Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Golden Starches

In December’s diet for/not for diabetic series, I did talk about the three basic things I never eat. There’s a fourth, in a broad category defined by brand. That is McDonald’s.
Maybe it was easier for me to stay away from McDonald’s than it would be for most people because I detest onions in all forms. That’s a plus for me as a diabetic.
My parents noticed since the onset of my diabetes that McDonald’s always triggered high sugar surges no matter what was eaten. Burger King, Burger Chef, and Dairy Queen did not have this effect even with directly comparable meals.
As an adult I noticed that a McDonald’s breakfast did not seem to trigger such high sugars, but I could never figure out the specifics. I thought maybe they added sugar to their frying oils or to the grills themselves. Maybe fries had a sugar coating that leaked into the fryers.
I learned more recently the direct cause. A former manager who was retired due to disabling complications of his Type 2 diabetes spilled the beans.
The sickness uniformly inflicted on diabetics by McDonald’s food is directly related to all the health problems caused by the chain’s food. The secret is not within the fries and oil or meat. It was fully compatible to why the Egg McMuffins never seemed to bother me.
McDonald’s sandwich bread is more this composite of sugar, old-time lard, sesame seeds and just enough wheat for the alien product to be classified as bread. There’s some exaggeration in the way I wrote that for attempted comic delivery, but the general content is accurate enough. The sandwiches may have the taste you want, but eating anything on the luncheon rolls is traitorous to the diabetic body.
The nature of McDonald’s bread-type products explains the sugar spiking tendencies, the calorie content and the cholesterol costs.
Neither Burger King nor Wendy’s ever had such severe effects on me. I state this as a diabetic who always managed his condition by feel, not by sugar numbers. McDonald’s always made me feel unwell while its competitors did not.
I’ve avoided most fast food whenever possible. I lean towards Subway whenever lunch on the run was something of a necessity. The alternatives are just healthier and the vegetables more diverse.
That does not mean I’ve been perfect, but that I choose healthy options whenever possible or productive. If I need a boost before bowling, I am inclined to snatch a couple Burger King cheeseburgers. The food itself does not overwhelm me as McDonald’s will, and Wendy’s burgers are usually dressed with mayonnaise rather than sugar-rich ketchup. When I stop for those burgers, I am eating for the sugar rather than enjoyment. Burger King burgers seem to have gotten smaller yet again.
I do not view McDonald’s as a viable choice under any circumstances.

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