I’ve noticed from reading on here that to some people all carbs are equal, and other not. I am in the later category, as I avoid any high glycemic foods, all grains, rice, and most fruit besides berries. I’m used to this and have recently been trying to lower my A1c from a 7 to a 6 or lower. Looking for good snacks and light lunches; I started eating cottage cheese and noticed it reacts the same to be as full fat greek yogurt (non-fat causes even more of a spike), I can’t go by the label for carb count.
A cup of yogurt is 7g, I call it 30g or I get a spike, and the same is happening with 4% cottage cheese, label says 7g I call it 20g to avoid a spike.
I do just fine with 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee, not needing to bolus for it at all (albeit a splash is a smaller amount of dairy than a whole cup). I can handle sour cream and cream cheese with out much thought as well. It’s just the yogurt and cottage cheese…
Just wondering if I’m missing something here, or if anyone has experienced that dairy is something they avoid, or have to eat small amounts of, or perhaps can handle better when combined with other foods. Looking forward to responses! Thanks
How do you identify the spike? CGM or fingerstick?
I use a Dexcom CGM.
For foods which will cause a spike but which are desired to be eaten anyway…
We find a pre-bolus by 30 minutes can be effective. If not sure if all of the food will be eaten, pre-bolus 1/2 and then bolus the other half while eating once you decide you will finish it.
The CGM is super helpful to show how it all lines up.
Not only are all carbs not created equal but we find it also matter what other food is eaten at the same time. Adding protein and fat will impact (slow down) the rate at which those carbs hit your system. For us at least.
This is well said Tim35, and thanks for your reply! I’ve been doing 15 minute pre-bolus overall (new) and seeing good results. I will try 30 minutes for these two yummy offenders, and see how that goes, and experiment with adding an avocado.
Thanks again, this was my first post, so really great to get such a helpful response!
Full fat dairy has less carbs than the low fat varieties. Wonder if you had realised that?
Perhaps depends on the “dairy” ?
Whole Milk. 1 cup. 12 carbs
1% Lowfat Milk. 1 cup. 13 carbs
I do understand that with more “complex” foods (ie - multiple ingredients), the low fat versions may have additional sugars added so as to keep taste and flavor.
My carb counter booklet has a whole 2 carbs difference between 100 ml of full fat and skim milk, skim having the most carbs. What we call HiLo is not in the book, depending I guess on proportions of milks used. There is nothing added to our milks, except that it is manufactured in some ways.