Pasta: To Eat, or Not to Eat?

Hi Deb,
Glad to hear from another pasta lover! Thanks for your tips — these will be helpful for others.

I’ve had fantastic results with low-carb pasta like Dreamsfields. I find, as long as I do just a tiny bit of exercise after dinner (as little as a 5-minute walk or a couple of flights of stairs), it’s enough to keep my sugars from even going up at all. I eat a healthy portion of low-carb pasta 2-3 times per week, and by HBA1C is always right around 6.

I go for adding lots of veggies and other things so that the pasta, rice or whatever is “diluted” – its also tastier. I do the same for a stuffing fix – mix in boiled egg, lots of celery, onion, spinch, carrott etc. You can take a box of stove top mix and with a bunch of veggies, you have a huge bowl of something that will satisfy you and family. The other day 1 box of mix plus all the veggies = 5 12 oz containers, but be lower on the carbs. We have gone to using 100% whole wheat pasta when ever possible – it’s heartier and it takes less to cure your “fix”. Same for rice products – brown and wild versions.

I don’t think pasta is an appropriate food for diabetics in any significant amount. If I try to eat 50 grams dry weight of fettuchini and inject what I think is the appropriate amount of insulin at the two hour point I will either go low or be sky high. The result depending on random chance.

One caution about the Dreamfields… I thought the people posting on Dreamfields Facebook page were crazies… until a birthday party a few months back, where macaroni salad was served made with Dreamfields. We had been eating it often, thrilled that we found a low carb pasta my husband could eat–and NOT affect his sugars! 2-3 hours later, his sugars were awesome! BUT… 6-7 hours and MORE, his sugars were pretty darn high for him. HOURS at 160-180. Not going up to 160, then right back down. So I recommend testing well past the usual 1-3 hours later, and see what it’s doing for you. We stopped eating it, since we’re just learning this diabetes stuff. (Oh, how I loathe it!!) One day I’ll get up the nerve to serve him pasta again, but in the meantime I’m so scared of screwing up his sugars, it’s been off the menu.

I’ve found that Orzo makes a good substitute for pasta in soup – a little bit goes a really long way. I even found a brand of whole wheat orzo that doesn’t seem to have hardly any effect on my blood sugar. Rice Select pasta – they also makes a whole wheat cous cous that is to die for!

Of course, your mileage will probably vary…

It does raise blood sugar levels and it’s usually impossible to guess when correctly. Usually, it’s long after I’ve gone to bed and even longer after the initial insulin dose.

Pump assistance or not (especially since you can’t program a time in advance for insulin to dose) it is one of the riskiest foods a diabetic can eat.

And by the way = I weigh my pasta before I cook it. It doesn’t matter that I only eat “one portion” or less, it’s still nearly impossible to guess digestion properly.

Thus, most of the time it’s not worth it and anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.

Hi Bud,

Dreamfields Pasta is a low-glycemic-index pasta that contains a blend of fiber and protein that makes it somewhat resistant to digestion. One serving of this pasta contains 41 grams of total carbohydrate, but according to the manufacturer, 31 grams of the carbohydrate plus 5 grams of fiber pass through the small intestine into the large intestine where they are fermented by bacteria. However, it’s hard to predict how this pasta will affect an individual’s blood sugar. One of the dietitians at Joslin found that 1 cup of Dreamfields worked more like 15 grams of carbohydrate on blood glucose. Really, the best way to find out for yourself is to eat a measured amount of this pasta and then check your blood glucose 2–3 hours later and see where you’re at.

I changed to Dreamfields pasta, It tatses very good cannot tell the difference from regular pasta, and when i can find it on sale the price can be reasonalbe wspecially with coupons. Where it does increas my blood sugar it is still much lower than using regular pasta or the terrible tasting whoe wheat pasta, I recomend it to all type 2 persons

Dreamfields is a staple in my good pantry. It is one of the few pastas that does not raise my blood glucose level. It is even better than whole wheat pastas.

I am hooked on Dreamfields.
Janice

I too AMOURE the pasta, just love the stuff. I was raised on the finest Italian cuisine, and having Diabetes,noodles of any sort just threw my sugars into a tailspin. I had to get real with what Diabetes is and does in order to be in control of my health and heal enough to have pasta in my diet again; otherwise,frankly, what’s the use in being alive? So, I seriously avoid all sugars and foods that turn into sugar, and have developed a meal plan that is delicious and nutritious, although salt-free, which has been the great challenge for taste. I found after a couple of years you can adapt to the no salt in your diet and the foods can be made to taste delicious, but you have to allow the body and taste buds time to adjust. My blood pressure has been a real issue for some years, and I am not old enough to be in the stages of decline I find myself in. So, I got on the stick. Number one is no salt. Number two is that is you use Xylitol, the only non-corrosive sugar, which actually heals the vascular system and promotes healthy teeth, you will be off to the best start.It taste exactly like sugar, only better without an aftertaste. This product has been somewhat hidden from our food market for over fifty years, while cane sugar has wreaked the same havoc as Drano on the American consumer’s physical health. Xylitol is an alcohol sugar, but completely different. Look up the research for yourself. It has been used in Russia, Europe, and other countries for health, and Diabetics wouldn’t dream of eating anything but this natural plant sugar.It is ridiculously expensive presently, but we are working on this. You must take sugar and all foods that turn to sugar out of your diet. Now, all foods turn to sugar, so I am referring to blatantly dangerous and toxic foods, such as enhanced foods and packaged foods, dairy and candy, store bought baked goods, and sodas. You can refresh your immune system with all of the homemade products you can create being sure to use items like pumpkin in all of your baked good recipes to bulk them up with nutrients and non-fattening oils.I make homemade pastas and breads and all with pumpkin. I add it to my soups and to fajita mixtures and cake batters. In addition, eat all of the green vegetables that are leafy and, of course, broccoli that you can stomach. Then as your immune system heals as the pancreas is rested, you can have your pasta in moderation and build up to “Pasta Day”, that day each week that you look forward to your pasta treat meal. I do pasta regularly now, and I do it without my usual fabulous homemade sauce. Instead, I top it with olive oil and a large spoon of tomato paste.I add parsley or other pesto type concoctions made with olive oil or even small amounts of cocoanut oils which have now been proven to reverse Alzheimer’s disease. I love it this way, and save the homemade sauce, with the fabulous Parmesan and Romano meatballs Mama made, for special occasions a couple times a year.Homemade pepperoni pizza pockets with a little pumpkin and spinach frozen and chipped into the filling works great as well and is fantastic to taste. Moderation and not every day, and with flours that are thinly rolled and aid in slow burning glucose assimilation. The big secret if you haven’t caught on yet is VEGETABLES. Lots and lots of vegetables. No matter what the meal of pasta or any other food, a meal that includes as many vegetables, even the heavily vegetables soup with herbs and spices, is great for filling you up and providing the body with the nutrients to heal the pancreas and liver, kidneys and vascular system so Diabetes will not be the cause of your death. It’s a compromise, but it has been worth it. My A1c numbers are now down to the low 5’s, and if I didn’t tell some of the new doctors I am seeing, they wouldn’t know I am a diabetic. My cholesterol and triglycerides were at 950 and above in my 40’s, and I was primed for a heart attack, and I experienced a mini-stroke. I suffered crippling arthritis and have Lupus, and at one point was at numbers displaying that I was moving into Schleraderma. There is no such thing as a mini-stroke and there is no excuse for this. We all have to change our diets and eat healthy, clean foods, organic as you can afford them and take your blood sugars several times a day before and after eating, and then often each hour to see how your body is truly responding to the foods and sugars, pastas you are eating. You will find you can really control your health and your life this way and begin to do the things you may have found yourself unable to do anymore. I still have a ways to go and have to work on my sugar addiction year around, but I enjoy every kind of food that I ate before. I have to prepare the foods now which has been a great challenge as it is for many with current health issues and resulting financial challenges. However, the talk of Diabetes and the damage it is doing to our entire nation from young to old, is just that, talk. People are not understanding the connection between the illnesses and auto-immune problems that hey are experiencing and their diets.Nutritionist are much improved on their knowledge of the information available to them, but they still advocate fruit intake daily, and go by the Diabetes Foundation reccommendations which are not helping consumers to heal from this disease. Diabetes can be stopped and cured. If you are already experiencing neuropathy in your feet and legs, hands and fingers, or any other part of your body, you are definitely in the worst way with this disease and need to heed this advice today. Stop fruits until your pancreas and blood sugar numbers on a daily bases tell you that you are well enough to process their sugars again. This will take a few to several months. No orange juice or other store bought juices at all, you do not need them and your body is already too sick to have them right now. Later in small amounts, well, then you can add on small pieces at a time and check your sugars to see if they remain low enough for you to partake of fruits at all. Many Diabetics such as myself, had to stop fruits for a couple of years while healing the pancreas before we could enjoy the homemade versions of fruit pies that I prepare ahead of time now and enjoy weekly, that are made with gluten free crust and Xylitols Fabulous!!! I adore deserts and could not stay on my own program without my tweaked desert dishes, all of which contain in some form pumpkin and other vegetables as I can fit them tastefully in the recipes. Be glad that we are learning so much. Juice, and drink spinach alone if you can afford to do no other vegetable, as I know how expensive this is, but spinach is the most healing and necessary, low caloric, low glycemic and sugar balancing vegetable I have ever used in my diet, and I do not love it, but I have learned to sneak it in my own diet in clever ways and you can too. Freeze it fresh, and it chips and slices off nicely into little flakes that do not have the strong taste that you get with leftover pulp from juicing. Not at all the same. I started very slowly with spinach only. I now add carrot and mustard greens, kale, and a little broccoli to my juicing with one container of blueberries. I freeze three freezer bags full and thaw one each week and drink the freshest container over 72 hours, while being sure to make a pot of vegetable soup to eat each day at least one small bowl, as this is a great way to be sure you are getting up to 10 and 20 vegetables and healing herbs into your diet each and every day. Your sugars will begin to astound you at how well they will hold. My blood sugars leveled out so much this way that I actually had to start eating more food at each meal, and can now enjoy a sandwich without spiking my sugars. I hope this gives hope and promise of a healthier and much healed life for others as these changes have helped me so much, and I am still at least fifty pounds from my ideal weight. It is important to lose the weight, and we sure do feel better, but it is first important to improve the immune system and lose the
sugar and other garbage ingredients from our foods. Blessings to all and here’s to your health!!!
LB.

I agree with Janice. Dreamfields is wonderful. I can eat a big plate of spaghetti with homemade sauce and be 120 or lower at two hours after the meal. I just wish they made a noodle.

I agree with Janice. I can eat a whole plate of spaghetti with home made sauce – store bought has too much sugar- and my bs are less than 120. I wish they would make noodles, too.

I have found that I am unable to eat any pasta or rice… my BG skyrockets and since I only control my numbers with diet, exercise, and metformin, it takes too long to get my numbers back in line. I heard on Dr Oz about shirataki noodles –Zero net carbs, zero calories, and made of a healthy natural fiber called Glucomannan. They are NOT the same as pasta and the texture is a little different, but I was able to put on some sauce and the next day (had to draw through) it helped my craving for spaghetti. Just a thought!

Julie L:

Thanks for sharing comments on pasta and rice. They trash me as well.

ALthough fried rice seems to be slowed down by fat on fried rice while boiled rice send my numbers orbital

I am type 2 and gluten-intolerant. For a treat my wife makes me homemade mac ‘n cheese with alot of soy cheese,some soy milk and very little flour.
She also makes homemade baked ziti with soy cheese, TVP and low-carb tomato sauce. She uses rice pasta. The added cheese and TVP enable a small portion to be ssatisfying with a good portion of veggies and the protein and fat help slow down a potential spike. I still have to exercise will power because they taste so good.
A small portion of an additional protein source can also be added to the meal.

Hi Ferne,

Go to Dreamfields’ Web site — they have a store locator: http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.com/find-dreamfields-pasta.html.

I saw an advert for a pasta for diabetics on the Inside Soap magazine the other day, it only has 0.6g sugar per meal- Eatwater.co.uk. Has anyone else tried it? I have tried dreamfields its good too.

People hate the bringer of bad news. I tried dreamfields pasts. After 2 hours, my numbers were normal. I decided to check 4 hours later. Wow, way high. Those of you eating dreamfields, do chech 4 hours later. If your numbers are ok,go for it. Just find out.

Hi, can I just say I’m type 1, have always eaten pasta, the thing to do (what i do at least) is know when the spike is going to happen.
For me, if i eat pasta and need to inject 6 units, i’ll do 2 units right after eating, +1 unit after 45 minutes + 3 units after 2.30 hours, after much testing i figured this deals with a tomato based pasta, and i do eat large dishes. my Hb1ac is about 6.7, not the best but pretty good.

Pasta is definitely the biggest hurdle for us since my husband was diagnosed! I found a Basmati rice he can have with a homemade curry; here in Adelaide I can get low GI potatoes, which mean we can still enjoy a roast on Sunday, but when it comes to pasta, we have to be really careful. Has anyone found one that would be good for him and the rest of the family?

I love pasta but I’m type 2 . I’m always looking for way to eat pasta without spiking my blood suger. unfortunetly Pasta spikes it more then a cookie or candy bar. but I’ve givin up the cookie and candy put won’t give up the pasta. I think it is all about the portions and what is added on top. I eat just plain with salt and pepper and olive oil. and side of veggies and small portion fish or chicken or lean beef.

thank you for tips!! Sincerly Kim

I eat pasta for lunch every day and I have never felt better. I weigh out one ounce of pasta, I cook it and then I add 1/4 of a cup of sauce (tomato based) each night. I also pack a serving of veggies, fruit, and protein in my lunch. Since I am a vegetarian my protein is usually an ounce of nuts, but sometimes I bring a half cup of beans. I drink at least 100 ounces of water a day, too. No soda, no coffee.

being Italian pasta on sundays is a must and during the week in soups and mixed with vegetables’ on sunday I used to eat two and three plates.well on sunday I’ve cut down to 1 plate maybe 2 cups and eat more meat and a salad along with it. it makes a little difference, during the week barilla multi grain plus mixed with dark greens such as broccoli raab or rapini is actually pretty healthy. for the pasta with legumes I now use legumes good for or better for diabetics red kidney beans,lentils and chick peas. in soups I put less and now sometimes substitute brown rice. any comments.

You hope we’re not on a low-carb diet/lifestyle? Well, I’m sorry but this is exactly what everyone here needs to be on to control and reverse t2dm!

The problem with pasta is it’s a nutritionally-empty food. The full-fat, low-gi/gl sauce topping it likely has more beneficial nutrients than the, yet people go for low fat sauces, the exact reason why so many have t2dm.

I just found out two weeks ago that I’m diabetic, I made pasta with homemade tomato sauce and my blood sugar was through the roof at 15.8. needless to say, I was pretty upset. So no more pasta for me. I’m dealing with Diabetes and High Blood Pressure.

JMHO – you know I love pasta it is part of my Italian heritage and yeah there are some good points in here using pasta as a side dish instead of a main meal course I’m a type 2 diabetic and I use Novolog and lantus flexpen but you know I’ve read so many articles watched many videos and I was told that if I had it once in a great while like maybe once in 3 months her once in six months or something like that for me that would be okay and yes it is about portion control I was told that if I was going to suffer cuz I feel like I eat like a rabbit sometimes and that is not nothing that we can eat as diabetic you have high cholesterol people out there with high blood pressure carotid arteries you know yes diabetes is important to me as a diabetic it runs in my family and by the guy above who posted about she eating pasta or chicken pasta cold and then reheating it or something like that that’s the first time I’ve heard about that am I going to knock it no I’m not because I’m always looking for ways to continue to have something that comforts me when I’m depressed I mean how much do we give up in a lifetime most people I don’t drink alcohol I don’t do drugs I’m human I am not perfect I make mistakes I’m not better than anybody I’m equal as everyone else and this is like I said just for myself it’s my health and I’m not as active in the winter
all I know is I enjoy my sugu and pasta with garlic bread and a really nice salad on a side note what works for you may not work for me and what works for me may not work for you I enjoy reading the posts I just don’t think that everybody needs to get on the band boat and ridicule what someone else says everybody has an opinion and they all stink course I left a few choice words out but that’s just because of the post and where its at anyway y’all have a good one dont take take your meds cuz I have been known to forget sometimes but like I said I’m not I’m I’m not perfect I am just me !!!!
Ciao

One serving pasta if not whole grain and side salad. Add your favorite veggies. Caution with croutons, bacon pieces and dressings- Use Low Fat Choices . If no dressing is preferred it’s ok. I do that to save calories.
I also do the same when eating whole grain to maintain diet plan.

#1 If my post dinner blood sugars are any example, Dreamfield pasta is (unfortunately), nothing but a scam.

#2 Butter or MARGARINE? I think I’ll get my good food advice elsewhere.

I’ve been buying zucchini noodles for my “Spaghetti”, and it is a somewhat decent substitute that doesn’t seem to impact my blood sugar. I haven’t perfected the preparation yet, though. I saute the noodles a couple minutes until they’re hot, but when I add red sauce, the heat from the sauce extracts lots of water from the zucchini. Until I can figure out a better method, I just pour off the excess liquid. The other problem is most sauces are 10g sugar per half cup (way more than necessary), so I either have to pay $10 for a jar of Rao’s, or make my own. Considering how good my own tastes without adding any sugar, I wonder why the prepared ones do?

I’m with you. Honey has metabolic disorder, which is that one-two-three punch of diabetes, high blood pressure and blood clot factor (meaning blood that likes to clot and clog up blood flow, which can, you know, kill you.) So high carbs and sugar, no. Salt is like poison. Not something that will kill you later over time, but as we found out the hard way, with too much in a single day. So salt is no more than 1800 mgs a day – he is allowed about 2,000 but the 7-inch scar from his neck to the occipital ….well, anyway… So for two servings with leftovers or four that night with friends: saute garlic and a half of a medium chopped onion, till transparent…yellow is fine, I like white. Fry meat separately, not because there is a lot of fat but so much ground beef is “dirty” and I rinse off the gray guck…about a pound of 7% ground beef. I buy the cans of no-salt-added tomatoes and blend, 3 cans will do, fresh basil, ground oregano (not Mexican oregano) about a tsp, garlic lots or a little but fresh and don’t scorch it. If you do scorch your garlic, sorry but its a do-over. About a cup of rough chopped (or sliced or whole) white mushrooms, then I take 1/8th the package of spaghetti, any kind you like – or less, so I can count the carbs of the spaghetti and put it in the sauce and simmer till it is al dente. Purists and practioners of the boil the noodles separately are now fainting, but trust me, its fine and the sauce soaks into the noodles better. The sauce soaked noodles are also more satisfying and you don’t need a whole cup or cup and a half or whatever you used to do before your body turned on you.