Slow sugars:
Slow sugars are found in everything that contains starch, such as starchy foods, pulses, fruit and cereals.
potatoes
mashed potatoes
croquettes
chips
toast
pasta
rice
couscous
bulgur
flour / semolina
oats
chickpeas
lentils
red and white beans
If you want to eat slow sugars in the evening, opt for wholemeal pasta, semi-complete rice, quinoa and sarasin.
Try to avoid white rice, refined pasta, chips and crisps, white or brioche bread and carbonated legumes (chickpeas, white or kidney beans).
For breakfast, on the other hand, opt for a bowl of seasonal fruit with a dash of lemon juice and agave or maple syrup, a bowl of oat flakes with a few pieces of banana, soya yoghurt, a few nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.) and why not a few dried goji berries or cranberries.
The best slow sugars are lentils, chickpeas or fruit and vegetables.
Slow sugars are also known as complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly and absorbed by the body. These carbohydrates are particularly rich in fibre and nutrients, ideal for digestion and for regulating satiety and preventing snacking.
These slow sugars provide a long-lasting energy boost.
The dietician advised me to include 60% of them in my diet to maintain my energy levels. They should not be eaten on their own, but with animal proteins, as this lowers the glycaemic index.
The last piece of advice is not to cook them for too long, as you risk losing all their benefits and raising your glycaemic index.
Semi-slow sugar
fruit
Maximum 2 portions per day, as listed below.
Quick sugar
Found in foods such as fruit juices and sweetened drinks, jams and honey, white sugar and sweets, as well as in industrial foods containing synthetic sugar.
pastries
biscuits
ice creams
sweets
soda
fruit juice
fruit pastes
grapes, very ripe banana
cooked tapioca
honey
syrup
Fast sugars are also known as simple carbohydrates because they are rapidly digested and absorbed by the body. They are ideal for providing quick energy when you're feeling low during exercise or after a hypoglycaemic episode. Snacks include cereal bars and dried fruit, but these should be eaten in moderation as they can lead to weight problems.
Which foods contain the most quick sugar?
Beetroot and cane sugar.
In fact, when you wake up in the morning, your body doesn't need any quick sugar because its blood sugar levels are normal.
Is there a food with good sugar?
There is a plant that grows in Peru, the yacon or earth pear, which has a high sweetening power but contains few carbohydrates. It is similar to Jerusalem artichoke.
But are there foods that contain no sugar?
Fortunately, yes:
meat
fish
eggs
cheese
nuts, but no more than a handful a day
olives
raw vegetables, salad or vegetable soup
What about products designed for diabetics?
They contain no added sugar, but they are high in fat, expensive and sometimes contain flours that raise blood sugar levels. The dietician advises us to opt for a dry biscuit such as ‘Petit beurre’, ‘les couques Maria’ or a slice of gingerbread if we feel like it.
How do you recognise sugar on the label?
There are over 50 different pseudonyms for sugar: dextrose, sacharose, maple syrup, agave syrup, honey, syrup, glucose, molasses, synthetic sugar, ....
What about alcohol?
In general, alcohol increases the amount of carbohydrates in the blood because the liver is mainly concerned with eliminating alcohol and cannot do two things at once.
It's a double-edged sword, but it's possible to sip a glass in reasonable and appropriate proportions.
Alcohol causes certain organs, such as the liver and pancreas, to malfunction, promotes the conversion of carbohydrates into lipids (the infamous ‘tummy bun’) and, last but not least, accelerates the progression of damage to blood vessels and arteries.
The dietician advises us not to drink on an empty stomach, to consume the drink slowly and to check our blood sugar levels.
But here is the table provided for the fddb:
So my cousin, a little glass of white or red wine when we're out and about is perfectly predictable. ;)
And going to the restaurant?
Not always easy, as the restaurant menu offers tempting dishes and often copious portions. Menus are rarely balanced.
Going out once in a while doesn't pose any particular problem. All I have to do is compensate by eating one or more lighter meals at home.
Last week was a major test for me, because at the weekend we had a wedding party with a restaurant for lunch and an all-you-can-eat buffet in the evening, and my mother had come to Belgium to see the family, so we went to the restaurant almost every day.
It was a test of attention, willpower and reflection. To make matters worse, I had the blood test for my three-monthly check-up the week after .... Well, that's just the way life is.
What attitude did I adopt?
no alcoholic drinks, peanuts or crisps
limit your meal to one main course and do not combine a starter with a main course or a main course with a dessert
drink plenty of water
eat slowly, enjoy and talk to the people around me
don't dip into the bread basket to satisfy your hunger or add sauces to your plate
analyse the menu carefully: fried, marinated, breaded, creamy, flaky, etc. all indicate fat.
ask the waiter about the composition of the dish and choose accordingly by asking for green bean or salad garnishes.
In the end, I was able to master the exercise, I saw some nice carbohydrate spikes but I easily resisted and enjoyed myself with sautéed entrecôtés, veal kidneys, a waterzooi, and Asian grilled salmon.
As my dietician kept telling me: ‘no food should be completely banned from your diet’!
You just have to choose them carefully and eat in moderation anything that's too sweet or too fatty.
At my little cousin's wedding, I tasted the pastries on offer as well as the bride and groom's montage. It was delicious and I enjoyed taking part in this convivial moment.
Generally during the week, I eat fresh fruit, which provides me with water and fibre, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants. Alternatively, I opt for dairy products: yoghurt, 0% fromage frais or petits suisses. I make homemade pastries because I can control the ingredients and make sure the products are fresh.
However, one rule is very clear: always eat the dessert at the end of the meal and never as a snack to avoid a spike in blood sugar levels, as the body is not prepared.
If I get the munchies, which has become very rare, I nibble on a small carrot or a few olives.
For those tempted, here is Pharma GDD's recipe for a low-fat chocolate fondant:
200 g dark chocolate
250 g red kidney beans (they add a soft texture to the dessert)
3 eggs
3 tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie
Blend the kidney beans in a blender
Add the melted chocolate to the red bean purée, then blend
Add the eggs, agave syrup and rapeseed or sunflower oil to the mixture
Mix until the mixture is smooth
Pour the batter into a buttered or lined baking tin
Place the tin in the oven and bake for 20 minutes
Leave to cool before removing from the mould
Now it's ready.
Portion of fruit per day
250 g strawberries
200 g raspberry or blackberry
140 g apricot
110 g apple
125 g pear
140 g orange
150 g grapefruit
125 g mandarin or clementine
110 g kiwi fruit, skin removed
180 g nectarine or peach or 2 peach halves in syrup
125 g plum
115 g Cavaillon melon or 300 g Galia melon or 240 g watermelon
80 g mango
125 g fresh pineapple without peel or 80 g pineapple in syrup
1 small banana or 1/2 large banana
100 g grapes
100 g cherries
65 g fig
66 g persimmon
100 g papaya
100 ml fruit juice
What conclusions can you draw?
It's a daily challenge because diabetes is still a disease, but with the knowledge I've acquired through the training I've had at the hospital, the tests I've had to find out about certain limits and the treatment plan I have to follow, it's quite possible to live with my diabetes.
I've organised myself in terms of monitoring my blood sugar levels, eating a balanced diet and getting back into exercise. I manage my stress as best I can, I follow the insulin and medication dosage and I also have the support of the team of educators at Sint Jan Portaels Hospital.
I'm able to maintain my health and manage my diabetes successfully.
I received my data following the blood test:
Blood glucose: I was at 262, I'm now at 107 but on very low doses of insulin.
HbA1c, which gives the percentage of red blood cells to which glucose sticks over a period of 3 months: I was at 12.6% and, as you can see for yourself, outside hospital norms, I'm now at 6.3%.
My cholesterol was 359 and has dropped to 234 ... I'm gradually eliminating fat and my good cholesterol is in the green.
Finally, I told you I weighed 105 kg, but I'm now down to 89 kg, a loss of 16 kg.
I'm going to continue slowly but surely, and my next step is to reach 75 kg.
I've been enjoying life for 65 years ..... I hope to continue enjoying life for the next 25 years. Ahhhh no, you won't be rid of me so quickly ah ah ah ah ah ah.
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