COoked beans/rice/oats/quinoa/barley vs uncooked GI spike? (blood, diet)

[movintime]

Which is best? Cooking & thus making the food MORE absorbable, & easier for body to assimilate, thus maybe raising BG/insulin response or is it the other way around?

If uncooked it'll take longer to absorb by body, & also to break down/digest these sugars in the whole grain/complex carbs, & thus slowdown the BG/insulin spike/response this way, yes?

I'm lost here on which way is best to keep BG/insulin as low as one can go, while still eating these foods. Thanks.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

You mean eating raw rice, beans, etc.? That would give me a monstrous stomach ache. Cooking and eating a small quantity at several times during the day will give you less of a spike.

[tortoise]

Originally Posted by movintime

I'm lost here on which way is best to keep BG/insulin as low as one can go

Google glycemic index . . example.

Consider some variation of a blended (pulverized) vegetable sauce that could be consumed with various meals/snacks . . such as 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can cut green beans, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and perhaps a few dried prunes.

[groggo558]

Originally Posted by movintime

Which is best? Cooking & thus making the food MORE absorbable, & easier for body to assimilate, thus maybe raising BG/insulin response or is it the other way around?

If uncooked it'll take longer to absorb by body, & also to break down/digest these sugars in the whole grain/complex carbs, & thus slowdown the BG/insulin spike/response this way, yes?

I'm lost here on which way is best to keep BG/insulin as low as one can go, while still eating these foods. Thanks.

My advice would be to stop eating those foods mostly or completely.
They all raise blood sugar levels in an spike-type pattern and you would be best to have very small portions of them or not have them at all.
Even beans have a high GI level.

To your list above I would add corn, pasta, potatoes & wheat as foods to avoid.
You can replace these foods with "good" vegetables, but also, I would increase your protein intake to make up for the lost items mentioned.

My suggestion is to eat protein for breakfast, like eggs and sliced meats and peanut butter. Add some plain fat-free yogurt too if you fancy it.
You'll find that with a protein-based breakfast you will stay full longer and you won't be getting that 11am craving that so many people do because have cereal, bagels or toast & jam for breakfast.
Best of all, your blood sugar levels will be a mild mound shape instead of a spike shape.

I've been a diabetic for many years and have tried everything.
Eating low glycemic foods is the best way to self-control your blood sugar levels and reduce your quantity of insulin.

Fish & chicken are my favorite meats, but I also have ground beef and also steak once in a while.
I also eat lots of nuts and seeds, including flax seeds and sunflower seeds.


In case you don't know (many people don't) try to keep at or below a reading of 140 2 hrs after a meal, not 180 or less as the ADA "recommends".

[movintime]

Actually I'm not diabetic but want to under, rather than, over use my insulin pump. I solely kept these fiber foods in my diet due to studies saying 'a need for health/heart-healthy whole grains in the diet'. I don't want to add much more protein, other than maybe a scoop of powder whey, as I don't want to tax the kidneys either.

Also, eating in general taxes the GI & ultimately leads to heart were & tear. It is best to error on side of caution (whether or not you think/know you have genetics on your side) as environment can certainly change expression of even the best of genes.

So, like the calorie restricted (hard as heck to do) diets that are touted, I guess even non-diabetics should try to aim for the MOST quality nutrition w/ the LOWEST amount of cals to get there. It saves time, money on food, slows digestive wear/tear & overall improves everything including endothelial function in the cardio system.

My cardio doc advises a "raw food" diet & questions even my need for nonfat dairy. He says if I like it, I guess to eat it but you have no biological need for it. Ok, thanks for your advice thus far.

[movintime]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

You mean eating raw rice, beans, etc.? That would give me a monstrous stomach ache. Cooking and eating a small quantity at several times during the day will give you less of a spike.

Haha, oh it does/has. I save time but pay in the bathroom w/ bloat/gas. LOL

But I've not done it again, since last yr as I learn the hard way.

[groggo558]

Originally Posted by movintime

Actually I'm not diabetic but want to under, rather than, over use my insulin pump.

What are you using an insulin pump for if you're not diabetic?

Originally Posted by movintime

I solely kept these fiber foods in my diet due to studies saying 'a need for health/heart-healthy whole grains in the diet'. I don't want to add much more protein, other than maybe a scoop of powder whey, as I don't want to tax the kidneys either.

Also, eating in general taxes the GI & ultimately leads to heart were & tear. It is best to error on side of caution (whether or not you think/know you have genetics on your side) as environment can certainly change expression of even the best of genes.

So, like the calorie restricted (hard as heck to do) diets that are touted, I guess even non-diabetics should try to aim for the MOST quality nutrition w/ the LOWEST amount of cals to get there. It saves time, money on food, slows digestive wear/tear & overall improves everything including endothelial function in the cardio system.

My cardio doc advises a "raw food" diet & questions even my need for nonfat dairy. He says if I like it, I guess to eat it but you have no biological need for it. Ok, thanks for your advice thus far.

You have got some truths, half-truths and "I heard about..." advice in your mind.
If you're going to do this on your own, I suggest you properly study food and how the body uses it and understand these things before you start any kind of self-medicating regime (food is medicine, in case anyone is wondering).

[movintime]

If we pressure cook the beans like canned goods people do, would this reduce the blood sugar spike? My roommate claims it does.

I see black beans (or even pintos, etc.) are heart-healthy too, but aren't they a no-no on diabetic diets? I like beans but have stopped, since seeing all this info vs them & Glyc. Index. Now I'm more lost than usual, & the internet renders me worse after research. LOL.

Thanks again everyone for putting up w/ this. I've never had any nutrition courses, & to eat well really don't think I need one, yet am unsure how to eat anymore?

[timneh5]

Originally Posted by movintime

Actually I'm not diabetic but want to under, rather than, over use my insulin pump. ...

"If you are not a diabetic, taking it when you don't need it will cause your pancreas to stop producing it naturally. What is the end result of that? You will essentially become a diabetic." Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/929406 (broken link)

If there is any truth to this, why would you use an insulin pump if you're not a diabetic?

[movintime]

Originally Posted by timneh5

"If you are not a diabetic, taking it when you don't need it will cause your pancreas to stop producing it naturally. What is the end result of that? You will essentially become a diabetic." Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/929406 (broken link)

If there is any truth to this, why would you use an insulin pump if you're not a diabetic?

Oops, I misspoke here. I thought Insulin Pump was simply what we ALL have/refer to in our bodies as way/mechanism we "produce" insulin. I was saying that, I didn't want to max out "use" of my insulin stores in some way, by eating high GI foods causing spikes/rapid rises in blood sugar.

I thought eating more complex carbs (though my confusion is that, despite beans/rice, etc. being "complex slower-metabolizing carbs") they would actually -- keep steadier NOT faster -- rises in blood sugar. Again, I'm now lost on that issue & need clarification.

I don't understand the mechanism of diabetes/insulin resistance/etc. well enough, thus am asking for as much clarification as can be. Sorry to mislead in the wrong direction.