# Easy low carbs snacks



## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

Ok, i've been trying to find some easy to eat low carb snacks which i can snack on throughout the day without having to do extra injections.

I thought i'd try nuts. I was eating walnuts, brazil nuts and almonds, but i soon discovered that in the evenings I would get very wheezy. So I stopped eating them because clearly I have a reaction to them.

So now i'm back to square one. I have done some research online for low carb snacks and I keep finding recipies or things like egg and meat etc. Well I need a snack i can just eat at work, not have to cook or bake or whatever. Nuts was very easy, buy them and snack on them.

Does anyone have any ideas for easy low carb snacks I can just buy and eat at work?


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## MeanMom (Dec 18, 2011)

Hi
As you say 'buy' rather than 'make' - you could try the small packs of ready prepared fruit - usually grapes and/or apple- which are under 15 carbs, or the packs of cheese and 'toast' called 'Chedds', which again are under 15 carbs. Lots of cereal bars are under 15 carbs and some aren't too full of nasties - check the packs. Also mini packs of biscuits (like hob nobs).

Obviously most of the above arent super healthy, but they are easy to transport to work and you could keep a 'stash' at work.

Otherwise things like carrot sticks, celery etc which would be no carbs to speak of. And a small tangerine at this time of year I would also keep experimenting with the nuts and/or seeds. If you think you are allergic/intolerant it might be an idea to get this confirmed by your Doc.

There are quite a few options for low carb snacks - do you have access to a dietician - we were given a sheet of snack suggestions when K was diagnosed.

Hope that's given you some ideas - it's made me hungry


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## HOBIE (Dec 18, 2011)

Fish & more fish love oily type & good 4u !


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## Northerner (Dec 18, 2011)

HOBIE said:


> Fish & more fish love oily type & good 4u !



I doubt it would endear Clarkey to his work colleagues though if he was continuously snacking on tins of pilchards! 

I suppose it depends on what your tolerance for a small amount of carbs is. Some people can manage around 10g without needing to inject. I have a slice of Ryvita with raisins and cranberries (part of the biscuit, not additionally!) which are around 10g, or as I have said elsewhere, a two finger kit-kat is only 11.8g, with 8.5g sugars.  Most of the time I go for the dry-roasted peanuts, but I do get a bit bored of them at times!


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## MeanMom (Dec 18, 2011)

HOBIE said:


> Fish & more fish love oily type & good 4u !



 how would you have 'fish' as a snack at work HOBIE? And don't know what type of work Clarkey does (sorry) but other people there might not be too impressed.

Do you have some fishy snack receipes you could share HOBIE?

Edit- Northerner got there first - as usual


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## slipper (Dec 18, 2011)

I get a packet of low fat crackers, 4 carbs each and 18 calories, and a packet of wafer thin pastrami slices, no carbs and 10 calories each. Easy to keep at work if you wished, and very tasty with no preparation.


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

The other reason I chose nuts is because they're quite good at helping a little with some weight gain. If I could i'd just eat all day.


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## Robster65 (Dec 18, 2011)

Bear in mind nuts contain a good amount of omega 3 and 6 but are also VERY high calorie, so in small amounts they're good for you but if you have a problem with weight gain, then they will add to that.

Rob


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

I knew nuts were very high in calories and that's why I chose to snack on them and I do believe I saw an improvement in my weight for a while. But sadly I had to stop eating the nuts and have seen my weight drop and I can't get it back up. That's why i'm looking for something to replace the nuts but be just as easy to eat at a desk at work.

I mean get this, I was eating walnuts, brazil nuts, hazel nuts and almonds. I bought the 90g bags from Sainsburys and I ate 2/3 (60g) of the pack per day as a snack at work. 60g of that pack was giving me 400+ kcal. Now I have to find something to replace that 400+ kcal.


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## Northerner (Dec 18, 2011)

Have you always had a problem maintaining your weight Clarkey, or is this a recent problem? I took quite a while to gain weight after diagnosis but have been stable now for a couple of years. I see that you have had diabetes for 15 years, so was thinking if it was a recent problem then there might be other things that need investigating.


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## Robster65 (Dec 18, 2011)

Sorry. I misread your post as being overweight ! 

Do you keep a food diary and are you a big exerciser ?

And what are your BGs like generally ? If you're struggling to gain wwight it would normally mean that you're either undereating in general, over-exercising or your BGs are running high and converting your fat/muscle to glucose.

Rob


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## Pumper_Sue (Dec 18, 2011)

Boiled eggs, cheese, cold meats?


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

I've always been slim even before diabetes. But although my weight has dropped recently, it is not continuing to drop, it's just difficult to get back up. I've always been on the edge of underweight, and I would love to one day be sitting in normal weight without worrying about maintaining it.


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## Robster65 (Dec 18, 2011)

I've always been slim too, but until recently I didn't realise how much of it was down to not maintaining proper BGs.

Do you mind me asking your latest HbA1c and how many hypos you have in an average week ?

Depending on your height, you should be aiming for about 2000-2500 calories per day but most people would underestimate their intake, so it's less likely to be that.

Rob


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> Sorry. I misread your post as being overweight !
> 
> Do you keep a food diary and are you a big exerciser ?
> 
> ...


I had a food plan set out in the summer and it was working out to about 2,700 to 3,000 calories a day, this was good. This was when I was eating nuts too. I've revised the plan now as it kind of dropped off especially when my sugars were getting high and there's always the money issues. Now that i've revised it to what I eat now, my calorie intake has considerably dropped by 800 to 1,000 a day. So this is what I need to focus on first to replace those missing calories.

As for exercise I do very little.


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> I've always been slim too, but until recently I didn't realise how much of it was down to not maintaining proper BGs.
> 
> Do you mind me asking your latest HbA1c and how many hypos you have in an average week ?
> 
> ...


My last HbA1c in July was 8.1 and was 7.9 in January. i don't have hypos that often. There were a few occasions last month when i woke up low, but as I found my sugars tended to be low in the mornings/overnight i reduced my lantus.


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## Robster65 (Dec 18, 2011)

My Hb was 8+ in Jan 2010, then came down to 7.9 and plummeted to the 6-6.5 region once I started properly writing things down, testing 6 or 7 times a day and adjusting insulin properly. I always used to half-heartedly do it due to fear of hypos and change in general.

I would suggest that you're probably running a bit too high here and there and if you could tweak your basal and your bolus ratios, you might be able to get your Hb to sub-7 without many hypos and your weight may stay on.

I'm 5'10" and weigh about 11st 2lbs and have varied by no more than 2 or 3 lbs for about a year. When I got my Hb down, I started to develop a belly which I had to eat about 1800 cals/day for a few weeks to lose and now I go for 2100 cals to maintain.

Rob


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## MeanMom (Dec 18, 2011)

If you are really struggling to keep your weight up I would try to get access to a dietician - there should be one available to you at your Diabeties clinic. 

Im no expert but I think you would probably need a diet higher in protein and/ or having larger snacks that you inject for - I understand that you would wAnt to avoid this but it may be the way to maintain a good weight if you a 'grazer' (like me)

IMO you need the advice of a dietian if you can. Good Luck

Edit: I see you comments above about Eating Plan (wish I was a faster typer) Think you need to go back and get it revised to allow for lack of nuts.


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## Northerner (Dec 18, 2011)

Clarkey said:


> I've always been slim even before diabetes. But although my weight has dropped recently, it is not continuing to drop, it's just difficult to get back up. I've always been on the edge of underweight, and I would love to one day be sitting in normal weight without worrying about maintaining it.



I have always been slim too, probably at my heaviest now I am at the grand old age of 53. When I was 25 I weighed 8st, which for my height was a BMI of 16.5. When I was 40 BMI was 20 and currently my BMI is about 23.5. Basically, I haven't changed my diet a great deal over the years, but probably gained muscle due to exercise and therefore gained weight. I could probably happily lose about 10 pounds from what I am now and consider myself very healthy - as I did at 25 when I was supposedly very underweight! So I tend to be a bit sceptical about the 'ideal weight' thing unless I'm not feeling well. 

So, what do you consider 'normal weight' for you, and how does it sit on the BMI scale?


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## trophywench (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm thinking cheese and eggs here.

I'm also thinking I used to work with a bloke who ate a great plate of tinned fish and salad for his dinner every day.  We had to ask him to desist.  I mean a lot of us even liked eg sardines - but the stink was awful and pervaded everywhere even though he was banned from anywhere except the kitchen - the pong from the bin met you whenever you opened the door.

Not a good idea!


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## Clarkey (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm currently 31 and 5'7" and I used to sit around 8 3/4st. Never really been 9st. Now I am sitting at 8st. I'd like to be 10st one day. BMI is 17.4


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## Northerner (Dec 18, 2011)

Clarkey said:


> I'm currently 31 and 5'7" and I used to sit around 8 3/4st. Never really been 9st. Now I am sitting at 8st. I'd like to be 10st one day. BMI is 17.4



I would suspect it will happen in the fullness of time. You're slightly shorter than me, hence the slightly higher BMI than mine at around your age. By the time I was 40 my weight had risen to 10st without any real effort or intention. But I didn't have diabetes then and now I can understand how it can be difficult to gain weight if you wanted to - I used to just eat whenever I liked and my pancreas would happily oblige!


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## Robster65 (Dec 18, 2011)

I agree that the ideal weight thing is a load of old tosh, largely, and it's what you feel comfortable with.

However, if you were eating 2000+ cals per day and not gaining several lbs per month, especially not exercising (bear in mind Northerner ran marathons) then I would be looking to other causes and the favourite for any T1 is less than perfect control.

Stress will play a part with weight as well as the higher BGs you spoke about in your earlier thread, but generally calories in minus calories out will equate to weight loss or gain. To burn 2500 to 3000 calories a day, you have to spend the day running round or peeing out the excess glucose due to high BGs. Or something else, such as a thyroid problem.

But testing several times a day before meals, 1-2 hours after meals and bedtime & morning, for a few days, should highlight if you have any problems with highs. It would get you a sub-7 HbA1c and your overall health would be far better for it. 

Rob


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## schmeezle (Dec 19, 2011)

How about peanut butter on cookies (I've used shortbread and others with ~21 g bag cookies w/16 carb & 6 sugars).  Maybe try yogurt (I like greek) or cottage cheese with nuts mixed-in....one small spoon of jelly in cottage cheese also does the trick....they have ones here (in the States) w/jelly as part of package.


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## Clarkey (Dec 23, 2011)

I've decided to see a diabetes dietician in the first instance. I'm going to try and do more cooking at home and have more things like omlettes with cheese and bacon etc. I don't eat as much egg as I should.

Then once i've seen the dietician i'll use the information and recommendations they give me and monitor my weight for a while.

There's not much I can't eat, it's really mainly nuts that I seem to have a reaction to which is disappointing.

If after seeing the dietician my weight continues to drop then i'll be looking at seeing a Doctor for other possible causes.

In the summer I was 115bls which I believe is borderline of being underweight. I've gradually dropped since the summer and this morning my weight was at it's lowest ever of 109.8lbs. And it doesn't help when people at work keep commenting on it.


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## Phil65 (Jan 13, 2012)

I know that they are not healthy but pork scratchings are almost carb free....obviously full of fat though!.........but I do like them!


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## McB (Jan 13, 2012)

Clarkey, I would try eating different types of nuts one type at a time rather than mixing them.  I am allergic to hazelnuts (as lots of people are, see pollen food syndrome) but am fine with all the other types.  I bet you are not allergic to all nuts, just some.


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## Copepod (Jan 13, 2012)

In answer to someone wanting low carb high calorie snacks, here's another vote for pork scratchings and cheese - Babybel are particularly suitable for carrying around, leaving at work etc, as they survive for days out of fridge, unless you leave them on a radiator or in direct sun, of course. And definitely agree that checking individual nuts is worthwhile - those allergic to peanuts (which grow under ground and are related to beans & other pulses) are often not allergic to nuts that grow on trees.

Or, have higher carb snacks with insulin bolus(es), but taking care not to "stack" insulin ie recognise that insulin is still in your system before having another bolus.


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## macast (Jan 13, 2012)

when I go out walking I take a pack of those Go Ahead Yogurt Breaks (some supermarkets do their own brands too)... they are a crunchy biscuit sandwiching a sultana and berry filing, topped with a yogurt flavour topping.... I find that they don't cause a spike and are quite delicious.  they have 72 calories, 12 g of carbs including 7g of sugar, 1.8g fat,  per slice.  2 biscuits are wrapped together and then in a box of 6 packs.


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## Clarkey (Jan 14, 2012)

Ok I will try individual types of nuts. The ones I was having at work were brazil nut, hazel nuts and almonds. maybe it was the hazels nuts for me too. Anyway i get a slight reaction pretty quick so it shouldn't take long to find out which ones affect me. I'm hoping that brazil nuts don't affect me.

oh and i've started making omlettes now with bacon and cheese in. i don't cook much so this is the start of something new for me!


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## Northerner (Jan 14, 2012)

Clarkey said:


> Ok I will try individual types of nuts. The ones I was having at work were brazil nut, hazel nuts and almonds. maybe it was the hazels nuts for me too. Anyway i get a slight reaction pretty quick so it shouldn't take long to find out which ones affect me. I'm hoping that brazil nuts don't affect me.
> 
> oh and i've started making omlettes now with bacon and cheese in. i don't cook much so this is the start of something new for me!



I've started making omelettes to lately - cheese and onion are my faves so far


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## Clarkey (Jan 14, 2012)

Northerner said:


> I've started making omelettes to lately - cheese and onion are my faves so far


I might try mushrooms next.


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## Northerner (Jan 14, 2012)

Clarkey said:


> I might try mushrooms next.



Hey, good call - I've got some mushrooms in the fridge, why didn't I think of that?


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## macast (Jan 15, 2012)

great to hear that you both have discovered omeletes

how about broccoli and stilton?    or baby spinach and cheese (loads of magnesium in both of these variations)

whatever quiches you might see in the shop will work well as an omelete... after all it is just a crustless quiche isn't it?


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## Clarkey (Jan 28, 2012)

I don't seem to get any reaction from pecans.


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## Paul (Jan 28, 2012)

*http://www.graze.com/*

http://www.graze.com/ give these ago I have been having them for a couple of years with no trouble you can start and stop whenever you want with no problems .


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## Lauren (Feb 11, 2012)

This is awesome:

http://www.graze.com/home

Really healthy, you don't have to prepare anything and they can be delivered to work  However the price can add up...


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## sweepers (Feb 11, 2012)

Have you tried Mars Trackers bars - roasted nut ones - 19.3 carbs per bar, 147 kcal, 1.9g protein and 7g fat.  If you are needing a snack to avoid running too low I find these keep me stable without raising sugar levels too much. 

I agree nuts are great but find I get thirsty so am constantly drinking cups of tea and then needing the loo!


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## RHepton (Feb 16, 2012)

This is an interesting post, gutted only just spotted it.  I can feel your pain about people commenting on your weight because I have had the same since diagnosis (lost around 2 stone very rapidly) but my weight has now stabilised and I hover around the 11st mark, ideally would like to be a stone heavier but I am a healthy weight.  Cashew Nuts are my biggest turn to when it comes to snacks (raw ones not the yucky salted ones) only down side is they are v expensive but soooo delicious, could eat them all day.  Will sometimes sprinkle some walnuts on top of my porridge in the morning.  Have also had babybels and peperamis occasionally without any adverse affect on my bs


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## Robster65 (Feb 16, 2012)

sweepers said:


> Have you tried Mars Trackers bars - roasted nut ones - 19.3 carbs per bar, 147 kcal, 1.9g protein and 7g fat. If you are needing a snack to avoid running too low I find these keep me stable without raising sugar levels too much.
> 
> I agree nuts are great but find I get thirsty so am constantly drinking cups of tea and then needing the loo!


 
That sounds incredibly high for a snack. Are you sure your basal isn't too high, if you can manage one of those without going through the roof ? 

Normally anything up to about 10g can be accomodated, if you're fairly stable and it's low GI.

Rob


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