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On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 15:59:34 -0400, "Jenny"
<jenny_the_bean@yahoo.com> wrote:

G'day G'day Jenny,

As you have discovered some fruit will send bg up rapidly. Such
experiences might tempt one to think that this is true of all fruit
and to abandon fruit altogether. One might even rationalize one's
decision by talking about simple sugars raising blood glucose faster
than complex carbohydrates. Certainly people who should have known
better have gone down that path.

There are many approaches that will lead to better decisions.

Here are a couple.
Ultimately each of us chooses a strategy that works of us or we don't.

One strategy is to discover for one self a rough understanding of
Glycemic Load. This measures the actual glucose pushed into the blood
stream by a serving of a particular food. A really useful site to
visit is this one at Sydney University.

http://www.calvin.biochem.usyd.edu.au/GIDB/searchD3.htm

Enter the word "strawberries" (without inverted commas) and you will
find the Glycemic Load for 120 grams of strawberries is 1.3 grams.

Here are some more.

120 grams of peaches, 2.1 or 4.2 grams depending on country of origin.
120 grams of apricots 4.0 grams.
120 grams of apple 4.1 to 6.4 grams.

You might be puzzled not to find entries for blackberry and raspberry.
The basic problem is getting people to eat enough to get 50 grams of
carb which is used in the standard glycemic index test.

Now you may be wondering whether 4 grams is a lot. Well one way to
assess that for yourself is to enter the search string "cracker".

Most crackers have a serving size of ONLY 25 grams, yet push about 12
grams of glucose into the blood.

Go figure.

120 grams of temperate climate fruit provide about 4 grams of glucose.
A 25 gram cracker provides about 12 grams of glucose.

But, but, but ... what about the banana
120 grams of banana provide 11 to 17 grams of carb.

Oh and the cantaloupe.
There is only one entry so that might not be representative.
120 grams provides 3.7 grams. Maybe the carb content varies with
variety or climate it is grown in ... or maybe they are just too hard
to resist and stopping at 120 grams isn't all that easy to do.


The second way is to TEST, TEST, TEST.

Learn what is true for you. I know I can eat some varieties of pear
but not others. Doing what works makes a heck of a lot of sense to
me.

Best wishes Jenny,


--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin

Quentin,

I just look at carb counts and that works for me. Because a small serving
fits well within my set carb count per meal I eat strawberries, raspberries
and blueberries. I'll eat a half of a small orange when I'm sick. All these
fit into my plan. The cantaloupe happened because I misremembered the carb
count and didn't look it up until too late.

I am wary of the currently-popular glycemic index/glycemic load advice. My
own blood sugar problems vary directly with my weight. If I can stay at a
normal weight, my blood sugar is much, much easier to control. However, I
learned the hard way last year that when I eat more than a low carb ration
of carbs (over 100 gms a day) I gain weight very quickly, even when I use
Precose to keep the glycemic load very low and blood sugars at normal
levels. So while eating a low glycemic but moderate carb diet might be able
to keep blood sugar lower in the short term, for me it will result in
weight gain that makes blood sugar control much harder in the long term.


-- Jenny
168.5/141
9/1998 - 8/2001 and 11/10/02 - Now

http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean
How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each
month * Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings
* Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats *
Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * NEW! Exercise
Starting from Zero


"Quentin Grady" <quentin@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message
news:envsgvsqvat2aftgbjbu4rrj62r0trtdog@4ax.com...

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On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 08:34:04 -0400, "Jenny"
<jenny_the_bean@yahoo.com> wrote:

G'day G'day Jenny,

These are all good choices.

Now that is interesting. I would seem that SOME T2 diabetics have a
problem with citric acid. I don't personally see any signs of having
any such problem however it appears some do.

Cantaloupe is extremely variable in carb/sugar content. Climate will
make as much difference as variety.

This seems all very sensible. It is a kind of delicate balance
assessing short term control (blood glucose levels) and longer term
control (weight).

Best wishes,

--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin