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Original poster

bourneville cocoa powder caused huge spike

37 replies

HoneyBunnii · 14/09/2023 22:55

Hello everyone, i recently got diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 27 weeks and just started my diabetic diet.. things have been going along fine so far but i had been craving a hot mocha so i decided to try and make one myself by using a sugar free mocha syrup (0 sugar and 0 carbs) and added 2 teaspoons of bourneville cocoa powder.. i read the ingredients but there was no sugar listed and the carbs didnt seem too much and my previous reading was 5.1 and the nurse told me as long as it stays under 7.7 its fine. After having the drink and then later having lunch (which was 2 eggs with 2 slices of wholemeal toast) i did my usual blood test and the reading was 7.6 😖what happened?? I have been having 2 slices of wholemeal bread with soup and that has been fine so i dont think that could have caused it.. i cant stop thinking if it was the bourneville cocoa powder that did it.. but it was just two, not even full, teaspoons!
I looked at the nutritional table on the pack and it said 10g sugar per serving and 1 serving is made up of 4 teaspoons.. does anyone have any udea why this may have happened??

OP posts:
SloppyJays · 14/09/2023 23:00

Did you make it with all hot milk or water and a dash of milk?

BIWI · 14/09/2023 23:00

According to Sainsbury's website, a serving is 10 g carbs.

But you've also had two slices of wholemeal toast which is going to be around another 15g carbs see Sainsbury's website

That's quite a lot of carbs in one go

Orangebadger · 14/09/2023 23:03

But 7.6 is fine? I don't understand why you are worrying about that blood sugar. That's not a spike at all unless it's a typo and you meant to write 17.6?

BIWI · 14/09/2023 23:05

... and as @SloppyJays has asked, did you make it with milk or water?

Unrealnotunrealistic · 14/09/2023 23:09

It may be the mocha syrup, using a sugar substitute. Have you tried it before?

dearanon · 14/09/2023 23:24

Your fasting sugar was over, your 2 hour post meal one is fine

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:48

@Unrealnotunrealistic i havent tried it before but it is 0% sugar and 0% carbs (its from the skinnymixes range) so i doubt it would be the syrup.. also i had used the syrup before without the powder and i was fine

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isthewashingdryyet · 15/09/2023 17:51

It’s the milk, milk has carbs too

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:51

@BIWI i would say i used 50-50 as i dont like a strong coffee, i didnt think the 2 wholemeal slices would have made the difference because the days leading upto the spike i was having 2 slices with soup and the same coffee but without the cocoa powder and i was getting very low readings surprisingly :/

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DuploTrain · 15/09/2023 17:52

Maybe because it’s powdered the carbs get absorbed much more quickly?

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:53

@Orangebadger its just barely eithin target range though.. for someone like me who has been having readings constantly in the 3.1 to 5.6 range throughout the day, getting a reading of 7.6 all of a sudden would seem like a spike to me

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marshmallowfinder · 15/09/2023 17:54

Bournville. Why are you worried? It's within your limit? Just move on.

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:56

@isthewashingdryyet but i have a whole bowl of shredded wheat with milk in the mornings and that doesnt send my sugar levels sky rocketing, barely makes a difference.. so it would be surprising if half a cup of milk would cause it to go so high 😨

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Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:58

@DuploTrain maybe :/

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Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 18:00

@marshmallowfinder because my coffee tasted so good with it and now im too scared to have it again incase it sends me over target and then i will be feeling guilty all night! 😂😭

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Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 18:02

Does anyone know of any diabetic safe cocoa powder that i can use in ny milky coffee instead? I mean..the syrups are nice but you can taste the sweetener alot and the only thing that masks that is the chocolate taste from the cocoa powder

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Sodafarl · 15/09/2023 18:25

Does the mocha syrup have one of the alcohol sugars in it (xylitol/sorbitol/mannitol)? as these do raise blood sugar. Still described as sugar free, but have an impact. Type 1 here

Orangebadger · 15/09/2023 19:04

HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 17:53

@Orangebadger its just barely eithin target range though.. for someone like me who has been having readings constantly in the 3.1 to 5.6 range throughout the day, getting a reading of 7.6 all of a sudden would seem like a spike to me

But the range is based on how a non diabetic person would respond to carbs. The targets are a lot tighter than in a non pregnant diabetic as the guidelines have given targets to mimic as non diabetic pregnancy. So as long as it's below 7.8 it's really fine.

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 20:59

@Sodafarl i am not sure because is hqs numbers listes instead of the actual names of the sweeteners so i will have to search them up later 😩this is harder than i thought it would be.. i have high respect for everyone with type 1 and type 2 diabetes idk how you manage

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SkyFullofStars1975 · 15/09/2023 21:03

It's most likely to have been the bread. I'm type 2 and can't tolerate it at all unless it's seeded and then only 1 small slice. I also drink unsweetened soya milk as it's much lower in carbs.

Those blood levels sound absolutely fine. Don't let it overwhelm you, it sounds like you're doing really well.

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 21:05

@Orangebadger thanks for the guidance that has made me feel alot better :)

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Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 21:07

@SkyFullofStars1975 thank you :) i guess after a month of keeping track i will have more an idea of what affects me and what doesnt. In the meantime i will see if i can replace the milk in my coffee with an alternative to start off with and then go from there :D

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pjani · 15/09/2023 21:10

Get yourself on the Gestational Diabetes UK Facebook group and website as the NHS guidance really doesn’t work for a lot of women.

And a lot of what you’re having now I bet you won’t be able to tolerate in a few weeks as your sensitivity tends to get worse towards 36/37 weeks and then better. Cereals for breakfast aren’t tolerated by most GD women in the Facebook group. Two slices of bread - too much. I think the cocoa is a red herring.

The website has plenty of sweet things you can eat btw.

Fairylight102 · 15/09/2023 21:13

Hi @HoneyBunnii I have also recently found out I have gestational diabetes. I’m wondering if dairy products could be a bit of a trigger as I had a massive spike (9.3) the other morning after a bowl of oats and yogurt. Apart from that, most of my readings have been in the 4s/5s.

It’s such a stressful thing to experience in pregnancy isn’t it?

Original poster
HoneyBunnii · 15/09/2023 21:26

@Fairylight102 yeah it is because you just want baby to be safe and then when you do the test and your levels are higher than usual it really puts you on a guilt trip 😖

The reason i was confused was because for breakfast i have been having a bowl of shredded wheat with milk topped with blueberries which didnt have much of an affect but then when i had a cup of coffee later in the day with a quarter of the amount of milk i use for my bowl of cereal my levels were high 😲 im going to have to make a food diary or something i guess to help me get through these three months

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