Hi. Dennis here -- I had a question for T2 diabetics here doing low carb. I've been low carb eating for a little over 6 months. I've also done Intermittant fasting and so far all has been good. My morning fasting blood sugars have been around 75 to 77 on many days -- in the 80s on others. Two hour after meal readings have never been over 100 in a long time. Recently I have noticed my 2 hour readings increasing -- 114 the other day instead of 90. This morning I had 86 FBG and then after fasting the whole day (24 hour fast) it was 71 before evening meal. I then ate a small Wendy's chile (16G carb), some raw vegatables and had a quest protein bar -- The quest is supposed to have 25 G carbs but only 4 or 5 net carbs. I've never went by the net carb thing before but thought I'd try one of these. I ate one the other day at lunch and my BG went to 104. This evening it went to 128 (2 hours after meal) -- highest I've had in at least 5 months. I wondered if it was the box of strips (Freedom Lite) so I tried it with my old Walmart Relion and it was 137 (that one always read a little higher). At 2 1/2 hours it was 120 and 3 hours 108. It isn't just the quest bar -- I've seen the post meal BG rise for a while latley.
Would a quest bar raise BS that much -- anyone tried one and have this happen? Are they just glorified candy? Maybe my diabetes is just advancing.

Other possible variables -- it's been hot and humid (90 degrees with very high humidity) for several days.

I have started taking 550mg potassium twice daily, magnisium, saw palmetto, CoQ10, and fish oil. I wouldn't think any of those would raise BG.

Quest bars are kind of iffy. There were a bunch of diabetics (I found online) who tested them and found they raised blood sugar by a whole lot more than the stated # of carbs in them.

I think they reformulated some of them to use erythritol instead of the "modified starch" stuff and I would bet those are easier on the BG. However... the ones I tasted are so sweet I don't like 'em.

Thanks Nancy -- I had 1/2 lemon one and 1/2 chocolate brownie. The chocolate brownie one had Lo Han and sucrolose. I believe the lemon one had erythritol.

See if it has isomalto-Oligosaccharides. I think that was the ingredient that is iffy.

IMHO go back to eating exactly how you were when your BG was doing so well and see if you get it back.

Dennis, for me, that would be too many total carbs in one meal after following if. Chili, raw veggies, and the quest bars add up to a lot. Each independently with protein would work for me, but together my bg would spike. I do look at total carbs as that has worked best for me. My bg are a little higher also recently but I think that reflects a little looser control on my part as I experiment with a little more carbs. I have not tried Quest bars specifically but have had no luck in past with any bar as I respond negatively to all of the AS that end in ol or ous.

Thanks guys -- didn't mean to whine too much but was shocked to see such an increase. I guess diabetics can't really go by net carbs. If you add up the carbs they would have been at least 50G for that meal.

I was also thnking about the protein factor after I posted. Excess protein seems to raise my BG I have found, especially in the evening. I notice it if I eat too much of a hamburger dish for example. I also never thought about the shock of after a fast. I guess I'll have to go back to a stricter regiment. I hate to miss out on summer tomatoes though.

I got some (very expensive) paleo bar from Julian Bakery. They claimed to have like five nets carbs....and that was exactly the effect on my blood sugar.

So using your meter is really the only way to be sure.

The caramel Paleo Bars from Julian's Bakery are, incidentally, freaking delicious and have no artificial sweeteners. The sweetener in them is Monkfruit.

Thanks Justin they sell some of their products at a store near me -- ever try their wraps? That mightt be a good taco alternative if they don't raise BG too much.

Sounds fantastic. Will have to see if they are available around here.

Darn it the local store that has Julian bakery items only has the one type of bread -- nothing else. I might have to order some of the wraps and check them out.

My BG seems back to the old normal range -- today was a fasting day and 2 hours after eating this evening it was 82 so maybe I had way too much protein or carbs the other day.
Heaven knows what would happen if I had a super high carb meal of bread or ice cream etc. -- another reason never to do a cheat day.

Julian Bakery has had a long history of flat out lying about the carb counts in their breads, taken to court by diabetics, etc. http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/...leo-bread/23254

I would be very careful with any product from that company.

Dr Davis's Flaxmeal Wrap is a snap to make. http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/reci...?recipe=1900264
Thirty minute cookbook has a dry mix you blemd in advance, make up as needed.

Justin, Quest bars have different versions of sweetener now. I can get them at GNC individual. you would have to test each flavor. Some have no sucralose, but one of three other sweeteners or combos.

There are two truly Ketogenic bars in the works. I know nothing about either of them, am not an investor, but Dr Westman has this on his new website "Many nutritional products advertise the term “net carbs,” “impact carbs,” “effective carbs” and others. This is often misleading, as it doesn’t indicate the total carb content. These additional fiber, polyol’s or sugar alcohols often affect the ketone levels thereby stopping the fat burning process, sometimes unknowingly by the consumer. As there is a lot of person to person variability, we have decided to create our own product line low in total carbs. Equally important was to include only the best fats and protein in the right amounts, and to produce a delicious product". I think Dr Phinney and Volek also have a performance bar in the works. Something for the future....

Oooh! Glad to hear about the ketogenic bars. I'll try them!

Trader Joe's in San Diego has quest bars right now. The IMO does a number on my gut though, so I can't eat too many. And the price is 80 cents cheaper than 7-11.

Indeed, and with these I've tested with the meter, and the effect is exactly what I'd expect from eating the net carbs they claim. So this product they're apparently not lying about.

I think they mended their ways. From what I've seen/read about their latest offerings is that they truly are low carb, and usually taste awful.