This is our very brief description or the “Pizza Effect” – foods with high carbohydrates and high fat content.
The Pizza and Lasagna Effect
We want to bring attention to the concept; that depending on the composition of the food or meal, digestion rates will impact the time when insulin may be required and the subsequent impact to Blood Glucose Levels – high and low.
Ingredients
- *The experiences and suggestions in this article are not intended as medical advice. Check with a healthcare professional regarding treatment of Type 1 Diabetes.
- When a person with T1D eats pizza/lasagna or any other high carb meal crust/pasta and sauce along with high fat (cheese and meats/pepperoni), insulin becomes a challenge. The fat significantly slows down the digestion of the carbs.
- Normally insulin is taken almost immediately after eating – for the entire amount eaten.
- If insulin is taken as per usual after eating pizza/lasagna, the insulin for that meal can lead to low BG (Blood Sugar) 45 – 90 minutes later. The pizza/lasagna is slowly digested, and a normal bolus may peak too early; followed by a rise in BG a few hours later when the food is finally being absorbed and the bolus is fading.
- A rapid-acting bolus insulin given at the time of eating, and carbohydrate dependent starts to work in about 15 minutes, peaks 60 – 90 minutes later and finishes in 3 – 4 hours.
- Some of that pizza/lasagna may very well start to be absorbed in 3 – 4 hours; hence the rise in BG after a possible low.
- Diabetes is affected by so many variables: pizza at a party and physical activity
- : pizza and a movie
- : thin crust vs. thick
- : amount consumed
- : amount of cheese meat and sauce
- : BG at the time you eat
- : health and the time you eat
- So it is imperative that you take notes and start to understand the variables and how you react to specific foods.
- Generally it is recommended to take part of your insulin immediately after eating the pizza/lasagna and extend the remaining amount. Here are some options other people have found helpful. As always, monitoring individual BG is critical.
- Take 1/3 insulin at time of eating and extend 2/3 3 hours later or over 8 hours
- Check BG 2 hours after eating the pizza and determine if insulin is required then or perhaps in another hour 3 hours after eating the pizza.
- Take half insulin at the time of pizza and extend remaining bolus over 8 hours after eating the pizza
- The following sites were used as references:
- Diabetes.ca
- Diatribe.org
- Diabetesincontrol.com
- Mayoclinic.org
- Ontrackdiabetes.com
- Beyondtype1.org
