for sure unless you can measure the results for yourself.
> 
> Have you got a BG meter @Taffyboyslim ? Have you seen what happens to your BG after bread? What sorts of BG rises are you getting?


I was diagnosed with type 2 , given metaformin , have had one appointment with the nurse and that's been it . I have another bloods in mid September but that's it . No mention of regular self testing . I was wondering if this is normal or my GP service is just crap ?


----------



## Drummer (Jul 17, 2022)

You got an appointment with a nurse? 
More than I did - though I was, eventually sent to the local library to have three 'educational' sessions with a group of others - we were told that a good lunch would be baked potato and beans. Something to avoid, I said - rather loudly.


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 17, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> I was diagnosed with type 2 , given metaformin , have had one appointment with the nurse and that's been it . I have another bloods in mid September but that's it . No mention of regular self testing . I was wondering if this is normal or my GP service is just crap ?



Sadly it’s not at all uncommon. And especially so with the increased pressures that the health service has been under for several years, and the backlog that built up in the system.

Some enlightened surgeries encourage self monitoring, but those are significantly in the minority.

For many HCPs and diabetes nurses the main reason to self monitor is to check for hypoglycaemia, so surgeries are unlikely to prescribe a monitor and strips unless you are on a medication that can cause hypos.

There is research that people with type 2 find self monitoring depressing, inconvenient, painful and confusing. And there are scientific studies that show it has limited positive impact. However those same studies also acknowledge that there is a ‘subset’ of people with type 2 who find self monitoring very helpful, and for whom it can be a vital tool in their diabetes management arsenal.

I would say that whatever this subset is, it appears to be exactly the sort of people who join this kind of diabetes forum - who want to understand how their diabetes behaves, and who want a way of discovering, “Can I eat that?” or more accurately “How much of that is my body able to digest effectively?”

Nutritional guidelines and general principles can be extremely helpful, but unfortunately diabetes hasn’t always read the text book, and sometimes just decides to misbehave for larks. Swapping the glucose responses in people between two foods one of which is generally thought to be slow release and the other which has a reputation for being a bit tricky diabetes-wise.

I’ve even had the bizarre experience of spaghetti reliably and consistently having a different glucose absorption profile to pasta shapes. Same material… different shape - and a confoundingly different glucose response. Craziness!

Like to try using a BG meter to see how you respond to foods, the most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 - which both have test strips at around £8 for 50. Some brands’ strips might cost £25 or more for a pot of strips. 

One popular strategy on the forum is then to take pairs of readngs - immediately before eating, and again 2hrs after the first bite. Ideally you’d want to see a ‘meal rise’ of no more than 2-3mmol/L between the before and after readings. In a sense, to begin with the actual numbers themselves are almost less important than the rise. If you can tweak your menu, and base your meals around foods that keep your meal rises down, then your overall levels will come down gradually on their own.


----------



## travellor (Jul 17, 2022)

I cut myself more slack on the rise.
It was said that a rise to 8 is ok, as that's a normal sort of peak.
Quite often I could be less than 5 after exercise, so I was good if I rose more.

Also meters aren't that accurate so a reading ng of 8 can is reality be anything from 7.8 to 9.4, so I didn't beat myself up if I got an odd one.

Nimble wholemeal is a choice for me, it is actually quite low carb by default.
Warburtons wholemeal 400g is similar as well.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 17, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Sadly it’s not at all uncommon. And especially so with the increased pressures that the health service has been under for several years, and the backlog that built up in the system.
> 
> Some enlightened surgeries encourage self monitoring, but those are significantly in the minority.
> 
> ...


I would like to know if after a couple of months of metaformin and some lifestyle changes , predominantly cutting out junk food , that my next blood level , due to be taken in 2 months will give me some idea of if I am getting on top of things ? 

I am confused as I was when I was first diagnosed to be honest .


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 17, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> I would like to know if after a couple of months of metaformin and some lifestyle changes , predominantly cutting out junk food , that my next blood level , due to be taken in 2 months will give me some idea of if I am getting on top of things ?
> 
> I am confused as I was when I was first diagnosed to be honest .


Absolutely! As a general marker of progress those 3 monthly checks can be a great help. And for sure, regular self monitoring of BGs just doesn’t appeal to some people.

And that’s fine.

HbA1c might be enough.

But I think the reason ‘eating to your meter’ appeals to many here is that it can show very specific details of which meals and/or sources of carbs suit you best as an individual... and which are best avoided or minimised. A meter doesn’t have an agenda, or any preconceptions. It just tells you what happens for you and your unique combination of metabolism, genetics, and gut biome.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 17, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Sadly it’s not at all uncommon. And especially so with the increased pressures that the health service has been under for several years, and the backlog that built up in the system.
> 
> Some enlightened surgeries encourage self monitoring, but those are significantly in the minority.
> 
> ...


I would like to know if after a couple of months of metaformin and some lifestyle changes , predominantly cutting out junk food , that my next blood level , due to be taken in 2 months will give me some idea of if I am getting on top of things ?

I am confused as I was when I was first diagnosed to be honest .


everydayupsanddowns said:


> Absolutely! As a general marker of progress those 3 monthly checks can be a great help. And for sure, regular self monitoring of BGs just doesn’t appeal to some people.
> 
> And that’s fine.
> 
> ...


There is a point at which self monitoring is not advised or needed or is seen as hassle and .......its absolutely imperative .......and I have no idea as to when that is . I feel the GP and his team should at least be giving me that nudge ......


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 17, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> There is a point at which self monitoring is not advised or needed or is seen as hassle and .......its absolutely imperative .......and I have no idea as to when that is . I feel the GP and his team should at least be giving me that nudge ......



Going by the experience of others on the forum, I would say it is very likely that your diabetes nurse and/or GP would say that you don’t _need_ to test.

However you may decide that you think it would be helpful to you. In which case self-funding for your own experiments might be something you choose to explore.

But there’s no imperative to do so, if you are happy going along as you are for now


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Jul 17, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Going by the experience of others on the forum, I would say it is very likely that your diabetes nurse and/or GP would say that you don’t _need_ to test.
> 
> However you may decide that you think it would be helpful to you. In which case self-funding for your own experiments might be something you choose to explore.
> 
> But there’s no imperative to do so, if you are happy going along as you are for now


I would think my view would be that I would test regularly if it helped me deal with diabetes and the effects on my body in a positive or preventative way . Obviously I am new to all this and would be guided by my doctor , nurse and others such as the lovely people on here .


----------



## chaoticcar (Jul 18, 2022)

I wasn't given a monitor and strips at diagnosis but I decided that I wanted to know what what was happening to my bloods and how it was affected by what I ate so I bought my own .When my HBA  came down the GP stopped my Gliclazide and my bloods started to go up I was due another HBA after 3months but after 6 weeks my levels had risen quite a lot so I got a telephone consultation with a doctor who I had never met but he said that I was very sensible for checking my BGs and put me back on the Gliclazide !!
Carol


----------



## Lynne888 (Jul 20, 2022)

My GP gave me a prescription for Metformin and said they’d check hba1c in 3 months. That was basically it. I asked if I would need a BG machine and she said no. Since coming onto the forum I’ve found my feet a little bit and I don’t know where I would be without the advice. I bought my own BG machine and it’s the best thing I did. I know what makes my BG spike and I am able to keep track of how I’m doing regarding different foods. I don’t know if I’ll have reduced my hba1c in September and, like you, I’m worried about it. I don’t know if I’m doing enough to help reverse things but I’m losing weight and I’m giving it my best shot. If things haven’t improved I’ll have to rethink everything ! I’m on this forum daily checking recipes/foods/other people’s experiences.. I find it invaluable. I’ve bought a few recommended books which have been great too.  You’re in the right place here.


----------



## arthurocannon (Jul 29, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> I know about califlower rice
> 
> Can you get low carb pasta and is nimble the best bread for diabetics ?


I eat whole grain wheat bread. I've found that honey wheat and white wheat isn't healthy for me.


----------



## Drummer (Jul 29, 2022)

arthurocannon said:


> I eat whole grain wheat bread. I've found that honey wheat and white wheat isn't healthy for me.


Are you sure that your glucose levels are staying in the normal range when you eat bread? 
I can't eat any sort of grain based bread or other food, as I spiked really high when I was testing foods.


----------



## travellor (Jul 29, 2022)

Drummer said:


> Are you sure that your glucose levels are staying in the normal range when you eat bread?
> I can't eat any sort of grain based bread or other food, as I spiked really high when I was testing foods.



No probs for many of us.
You must react badly to carbs.

We are all different.


----------



## Dave_Z1a (Jul 29, 2022)

SRSLY Low Carb
					

Award Winning. Consumer brand of choice. Real food that's Keto and Low Carb friendly. The home of the Seriously Low Carb Loaf, the Seriously Low Carb Pizza and now lots of other products too.




					seriouslylowcarb.com
				



probably the best tasting bread out there, almost indistinguishable from the real thing 1 carb a slice, I go through two loafs a week, rolls are great too.


----------



## travellor (Jul 30, 2022)

Try the Lidl low GI bread and rolls


----------



## Nayshiftin (Aug 6, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Sadly it’s not at all uncommon. And especially so with the increased pressures that the health service has been under for several years, and the backlog that built up in the system.
> 
> Some enlightened surgeries encourage self monitoring, but those are significantly in the minority.
> 
> ...


I think it’s sound advice as what works for some does not work . Recently the weather yes makes a huge impact as does the winter when heating is on . It’s taken me a few weeks to work out coffee yes my love changes through the day. So why . I put it down to hydration . I might be giving wrong advice but drink before you eat if you feel dehydrated and you eat enough not to make you eat less but if hydrated my blood sugar/ insulin as  a type 2 work better. I have insulin but it’s dodgy how it works . So it might not be good for you but worth a try. I also tweak the amount . I love fruit but it’s a blood sugar riser so I have say half a nectarine. A very small banana at times . It’s also how you spread your day . I think the more you play around it might help . Mine is lowering that way gradually. Yes I still spike but I believe it’s the constant spikes that at most harmful . Please help me out if I am wrong . Low carb is good but it’s not worked for me so small portions lower it but I’m not going without or too low . I might get there but my sim is to lose weight.


----------



## ColinUK (Aug 6, 2022)

Rae said:


> There's a soya bread called livlife that's 3.8g carb per slice. The taste and texture is a little like rye bread, which I really like, but it isn't for everyone.


It’s also almost full sized slices unlike most of the other low carb loaves.


----------



## ColinUK (Aug 6, 2022)

You can make “tagliatelle” from a cabbage. 
Halve the cabbage. Remove the core. Flat side down and cut into ribbons. 
Half sauté half steam for about 5-8 minutes and use as you would pasta. 
It’s not pasta of course but it works and it’s negligible carbs.


----------



## Pete_S (Aug 6, 2022)

Taffyboyslim said:


> I was diagnosed with type 2 , given metaformin , have had one appointment with the nurse and that's been it . I have another bloods in mid September but that's it . No mention of regular self testing . I was wondering if this is normal or my GP service is just crap ?


Same here, diagnosed type 2, 6 months ago and the GP response at the surgery was pretty abysmal. I did however get a referral to OVIVA who provided an online, App based, 12 week program. It included a one to one support session each week with one of their specialist diabetes / nutritionist. I found that really helpful and learnt so much. It certainly gave me confidence in how to manage my type 2. You can get a GP referral or go direct to their website and complete their online referral. They will handle it from there to see if you are eligible.  It is totally free as its NHS funded. Generally with type 2, if you are not taking insulin or sulfonylureas type medication, self testing with a blood glucose meter is not deemed necessary or recommend as the regular HbA1c results are more relevant. However, I found it very helpful in the first few months as I got to grips with new eating habits and finding what foods caused me to really spike.


----------



## Taffyboyslim (Aug 7, 2022)

> Thanks all , I am getting used to having meat .....eg stir fried chicken with just one veg , seasoned ......eg spinach , green beans , asparagus


----------



## ColinUK (Aug 7, 2022)

Pete_S said:


> Same here, diagnosed type 2, 6 months ago and the GP response at the surgery was pretty abysmal. I did however get a referral to OVIVA who provided an online, App based, 12 week program. It included a one to one support session each week with one of their specialist diabetes / nutritionist. I found that really helpful and learnt so much. It certainly gave me confidence in how to manage my type 2. You can get a GP referral or go direct to their website and complete their online referral. They will handle it from there to see if you are eligible.  It is totally free as its NHS funded. Generally with type 2, if you are not taking insulin or sulfonylureas type medication, self testing with a blood glucose meter is not deemed necessary or recommend as the regular HbA1c results are more relevant. However, I found it very helpful in the first few months as I got to grips with new eating habits and finding what foods caused me to really spike.


Might not be deemed necessary but many of us buy our own BG meter and test at least once daily if not morning, pre and post each meal and before bed. 
It’s enabled me to learn more about how my body handles various carbs and to keep my HbA1C within quite a narrow range so far.


----------

