any diabetics/GI dieters out there?

[bundlebelly]

Hello,
High risk for GD again, so I was advised to follow the GI diet guidelines. Doing ok ish, but what do you do if you really want to eat something not on the GI list/websites, so you don't know the GI level? For eg, some breads are ok in moderation, like rye bread, wholegrain, oat based things. Does anyone know about things in the gluten free ranges? They are wheat free and some of the, look yummy. You can even get cakes! (I'm really missing the cakes!) I suppose I'm asking if anyone knows what to look out for on the food labels, numbers in carb/sugar etc. Not seeing the consultant for ages and can't find enough information anywhere. Please help if you can. Or if you are diabetic and have found any 'life saving' food that you depend on when you really need something stodgy. Thanks!

Generally in my experience, if something is low in fat or gluten-free, they make up for it by loading it with sugar, so it won't be low GI. You want your 'Of which sugars' section of the nutrition info to be as low as possible.

Wholemeal/brown versions are usually lower GI than white (bread, flour, rice, pasta etc) as they take longer to digest so are slow-release carbs. You could try making your own stodge with wholemeal instead of white flour and sweetener instead of sugar. Have a look for Atkins diet recipes online. I did one that was loaded with cocoa powder to give it some satisfying flavour. Can't remember the recipe I'm afraid but it was in the Atkins book.

I find sweet cravings are quashed (sometimes) by sugar-free polos or gum (boring, but it works for me).

Credentials: diabetic and former Atkins dieter. Good luck!

I can't give you much info, but I'm high risk of developing GD again and at 22 weeks, expecting it to show at any time.

I don't think that gluten free is the same as low GI, it's the fact that the carb turns to sugar as you digest it that is the problem. Cake whether gluten free or not will have sugar in it so won't be low GI.

There are lots of good GI cook books around, so I'd go for making your own - my Mum, who is diabetic, does make a lovely date and oat cake which is lovely with a dollop of creme frais. Probably not low GI but better than a miniroll.

Interestingly my dietitian has said for me not to follow a GI diet, as eating sugar/carbs sensibly will not cause my GD to come back. Her view was that if I'm very strict now I will get bored and find it harder to stick to a strict GI diet if I develop GI later in my preg.

Basically I'm not diabetic so cake and bread are not going to be damaging. It's about sensible eating. I'd discuss this with your dietition before you resign yourself to a full term of pregnancy living on steamed chicken, raw oats and celery.

P.S last time when diabetic I found a sunday lunch was a great low GI meal and often my bloods were low enough to squeeze a late pudding in an hour later - take your treats where you can.

Thanks all.
Mightytoosh - what would you consider a low level on the 'of which sugars' bit on the label? Where is the cut off point, for not worth it as too high?

I'm GD, and was advised to stick to approx 15g carb for breakfast, 30g for lunch and around 40-50g for dinner - so if you're label checking you can work it out (there's lots of bread that gives the per slice figures!).

I also have 2 snacks over the day - a cereal bar with 15g mid morning, and fruit or something mid afternoon.

If most of the carb content is sugar then it'll be released quicker and your body doesn't have to work so hard to digest it so it hits your blood stream quicker - thus could cause a bit more of a sugar spike.