Just like people with (risk of) type 2 diabetes, Clear.bio dietitians also measure how they respond to food. Practice what you preach! They know from their daily practice how important a healthy lifestyle is and therefore like to know how they score on their own diet. Curious about the insights of Nel and Linda, 2 of our dieticians? Read along👇.

Fat is really important for everyone

Nel: “If I’ve learned anything, it’s the importance of fats in your diet. While most people are afraid of fat – because of too many calories – Clear.bio has shown me how important it is to supplement carbohydrate-rich meals with fat. I learned that fat stabilizes blood sugar. I also saw this in the reaction of my sugar level. One day I ate 2 wholemeal sandwiches with hummus and chicken breast, which gave me a huge spike and which kept fluctuating all day. The next day I replaced the chicken breast with avocado and my sugar level remained much more stable. My food score (based on how stable your blood sugar remains) went from 1 (can’t get any worse!) to 93. That’s almost perfect!

Peanut butter had the same effect. I always felt how long I stayed full on whole wheat crackers with peanut butter. I did really well on that. One afternoon I was very hungry and especially in the mood for chocolate. I did an experiment. I ate 3 crackers, 2 with peanut butter (nice and fat!) and 1 with chocolate sprinkles. I got a perfect score. I really started to enjoy the “measuring-is-knowing” of my diet.”

Muesli with milk, yogurt or cottage cheese?

Linda: “I wanted to know if my sugar level reacted differently if I ate my muesli with milk, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Of these dairy products, cottage cheese contains the most protein and milk the least. Like fat, proteins ensure that carbohydrates are absorbed less quickly and the sugar level rises less quickly. This also turns out to be true for this breakfast. With the same amount of muesli, my sugar level rose the least when I ate it with cottage cheese. From now on I will replace the milk with the cottage cheese. This also keeps me full for longer!”

The importance of fiber on your blood sugar

“According to the theory, fiber also has such a stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels. Eating enough and different types of vegetables is – I believe – the advice that I almost always follow,” says Nel. “Even if I eat French fries, I’m happy to cook a broccoli with them (balance is the key, right 😁?). For example, I eat 3 or 4 types of vegetables with an evening meal and I always use whole grain products. The amount of fiber in relation to the amount of carbohydrates is therefore so favorable that my evening meals always scored well. My blood sugar was also more stable during lunch if I ate a tasty vegetable soup with it.”

A hypo by wine

“I know that alcohol has a lowering effect on your sugar level. Alcohol can give you a hypo. Then there is too little glucose in your blood. This can entail risks, especially for people with diabetes. Although I don’t have diabetes, I was really shocked on Saturday morning when I saw that I had just had a hypo at night,” shares Linda. “My sugar level was too low for a few hours. That was, of course, because of the glasses of wine on Friday night. My body was too busy breaking down the alcohol, so it couldn’t make glucose itself to get the sugar level back to a good level. Next time I’ll stick to one glass or eat something before I go to sleep!”

The influence of your behavior on your health

“The fact that you can influence your health through behavior is not new to me. I was more aware while wearing the sensor. I didn’t just eat something that is easy or I had in my house. I thought more about it. I also gained more insight into my personal reaction to certain foods. Because I received direct feedback on my own behavior via the Clear.bio app, I was able to adjust my behavior better and better. That makes me feel good!” closes Nel.

Wondering which food is and isn’t good for you?

Everyone reacts differently to food. This has been scientifically proven (Zeevi et al, 2015). Are you curious how your body reacts to food? Order “Trial” and discover in 2 weeks which food is and is not good for you. Do you want to use Clear.bio if it is reimbursed by the health insurer? Subscribe.