Resistant Starch

[Teddybear]

As I await delivery of my glucose monitor, I have question: Does resistant starch hold any promise for a prediabetic?

[goodhealthgourmet]

The research on how resistant starch affects postprandial insulin & glucose has shown promising results thus far, but there's not much out there. As sedimental said, you should really experiment to see how it affects you personally.

[mcf]

If you're told you're PRE diabetic, think of it as being a little bit pregnant and proceed as if you are, because that's the reality.

And be sure to test post meal blood glucose when it spikes the highest, most often this is between 45-70 minutes post meal. If you test later, you can miss the peak and fail to prevent progession and damage.

I just don't see any point in adding starch to my diet, but if it's important to you, best to test test test. Here's a guide:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/22229...

[Teddybear]

That's what I was thinking too -- the reason I asked is that I cut out almost all carbs without great results and wondered if cutting the resistant starch carbs was a mistake. But I agree, only testing will provide the answer for me.

Thanks everybody for chiming in.

[mcf]

When you say "all carbs" are you referring to vegetables, too?

I eat very low carb, but my plate, by volume, is filled with carbs. They're colorful, high fiber, many are leafy, none are starchy.

[Teddybear]

No I ate plenty of vegetables -- lots of broccoli, mushrooms, onions, red peppers. Also lots of avocado and perhaps too much tomato. I cut out bread, crackers, cut my pasta intake tremendously (which was very hard for this Italian-American), dropped white rice and the bulgur I was used to eating. Did retain the steel cut oats for breakfast, however.

I am hoping once I am able to test, test, test, I can figure out what works for me. I very much appreciate your postings.

[pinehurst]

Hi Teddybear!
Don't be surprised (or discouraged) if some "healthy" foods don't work with your body's chemistry. My H is managing Type II diabetes, and loved whole grain hot (and cold) breakfast cereal (not talking Sugar Bomb Pops :-) or whatever), but his body "read it" as sugar and the spikes were too much for him.

I'm not saying this will happen to you---every "body" is different, but it's something to look for.

Wishing you good health!

[Teddybear]

Thanks for the good wishes -- and sending the same your way.

[mcf]

Be prepared for a rude surprise wrt the oatmeal. :-/

And the pasta. A lot of us find that even raw tomato spikes bg more than the carb count would lead us to expect.

[Teddybear]

Having read lots of your posts I think I will be more disappointed than surprised, alas.

I'm eating the oatmeal to keep cholesterol in check and it seems to be doing that job. I was also cooking it with milk, for the calcium, but I've gone back to water. Oh how I wish I could just discover the magic food that doesn't spike bg, keeps my bones healthy, and lowers my cholesterol -- and tastes as good as pasta.

[mcf]

Cutting carbs does the most to keep your lipids in healthy ratios, especially the most important things, triglycerides, and raises HDL.

I can tell you what I told Pinehurst long ago; if there's a carby food you want to splurge on at times, save it for after 4 p.m. when your diurnal hormone variation will typically allow you to tolerate it better.

I used to be the Pasta Prom Queen, and I never miss it now, but it was a gradual evolution. All the flavor is in the stuff you put on top, anyway...

The magic foods that do not spike bg at all in type 2 are protein due to only partial, and slow conversion and the strong insulin response it induces, and fat, which does not stimulate insulin nor glucagon. Fat, protein and low carb veggies are a diabetic's best friends.

You don't need me to tell you, though, just eat to your meter, and with some foods, you may just have to reduce the amount and/or move them to later in the day and make sure to have significant protein with every single snack and meal.

The lactose in milk is a spike food, btw, but a lot of low carbers get around that by using heavy cream instead, and watering it down or just using it straight. Much lower carb and way yummier. Fat, including saturated fat, does not promote disease as is often wrongly claimed, and a meta study should have finally put that old myth to bed.

[Teddybear]

Thanks again. I'm really curious to learn what the meter has to tell me.

[Teddybear]

Well, mcf, you were exactly right on the oatmeal. But I was pleased to see that my typical lunch of salmon and salad (including a few grape tomatoes) tested very low, and that blackeyed peas and barley tested normal.

But listen to this. When I went to the local CVS this morning to stock up on test strips, and they were completely out. Luckily it's not a crisis for me, but I imagine it could be for others.

[mcf]

for type 1 diabetics, it's crucial to test pre and post meal, yes.

I don't know what meter you're using, but when testing a lot, the Walmart Relion is a very cheap, decent meter with the lowest cost test strips; that's where the real expense is.

Your lunch is the perfect diabetic meal... shouldn't cause a blip.

Test test test, at least at first! You're already collecting very valuable information today.

[sedimental]

I don't know about the prediabetic issue, but I have been using it in baked goods for over a year. My SO was having GI problems and calcium absorption problems. It really helped!

It is my understanding that it can block carbs to a certain degree and slow the glucose rise. You should do some experiments with your monitor and report back ;)

[goodhealthgourmet]

It's great that it helped with the GI issues - I know it's being studied for its effects on bowel health & inflammation.

[sedimental]

Yes, in my house, my muffins are known as "poop muffins". Hahaha. You need to starts slow with anything that touts "bowel health". :D