Fancy food and diabetes

I’m just going to say it. I’m a closet “foodie.” Please don’t take that statement to mean I consider myself a connoisseur or expert of anything because while food can certainly be exquisite and delectable, covered and smothered hashbrowns deserve their own special place in everyone’s lives (within moderation, naturally. #diabetesdisclaimer)

Despite my sometimes tumultuous relationship with food, diabetes and weight, I still love food. I especially love new foods and dining at new restaurants — one of the biggest reasons I love to travel. I’m in Auburn, Knoxville and Nashville more than any other areas, so I have established favorite spots in those places. But on my last trip to Nashville a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to try some new venues. I put together a list based on word-of-mouth recommendations and reviews from local bloggers

Friday night, I tried Woodlands, a vegetarian Indian restaurant nestled at the bottom of a hotel (or apartment, not really sure) on West End Avenue just before Interstate 440. (Editor’s note: This was the best Indian food I’ve ever had. Seriously, it was amazing. Hat tip to JD for the recommendation.) Indian food is usually served with rice, and that’s a battle all on its own when it comes to diabetes. Often times, you can’t ask for a list of ingredients when you order a meal out. I managed to keep my blood sugars in range after dinner Friday, but I didn’t eat much rice and I think I got lucky guessing the carbs in my spinach curry. (Official name: Aloo Palak) Saturday, however, was a different story.

I met two friends at the Silly Goose, a fairly new place in east Nashville with great reviews. Since I was on a business trip, I didn’t go crazy and stuck with the Hot Johnson sandwich which was reasonably priced. Rye bread, a honeyed-whole grain mustard sauce, ham, Brie, arugula and thin apple slices. My side choices included salad or couscous. This place had an entire section of the menu devoted to couscous, and I desperately wanted to try it, but diabetes made me think otherwise. I knew the sandwich would spike me, plus the honeyed-mustard. (Not to mention, our appetizer included flat-bread.) I went for the salad option hoping the dressing wasn’t a sugar-laced vinaigrette. (It seems fancy restaurants always have sweet “house” vinaigrettes. Talk about SWAGing nightmares.) The sandwich was amazing! The sauce was do delicious I would’ve bought a jar had they bottled it. I’ve never put apples on a sandwich before but the mixture of flavors was incredible. While my meal was delicious, I tasted my friend’s salmon, the house special, and wish I’d gotten it instead. Her boyfriend had the short ribs. Also amazing! The Silly Goose uses only local foods, which to me, adds to its charm. (Editor’s note: This place great, definitely worth the ridiculous wait time.)

I started dinner at 138 mg/dL. My carb ratio is 2 units per 15 grams of carbs. I dialed in 7 units when the trio of dips and flatbread arrived. I didn’t eat 51 grams worth of flatbread, but I knew it would be a long-lasting carb, and I knew I needed to pre-bolus for my fancy sandwich. When it arrived, I dialed in another 7 units for the bread and honeyed sauce. By the time I took my first bite, I was 167 with a northeast arrow. We all sampled each other’s dishes, and I ate the majority of my sandwich and all of my salad. As we grabbed our things to leave, I glanced at the trusty CGM. It showed a lovely 237 with a due North arrow. I dialed in another 7 units knowing we were headed for a glass of wine around the corner. I didn’t look at my CGM the entire time we were at the wine bar because I wanted to enjoy my friends and not constantly worry about my blood sugars. I half expected to be low by bedtime thanks to that last 7 units. I tucked myself in to a 211 that was slowing coming down, but with an east arrow. I woke up at 5 a.m. to a beautiful 78.

But here’s my realization. Essentially, a sandwich, a plain salad and three pieces of flatbread (with small amounts of hummus, goat cheese and babbaganoush) cost me 21 units of Humalog! That’s a lot of H for one one meal — and not even a meal involving dessert. When calculated, I know I didn’t eat 150+ carbs. I’ve discovered that fancy food always does this to me!! I don’t know what it is. (Editor’s note: My boss pointed out that a sandwich is not “fancy,” but if it has apple slices, arugula and honey-infused anything, it’s fancy — well beyond your average PB & J.)

Once at a local Huntsville eatery, a salad and ham and cheese sandwich spiked me to 400 with corrections being useless. When I called to ask about the sandwich’s ingredients beyond what the menu listed, and I learned they put sugar in their homemade pesto. What?! Seriously?! So while I love being a foodie and one of my favorite things is trying new places, it seems fancy foods and diabetes just don’t mix. There’s “secret” sauces and glazes, and it makes dosing a nightmare.

I’m not going to stop eating out or ordering what looks good, but I am going to learn to speak up a bit more. I’m not going to be embarrassed about asking what ingredients are used. (Anybody else feel awkward asking that in public? Especially on business dinners, right?) But even with asking, even with a list of ingredients, there’s no way to know of there’s sugar in the pesto or how much honey was used in the “honeyed mustard” whatever. I’ll educate myself the best I can, and I’ll use the technology available to me, but I’m not giving up trying new things. I refuse to be a creature of habit and order a grilled chicken salad or tilapia sans rice. I’m just going to be smarter and more prepared for the “spikes” when and if they occur. But seriously, what is it about fancy food an diabetes?