Poll/surveyI am a new Diabetic.What do others with diabetes do when you get cravings, for high carbs/sweets?

Question

My Dr. wants me to try diet and exercise, before going to meds.I am not used to not being able to eat anything and everything. I am not over weight(124lbs) But diabetes runs seriously in my family.

I love high carb foods.Pasta, potatoes,chips,chocolate.(fried foods)

What should I have on hand when I have these overwhelming cravings.

I also try not to have these items in the cabinets..Thanks... I am seriously confused..my blood sugar levels have been a bit more elevated the last few days and I am getting concerned.I do go see my Dr. in Oct for A1C test.

Answer 1

Dry drinking extra water. This will help lower your overall A1c and make you feel full.

If that doesn't work, eat something like sugar free Jello or pudding. They flavors have come a long wayyyyyyyyyyyy!

WIth pastas, add more veggies. You'll get fuller faster and get more nutrition out of your meal.

Answer 2

i bought a cooking for diabetics book that helps you make lower sugar or no sugar cakes.pasta  and potatoes are good its the refined carbs like biscuits that are bad.we buy my girl tracker or brunch bars for sweet treats and dont buy anything for any of us that she cant have that way no one is tempted plus i feel sly eating c**p when she cant

Answer 3

I have a few tricks.  For pastas, it's twofold - get used to having a lot of good, homemade sauce with lots of veggies and lean protein over a little bit of pasta.  Also, ditch white pasta completely.  Whole wheat pasta is better, but the best pasta product I've found is Barilla Plus high protein pasta.  This stuff tastes more like real pasta than whole wheat, and it just doesn't seem to budge my blood sugars the way pasta does.  You have to measure of course, everyone's different.

For potatoes - red/new potatoes are better than idaho spuds. You still have to limit your quantity, but it can get you over a craving. I will make them au gratin when I want them, adding in eggs, cheese & milk so it's kind of a potato souffle and there's a better ratio of protein to carbs.

For fries - don't laugh, but even my husband and 8-year-old daughter like these.  Take brussel sprouts and cut them into quarters (peel off the outermost, toughest layer).  Spread on a cookie sheet, drizzle them in olive oil or cooking spray, salt & pepper or any other herbs you like, and bake at a high heat like 425 for about 20-25 minutes until they are crispy.  I always dipped fries in mustard so that's what I use, but my husband and daughter both eat these with ketchup. They look nothing like wedge fries but somehow if you had your eyes closed they taste like them. They get crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside like wedge fries.

Chocolate - I take unsweetened cocoa powder and mix it up with light Cool Whip. You need to look at the carbs because I think it works out to just a few table spoons if you want to keep it a "free" food. But it's a really rich, REAL chocolate flavor if you're desperate.  Funny thing is, I haven't done that in ages but I remember doing that when I was first diagnosed.  You really do lose the cravings when you get away from the sugar monster.  Good luck!

Answer 4

I'm not a big one for cooking things...my problem is chocolate.  I'm a big fan of the "Fun Size" candies, like the little square Snickers or Midgee Tootsie Rolls.  I take out one or two and then close up the bag...do not take the bag to the couch with you!  Usually, just having a small taste like that will satisfy the craving.  Also, wait a couple of minutes once the craving starts before you eat anything.  Just force yourself to dance for a couple of minutes, or take a potty break, or sing a song, anything to take your mind off food for a couple of minutes, and sometimes the craving will be gone.  

Eating out is the hardest, so do things in baby steps.  Order veggies instead of fries, ask for sauces on the side, ask them to box up half for you before they serve you, share a dessert.  Especially with fried foods, once you start avoiding them, they actually taste kind of gross when you have them again.  

What will help you most is not buying special foods, just focus on portion control, eat more green veggies and lean meats whenever you can, and that alone will probably give you more energy to exercise.  And don't eat the sugar-free candies.  They have almost as much carb and they will give you stomach problems.

Answer 5

My Endo said to never have the cravings. To plan in Cheat Treats every week so that you don't have the cravings.

He said that if you want some Death By Chocolate Cake have a small piece of it, like a half serving. He also said to make sure to have lots of nuts and other fats with it too to slow it down in the glucose spiking.

A regular serving of cake is 1/12 of the whole cake. I usually have 1/24 of the cake, Half the grams of carb, half the calories, and all the taste!!!

If you will count the grams of carbohydrate in your meals and keep them to about 30 per meal it works very well in your favor. Then you can decide when to have the cheat treat without going over the total for the meal.

No, you can't carry it for more than one meal!! Like you can't have just a hamburger patty 5 times and have a huge bowl of mac and cheese for the 6th meal. Doesn't work that way.

Answer 6

I make me a couple of chocolate cream pies and SUGERLESS and fantastic.  Jello has a sugar free chocolate fudge instant pudding, I mix it less 1/2 cup milk called for, pour it in a grahm cracker crust and chill.  The I get Dream whip-it's in a box and make my own sugar free whipped cream from it by following directions.   1/4 of a big pie nets 125 cal. 9 grams of carbs and zero sugar. It is the only thing that keeps me from sugar snacks.as I am type 2 diabetic for 30 years. You can also gell sugar free jello using 1/2 the water and whip inot this Dream whip, use any sugar free flavor u please. Lime and peach or strawberry whips are to die for!

Answer 7

Try to ignore the cravings...I had a serious sweet tooth and since being diagnosed 6 months ago i have not had anything sweet excpet for sugar free jello and diet pop. It was hard at first but it's not really a big deal now. Sugar is white death so try to avoid it. Also watch out for sugar free products...a lot of them still contain sugar alcohols or certain artificial sweetners that still raise blood sugars. If you want a few chips with your meal go ahead...just eat a few though. I just saw something about that Dreamfields past and the article said their claims are a bunch of BS...it's better than traditional pasta but no different then other whole wheat varieties. Good luck.