Vegetables are good for you, and the more veggies you eat,
the healthier and thinner you'll be, right?
Well, the former is probably true, but the latter may not
always be.
A Chinese study came up with the -- to Americans -- paradoxical finding that the more
vegetables people ate,...
Can eating vegetables cause obesity?
10/29/08 8:40am
Hello Gretchen,
I am a recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetic, using exercise and diet to control my BG levels. I am also reading your book, Type 2 Diabetes, the First Year, and find it extremely informative and very useful--Thanks!
I eat a fair number of vegetables (mostly green or orange, and mostly baked, boiled or steamed), but I also eat potatoes and other higher GI/GL foods on occasion. What I have found it that if I combine any high, med.-high GI/GL foods with an equal amount of fats and proteins (in grams), my BG levels stay fairly low (e.g., 110-130). However, even a relatively small amount of complex carb, by itself, will result in 140+ BG readings. Is there something that accounts for this? Does this happen to you/other diabetics? My current program is 40% carb, 30% protein and 30% fat (<7% sat. fat).
I have lost 30+ pounds since mid May (256lbs down to 224 lbs), but am concerned about high(?) protein consumptin levels--based on the generally accepted 20% or less. Can you also comment on this? Thank you for your help and advice.
10/29/08 12:39pm
Hannahsdad, I'm glad you like my book.
Yes, other people have seen the same thing when they combine fat and carbs. The fat slows emptying of the stomach so the carbs are released more slowly, and if you're type 2 and can still produce a little insulin, that can cover them a bit.
See the graphs of my glucose tabs with and without whipped cream and the graph of my experiment with cantaloupe. The same food can have very different effects depending on not only what you eat it with, but the time of day and your previous meal.
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You wrote:
Substituting supersweet pineapple for ice cream probably wouldn't be a good idea.
I agree with the point that you are making. However, I have found supersweet pineapple to have almost magical bg lowering characteristics. I have run into one or two other "internet friends" over the years who have observed the same result. Do you have any clues to what might make pineapple that special?
I've never heard of this effect before. Let me know if you ever find out more. The GI is 59, which is on the high side. When did you measure your BG? Something sweet with low fat often peaks quickly and then you drop quickly, so if you measured only at 2 hours it would appear to be lower than if you ate a lower-sugar fattier meal.