# What drink on low GI?



## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

Calling all you low gi dieters again!

My new diet states no caffeine drinks (except tea) and cold drinks are diet only. 

I was thinking if going to a pub to socialise what should I drink?
I used to drink diet coke but believe this contains caffeine?

Would lime and soda still be okay on low gi?

I don't drink alcohol.


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## FM001 (Mar 13, 2011)

Why no caffeine on a low gi diet?  I've not heard that one before.


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## Mark T (Mar 13, 2011)

Caffeine apparently inhibits the action of insulin and thus makes your blood sugar higher.

Not sure how much caffeine it takes to do this.


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## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

Apparently it stimulates the appetite! Tea is acceptable in moderation as it contains half the caffeine coffee has.

So would lime and soda be okay?


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## FM001 (Mar 13, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Caffeine apparently inhibits the action of insulin and thus makes your blood sugar higher.
> 
> Not sure how much caffeine it takes to do this.




Never heard this before, I drink numerous cups of tea and coffee and not noticed a hike in my bloods, just the same thanks for the explanation.


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## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

It must be true Toby - the book says so

I have to say I am a hardened thick stand your spoon up in coffee drinker and have been for many years.

However when I was in hospital the other week I was so surprised I didn't have withdrawal symptoms as I was sure I was addicted to the stuff.

So when I saw the diet suggested only decaff coffee I converted yesterday - and so far not noticed any difference!

That very well known coffee brand do a really nice decaf in a blue jar and i honestly can't tell the difference.


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## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

Toby - just a further thought.
I am doing the diet to stop the hunger pangs and lose weight - so maybe that is the reason they suggest caffeine free - maybe it doesn't affect bs?


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## Mark T (Mar 13, 2011)

toby said:


> Never heard this before, I drink numerous cups of tea and coffee and not noticed a hike in my bloods, just the same thanks for the explanation.


The article where I read that had a link back to the original research which is:
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/2/364.abstract?sid=ae043e6c-f68c-4992-a348-787e8c88d229

I would think soda and lime should be ok, I'm guessing that even if it is high GI there would so little glucose within the drink.  My plan was to start drinking diet lemonade


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## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

Is that caffeine free Mark?
How long have you been following the low gi diet?
Maybe we could swap notes?


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## Mark T (Mar 13, 2011)

lucy123 said:


> Is that caffeine free Mark?
> How long have you been following the low gi diet?
> Maybe we could swap notes?


I believe the Sprite Zero is indeed caffeine free.

I'm not really following a Low GI diet, more of a whatever-works-for-me diet which does include some concepts from Low GI and Low Carb.  But I did find dropping/reducing the high GI items like potatoes, rice and white bread did work for me.

Some Low GI items like cerials/packaged muesli are a complete disaster for me in the morning!  So far it looks like my breakfasts are going to be one of scrambled egg/burgen bread/fromage frais with nuts.

I've got the further complication that my wife has IBS when altering meals that we all eat (although sometimes the metformin makes me feel like I have IBS too).


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## margie (Mar 13, 2011)

I'd have a look at a bottle of lime cordial and check the sugar content - isn't that what they mix with.

Pubs are tricky things at lunch you could probably order a tea. A few pubs have flavoured waters which have little in the way of carbs but you have to be careful as some flavoured waters are more sugary than others. 

Drinking water is an option but not very exciting.


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## lucy123 (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks Margie.

Mark - I made my own muesli this morning,you soak it overnight in milk and then mix with a fruit yoghurt at breakfast - was very nice, sugars were okay too. I am not sure what it would do for the IBS though.


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## AlisonM (Mar 14, 2011)

Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are supposedly caffeine free too, but I'm not sure many pubs have them. I reckon tonic and lime should be OK, though I'd probaly do without the lime cordial and just have a slice of in it lemon instead. 

My diet isn't strictly Low GI either, though I do stick to a reduced amount of high GI foods I go mad and have a spud, a few chips or some rice from time to time (all these things send my numbers up).


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## Andy HB (Mar 14, 2011)

lucy123 said:


> Apparently it stimulates the appetite! Tea is acceptable in moderation as it contains half the caffeine coffee has



Aaaaaaactualy, there is more caffeine in tea leaves than coffee beans.

Buuuuuuuut, a cup of tea has less caffeine than an equivalent cup of coffee.

Just wanted to show off that I've been watching Q.I. and remembered some stuff 

Now back to the point of the thread ........


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## lucy123 (Mar 14, 2011)

Andy HB said:


> Aaaaaaactualy, there is more caffeine in tea leaves than coffee beans.
> 
> Buuuuuuuut, a cup of tea has less caffeine than an equivalent cup of coffee.
> 
> ...


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## Mark T (Mar 14, 2011)

Coke Zero and Pepsi Max both have caffeine in them.  You would have to check the label for a Pepsi Max to be sure, but Coke Zero definately has caffeine in it.

Rooibos (red bush) tea is caffeine free and doesn't need milk either.  I'm quite partial to a cup of Rooibos Vanilla


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## HelenM (Mar 15, 2011)

from the cocacola website :



> There is 96mg of caffeine in one litre of Coke Zero or Coca-Cola and 128mg in a litre of Diet Coke. This equates to about 32mg in a 330ml can of Coca-Cola and 42mg in a 330ml can of Diet Coke. To help put this in context, a mug of tea contains about 75mg of caffeine and a mug of coffee provides about 100mg of caffeine.....



Fanta, Sprite and caffeine free Diet Coke have no caffeine.


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## lucy123 (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks again everyone.


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## Natalie123 (Mar 15, 2011)

Rooibos tea is brilliant if you need to go caffeine free - Rooibos Chai is my favourite (drink without milk) it is spiced with cinamon, lovely  Mark - I haven't heard of the vanilla one, where do you get it, I would like to give it a go?


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## Mark T (Mar 15, 2011)

Natalie123 said:


> Rooibos tea is brilliant if you need to go caffeine free - Rooibos Chai is my favourite (drink without milk) it is spiced with cinamon, lovely  Mark - I haven't heard of the vanilla one, where do you get it, I would like to give it a go?


the one I have is DragonFly Rooibos Vanilla and my local Sainsbury's stocks it.

I see that the same company makes the Chai one too - unfortunately they don't have that one in my store.  Maybe I'll check the local Asda and Tesco's.


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## lucy123 (Mar 15, 2011)

Now these drinks do sound very nice - they are just the same as tea though with regards to cals etc? I must try some!


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## lizabetic (Mar 15, 2011)

Green Tea! Twinnings do a selection with mango/ginger/pear and apple. Lots of different ones. 
Though i've recently found Whittards pretty good 

Its supposed to help with blood sugars, and I secretely believe it does! I've been drinking it for ages now, I do swear by it.


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## Andy HB (Mar 15, 2011)

And my favourite is Jackson's Lemon Green tea.

Andy


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## Alan S (Mar 16, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Caffeine apparently inhibits the action of insulin and thus makes your blood sugar higher.
> 
> Not sure how much caffeine it takes to do this.


Possibly it does for some people. But not for most of the diabetics I've met in cyberspace.

These people share my opinion on caffeine: *Java Jive*


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## FM001 (Mar 16, 2011)

Green tea is naturally low in caffeine and very good for you as it is full of antioxidants, don't go for the cheap commercially produced brands like Tetley or PG but opt for the proper Chinese Green Tea available in good health shops such as Holland & Barrett.


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## lizabetic (Mar 16, 2011)

Alan S said:


> Possibly it does for some people. But not for most of the diabetics I've met in cyberspace.
> 
> These people share my opinion on caffeine: *Java Jive*



I used to drink coffee very regularly. I found it was making my blood sugar levels very erratic and unstable, so I switched for green tea! Pretty sure it in fact helps as well as being yummy! 
Still drink coffee occasionally when i'm out but I just can't drink it anymore!


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## Natalie123 (Mar 16, 2011)

lucy123 said:


> Now these drinks do sound very nice - they are just the same as tea though with regards to cals etc? I must try some!


Hi Lucy, As far as I know the chai has the same carbs as normal tea - it doesn't affect my sugar levels and the ingredients don't say it contains sugar so I think you should be ok


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