# Cheese Time



## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

I am looking for yet more food advice-well I guess this is the right place.
     I have a fondness for cheese and I was wondering if I should stick to low fat cheese or is it ok to have something like mature cheddar or Gouda.

Apologies if this is a daft question but in the four years since I was diagnosed as type 2 I've been given little to no advice on what is a good diet for diabetics.
 My GP is of the belief that carb counting is a faddy diet!

I am so grateful for all the support I've had since coming here and I wish I'd been more involved years ago.

Wishing you all a good Sunday


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## Northerner (Nov 11, 2012)

Cheese won't affect your blood sugar levels, but I suppose the thing you need to be careful about if you need to watch your weight is calories - less fat generally means fewer calories. I quite like Babybel cheeses for a snack - much easier to ration yourself when they are individually wrapped 

Monitoring your carb intake is NOT 'faddy' when you have diabetes as they can have a direct impact on your blood sugars! Also, I believe that some authorities see excessive carb consumption as a primary cause of weight gain and poor triglyceride levels, so it is wise to have a good understanding of what your limits are to stay fit and healthy


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## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

Northerner said:


> Cheese won't affect your blood sugar levels, but I suppose the thing you need to be careful about if you need to watch your weight is calories - less fat generally means fewer calories. I quite like Babybel cheeses for a snack - much easier to ration yourself when they are individually wrapped
> 
> Monitoring your carb intake is NOT 'faddy' when you have diabetes as they can have a direct impact on your blood sugars! Also, I believe that some authorities see excessive carb consumption as a primary cause of weight gain and poor triglyceride levels, so it is wise to have a good understanding of what your limits are to stay fit and healthy




I like Babybel too and I find that as they are slightly rich one is plenty.
Something else to buy from Sainsbury's!


Oh I know very well that monitoring carb intake is not faddy but try telling my GP that and I'm sure he's not alone in his opinion.
   Which is why I'm so glad to have had so much help here.

Thanks Northerner


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## HOBIE (Nov 11, 2012)

Over the years i have had some Bad/Good addvice from health pros but i would take what your Gp says with a pinch of salt  What you are thinking is in the right direction


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## trophywench (Nov 11, 2012)

LOL - husband recently had one of these Health Checks people are sposed to get at the GPs and it's been in the news recently that hardly anyone has had one.  Anyway we discovered the following.

1.  he isn't diabetic (ROFL, think we may have known that one)
2.  his BP is low so the sphygnomometer must have been broke cos she took it on both arms and it was still low.  (ROFL - no - he actually has both low BP and a low heart rate which are excellent bedfellows)
3.  His trigs are too ridiculously marvellous for a man of his age, so that means he eats very little cheese.  (ROFL no actually, he eats shedloads of it!)

I tell you what - eat drink and be merry cos tomorrow we die - and I always hope it's of something nobody ever tested me for!  LOL


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## Austin Mini (Nov 11, 2012)

Mmmm cheese, wheres the crackers lad?


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## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

HOBIE said:


> Over the years i have had some Bad/Good addvice from health pros but i would take what your Gp says with a pinch of salt  What you are thinking is in the right direction



Absolutely HOBIE I just wish that I had realised sooner how uninformed some of the medical professionals are;of course there are those who are very informed but I would have expected better from a GP!
Still we live and learn.


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## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

Austin Mini said:


> Mmmm cheese, wheres the crackers lad?



Sorry too many carbs in crackers,damn it even rice cakes are high in carbs it seems!


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## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

Austin Mini said:


> Mmmm cheese, wheres the crackers lad?





trophywench said:


> LOL - husband recently had one of these Health Checks people are sposed to get at the GPs and it's been in the news recently that hardly anyone has had one.  Anyway we discovered the following.
> 
> 1.  he isn't diabetic (ROFL, think we may have known that one)
> 2.  his BP is low so the sphygnomometer must have been broke cos she took it on both arms and it was still low.  (ROFL - no - he actually has both low BP and a low heart rate which are excellent bedfellows)
> ...




Trophywench I think you are married to Superman!

As for eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die;I don't have time to die there's a huge pile of ironing waiting for me and no one else has volunteered to do it!


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## Copepod (Nov 11, 2012)

Everything in moderation. 

I've recently discovered (when there was no butter in fridge) that soft cheese with herbs is delicious spread on toast, before adding a poached duck egg or two (from our ducks in our garden) - had tonight, along with green pesto, mint & veg soup.


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## Rivki061 (Nov 11, 2012)

Copepod said:


> Everything in moderation.
> 
> I've recently discovered (when there was no butter in fridge) that soft cheese with herbs is delicious spread on toast, before adding a poached duck egg or two (from our ducks in our garden) - had tonight, along with green pesto, mint & veg soup.




I rather think that my vegetarian daughter might enjoy your soup Copepod.
  Do duck eggs taste similar to chicken eggs?


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## trophywench (Nov 12, 2012)

No duck eggs taste more so than hen's.  ie more Eggy.  And goose eggs taste more Eggy still than duck's.  (I couldn't imagine  that either till I tried one! and then I understood completely)

Ever had (hardboiled) egg and avocado? both sliced/chunked.  You wouldn't think they'd sort of 'go' but they are excellent eaten together.  Dribble.


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## Rivki061 (Nov 12, 2012)

trophywench said:


> No duck eggs taste more so than hen's.  ie more Eggy.  And goose eggs taste more Eggy still than duck's.  (I couldn't imagine  that either till I tried one! and then I understood completely)
> 
> Ever had (hardboiled) egg and avocado? both sliced/chunked.  You wouldn't think they'd sort of 'go' but they are excellent eaten together.  Dribble.



Sounds worth a try perhaps I should hang around the duck pond and wait!
   I haven't ever had hard boiled egg and avocado but that's because I don't like avocado but I can imagine that they would combine pretty well.


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## LeeLee (Nov 12, 2012)

MMMM... Cheese (now read that again imagining a Homer Simpson voice).

Low fat has its place (e.g. in sauces, on pasta), but I prefer a small quantity of the real stuff when eating it on its own.


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## Rivki061 (Nov 12, 2012)

LeeLee said:


> MMMM... Cheese (now read that again imagining a Homer Simpson voice).
> 
> Low fat has its place (e.g. in sauces, on pasta), but I prefer a small quantity of the real stuff when eating it on its own.



My mouth is watering at the thought of some mature cheddar!


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## DeusXM (Nov 12, 2012)

Here's another thing to think of about cheese and nutrition.

Cheese consumption in France, Italy and Germany is at least double what it is in the UK.

The British obesity rate is around 23%.

In Germany it's 12%. In France, it's 9.4%. In Italy, it's 8.5%. 

Obviously there's other factors at play. But I'm not convinced that cutting out normal fat cheese will have any real benefit on anyone's waistline.


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## trophywench (Nov 12, 2012)

Yup, and it could take you another whole lifetime to taste all their cheeses LOL  - didn't de Gaulle say summat once when the poers that be couldn't seem to agree, about what could you expect from a nation that produces 494 different cheeses?

Even just in an average supermarket there's at least one whole aisle plus a deli specifically for cheese! - it's only in the teeny city centre ones where you don't get a choice of too many; plus of course here's all the local varieties sold straight from the farm or fromagerie, and on markets.

They do (grudgingly it seems to me! - makes me laugh!) now allow a bit of low-fat through their doors but full fat everything is still far more prominent.  They still eat seasonally all over France.  Because everything is bought fresh, as and when.  Scarely a polythene bag or symmetrical item on sale in the F & V dep't.

'Appellation Controllee' chestnuts, for God's sake! - and chestnuts like you've never seen before - from dark red ones (maroon marrons LOL) to beige.  And you buy them loose, by the kilo ......

By the way, I have observed that they don't and have never, used a lot of salt.  It's considered quite rude to salt and pepper your food before tasting it.  An insult to the chef who it seems you don't trust to get his seasonings right.  And frites of course are automatically salted by them when they are being shaken in the drainer to get the fat off them.  They'd be utterly nonplussed if you asked for 'no salt'.  Never buy chips from a friterie with vinegar available.  Only complete Phillistines need it on Frites! - you are supposed to savour em for the individual crispness and flavour of the particular 'breed' of spud.

They do however use a fair amount of really good quality olive oil.

When in Rome (and after you come home) ...... it might not be a bad way of eating to copy ......


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## Rivki061 (Nov 12, 2012)

DeusXM said:


> Here's another thing to think of about cheese and nutrition.
> 
> Cheese consumption in France, Italy and Germany is at least double what it is in the UK.
> 
> ...




That's fine by me but I will still try to exercise some control!


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## Austin Mini (Nov 12, 2012)

Cheese shops in France (Fromages?)always insist we try before we buy, or at least they did when we holidayed in France. We must have spent hours sampling all the wares but they didnt mind one little bit. Now try that in UK and you will be told to leave.


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## trophywench (Nov 12, 2012)

FromagERIES Austin.  (Boucheries, Charcuteries, Boulangeries, Epiceries .......)


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## Austin Mini (Nov 13, 2012)

trophywench said:


> FromagERIES Austin.  (Boucheries, Charcuteries, Boulangeries, Epiceries .......)



Sorry TW its my secondary school edukation wot done that. I went to five sec moderns (Dad was in the services) and missed loads. I will try harder though, thanks.


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