We’ve talked about the ups and downs; but there are times when things are good. You’re keeping your blood sugar in a range between 70 to about 180 mg/dL. Then there’s that one thing that happens. It sets us off and triggers our blood sugar. It's the sky rocketing event just before that roller coaster ride.
Recently, I was all set to go to a fantastic high school football game. It was a close score of 7 to 3. The home team won. I thought I was all set to have a great night too.
I planned ahead. I know sporting events don’t usually have the best diabetic friendly food and drink options in the concession stands. I stopped by a local Publix. I picked up a few of my favorite healthy snacks and a couple of bottles of water.
I was planning on trying out a friend's recommendation of dark chocolate covered almonds. I couldn’t find them. With the help of a few good Publix employees, I found out they were in produce. I still couldn’t find them.
I asked an employee in produce. He was quite friendly and showed me over to where there might have been dark chocolate covered almonds. I was pushed for time. I just tossed the plastic package that he handed me into my basket.
Unfortunately, neither one of us read the label. It was dark chocolate covered raisins. In case you’re wondering, these are not a good option, unless you're having a hypoglycemic event. Dark chocolate with almonds is a sugar offset by a protein. The protein slows the absorption of sugar into the body causing a slower increase in blood sugar. Dark chocolate covered raisins are a sugar topping a naturally sugary fruit that’s been dried. It is a sharp blood sugar rise that can be followed by a quick fall, since there isn't a large amount of carbohydrates in this food.
At the start of the game, my blood sugar was 139. I enjoyed a serving of wasabi and soy flavored almonds. I gave it 20 minutes. My blood sugar was 159. I decided to try about 10 to 15 dark chocolate covered raisins.
Needless to say, about 30 minutes later, my continuous glucose monitor was sounding an alert. I had high blood sugar. The 211 reading was disappointing. I stopped eating and started drinking plenty of water to flush my system.
This accidental trigger is why you definitely have to read labels, especially the front. When I’m not pressed for time, I usually read the back of labels too. If you’re not a fan of studying nutritional labels, you can just come to my website. I don’t just count the carbohydrates. I also count the grams of sugar in my ingredients. Here's a new one that's low on both counts...
Easy Party Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup ground pork rinds (panko flakes can be substituted)
1 container seedless sugar free blackberry jam
1 container stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon crushed oregano
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary powder
1 egg, beaten
1 small crockpot
Directions:
Mix the ground beef, oregano, garlic, rosemary, pork rinds, and egg in a bowl.
Put half the jam and half the mustard in the crockpot and turn on low.
Roll out small meatballs and drop them in the crockpot.
When you’re finished making the meatballs, add the rest of the jam and mustard on top of the meatballs to coat them completely. Turn the setting to high and cook for one hour. Then drop it down to low.
There are a lot of crockpot meatball recipes. They all have one thing in common, a lot of sugar. These recipes have jam or jelly and barbecue sauce. I don’t see them taking into account sugar-free ingredients. The stone ground mustard is also a lower sugar option than the barbecue sauce.
If you’re looking to build more sugar burning muscle, these little morsels should do the trick. The protein in them from the ground beef also helps to offset and slow down the absorption of the carbohydrates and sugars in the sauce. In my case, it’s not a bad way to recover from the accidental sugar spike trigger. It also makes it a great dish for football parties.
Please let me know if this week's recipe makes it into your football game day routine. I'm headed back outside to toss a football around for some exercise. It really makes the most difference in blood sugar control and ceramide reduction. Our diet can play a significant role in undermining our hard work. I'll keep working on the recipes. If you have a favorite dish, please tell me. I'll create a diabetic friendly version, just let me know by leaving a note below. I've learned how to swap blood sugar spiking ingredients for others with a lower glycemic index. It may take a week or two, but I love the challenge. I'll also work on introducing more recipes to help lower the ceramides in the body. Please comment, like, share, and come back next week for more recipes, ideas, and tips. Subscribe to the website, if you would like weekly email reminders to add more recipes to your recipe book.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, but a compilation of research from medical sites. Make sure to see your doctor and have up-to-date lab work