As I am going through the Autoimmune Protocol, my desire for sweets has definitely changed. I can remember craving sweets at times, prior to this diet, but ridding my diet of sugar and processed foods has changed my taste for sweet things. I no longer regularly crave sweets, and when I do indulge, a little goes a long way. Sugary treats are SO much sweeter to me than they once were! My primary go-to for a sweet treat is chocolate, and I’m happy to report that the autoimmune protocol stage 2 reintroduction of chocolate was a success!
A clarification is needed first before diving into my blood sugar numbers. I only eat a very clean version of chocolate: dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free. Chocolate without dairy and soy is difficult to find. I have found two brands that meet these criteria: Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Bars and Pascha Bitter-Sweet chocolate chips.
Since I am extremely sensitive to dairy, I shy away from chocolate bars that are processed in facilities that handle milk products. It may be fine for some people, but I don’t want to risk cross-contamination. It takes me weeks to get over a dairy exposure, so it isn’t worth it to me.
Before I jump into my blood sugar results, here’s a quick reminder of the stages of reintroductions for the Autoimmune Protocol. The stages are ordered from foods most likely for the body to handle (stage 1) to least likely to handle (stage 4).
As a Type 1 Diabetic, my benchmark for success or failure is based on my blood sugar levels after I eat the new food, particularly my fasting blood sugar the following morning. If my gut is irritated by food, my morning blood sugar will be higher than 150 which is my primary indicator that something is going wrong. My blood glucose goals for reintroductions are as follows:
Starting/Fasting Blood Glucose Before Eating: <130
Two-Three Hour Post Eating Blood Glucose: <150
Fasting Blood Glucose the next morning: <150
Dairy and Soy Free Chocolate
Wine and chocolate are our go-to treat for any occasion: birthdays, anniversaries, putting the kids to bed…big and small occasions alike call for chocolate and wine! While I don’t crave sweets very often, I do love to enjoy this treat with my husband. I was ecstatic when this reintroduction worked!
Meal: Dessert with dinner
Pre-Dinner Blood Glucose: 112
Two-Three Hour Post Blood Glucose: 137
Fasting Blood Glucose the Next Morning: 148
My fasting blood glucose remained in normal range in the days following this reintroduction too (130, 126, 136, 114…). Woot! Chocolate, at dinner time and in small amounts seems like it works with my body. I have been keeping my sweets to only dinner time because simple carbs late at night seem to raise my morning blood sugar. So wine and chocolate no longer happens after the kids go to bed, but I’m ok with that!
Final note about reintroducing chocolate to my diet: I am still a diabetic and cannot eat copious amounts of chocolate. Maybe that goes without saying, but I thought I’d clarify just in case! My endocrinologist thinks I might forget that I’m a Type 1 diabetic so I get reminders at every appointment. 🙂 I am working with a limited amount of insulin, so large amounts of candy are never a good option!
That being said, it is nice to have a diet-friendly treat every once and a while. Just in case you were wondering, dairy and soy free chocolate taste even better than chocolate with a bunch of additives. Clean your palette and you’ll be amazed how your preference in food changes. I’m getting off topic…let’s wrap this up…This autoimmune protocol stage 2 reintroduction of chocolate has been a success!
What is your go-to sweet treat? Are you a wine and chocolate lover too? Have you tried cleansing your diet of sugar and processed foods? If so, how did your food preferences change?
Want to know more about my Autoimmune Protocol journey as a Type 1 Diabetic? Check out my resource page here!
