#1740 Bolus 4 - Potato Chips
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Jenny and Scott talk about bolusing for potato chips.
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DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.
Scott Benner (0:0) Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Juice Box podcast. (0:15) In every episode of bolus four, Jenny Smith and I are gonna take a few minutes to talk through how to bolus for a single item of food. (0:22) Jenny and I are gonna follow a little bit of a road map called meal bolt. (0:27) Measure the meal. (0:28) Evaluate yourself.
Scott Benner (0:30) Add the base units. (0:31) Layer a correction. (0:33) Build the bolus shape. (0:34) Offset the timing. (0:35) Look at the CGM.
Scott Benner (0:36) Tweak for next time. (0:38) Having said that, these episodes are gonna be very conversational and not incredibly technical. (0:44) We want you to hear how we think about it, but we also would like you to know that this is kind of the pathway we're considering while we're talking about it. (0:52) So while you might not hear us say every letter of Mielboldt in every episode, we will be thinking about it while we're talking. (0:59) If you wanna learn more, go to juiceboxpodcast.com/meal-bolt.
Scott Benner (1:05) But for now, we'll find out how to bowl us for today's subject. (1:14) Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:18) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (1:23) Jenny, I, today, just today, in fact, went to the interwebs and said, what are the most popular junk foods in The United States Of America? (1:34) And it put it into categories for me.
Scott Benner (1:36) Potato chips, chocolate bars, frozen or fast food pizza, soda, candy, fast food burgers, ice cream and frozen treats, cheese snacks, which is interesting, I thought, packaged cookies, snacks, cakes, and pastries.
Jenny Smith (1:56) There's some fancy organization there.
Scott Benner (2:01) I like that this is the way they thought to put it, that AI saw this. (2:05) Like, because this what I use. (2:06) I use AI just to to pull it together real quick. (2:08) I also did a couple of Google searches, put it all together. (2:10) But
Jenny Smith (2:10) And are these, like, the number the first one that was listed is the number one, or are these just the top and they're not ordered by which one's the most popular of these?
Scott Benner (2:20) I asked for them to then be put into popularity by category. (2:25) So potato potato chips gave me, let's see, Lay's, Ruffles, Pringles, Cape Cod, and Kettle brand. (2:33) Oh. (2:33) So we're gonna today, we're gonna do Lay's potato chips.
Jenny Smith (2:37) Lay's potato chips. (2:39) Got it.
Scott Benner (2:40) Got it. (2:41) Alright. (2:42) And I have a thought about all this when we're done. (2:45) So Lay's classic potato chips, yellow bag, thin chip, no ridges. (2:49) You understand?
Jenny Smith (2:50) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (2:51) Total fat, 10 grams. (2:54) Saturated fat, 1.5. (2:55) Cholesterol, none. (2:57) Sodium, a 170. (2:59) Total carbohydrates, 15.
Scott Benner (3:02) There's a gram of dietary fiber. (3:04) They claim there's calcium in it and a couple of other things. (3:08) But this is for a serving size of about 15 chips.
Jenny Smith (3:14) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (3:15) Okay. (3:15) It says there are eight servings per container.
Jenny Smith (3:18) Do you want a little factoid right there with the carbs and the chips?
Scott Benner (3:21) I do.
Jenny Smith (3:22) You said 15 grams of carb. (3:24) Right?
Scott Benner (3:24) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (3:25) And a serving is approximately 15 chips.
Scott Benner (3:28) Yep.
Jenny Smith (3:29) In general, a good rule of thumb, if you don't have a label, is a potato chip is about a gram a carb per chip.
Scott Benner (3:37) No matter what brand?
Jenny Smith (3:39) Again, this is a it's a generalization, a broad one. (3:41) But in in general, I mean, Lay's chips aren't teeny tiny chips. (3:45) They're all fairly uniform. (3:47) It's like ugly apples. (3:49) They don't put them out in the bag.
Jenny Smith (3:50) Right? (3:50) So all the chips are about the same size. (3:54) But in general, potato chips are about a gram of carbon chip. (3:57) And despite not talking about them, tortilla chips are about two, sometimes three grams of carb per chip.
Scott Benner (4:03) Oh, okay.
Jenny Smith (4:03) It's a little more dense, but just for potato chips purpose.
Scott Benner (4:06) Alright. (4:07) So I went and looked at ruffles just for fun. (4:10) And, yeah, total carbs, 15. (4:14) Mhmm. (4:14) Alright.
Scott Benner (4:15) So we look up and we say to ourselves, we're gonna have chips. (4:18) Now what do you think the biggest problem with chips is is that you don't eat 15 chips. (4:23) Right?
Jenny Smith (4:23) No. (4:24) No. (4:24) What's the what's the what's the Pringles fill kick? (4:27) It's once you pop, you can't stop.
Scott Benner (4:29) Oh, is that what they say? (4:30) That's awesome.
Jenny Smith (4:31) Think that's what they at least that's what they used to say. (4:33) It's like the Band Aid commercial. (4:34) Nobody knows anymore. (4:35) Right? (4:35) But, yes, I think you're correct.
Jenny Smith (4:37) Nobody unless they have the single serve bags, which is a very clear indication of what a single portion is.
Scott Benner (4:45) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (4:45) Once you open that bag, it's very easy to keep grabbing.
Scott Benner (4:49) Yes. (4:49) I would think that is completely true. (4:51) I noticed this week we were away on vacation this week, and there was we sat at, like, kind of like a a bar and Mhmm. (5:02) Ordered, like, you know, like, fresh made chips from the bar. (5:05) I know for certain I ate 10 more when I was done by the time I was done with them.
Jenny Smith (5:10) I'm sure.
Scott Benner (5:10) Yeah. (5:10) They had, like, Parmesan cheese on top of them and, like, some like, they were
Jenny Smith (5:14) Those are some fancy chips.
Scott Benner (5:15) They were fancy chips.
Jenny Smith (5:16) Did you eat tomatoes with them, Scott?
Scott Benner (5:18) Jenny, I wanna tell you what I did this week. (5:20) You're gonna get me off track real quick. (5:22) Okay? (5:22) But in a previous episode, I what did I say? (5:25) I'd never had a tomato, and I've never had because I said I've never had salsa even.
Scott Benner (5:31) So I did I ate salsa this week. (5:34) And when there was a chunk of a tomato in it, I kept going. (5:39) So, technically, I've had a tomato now.
Jenny Smith (5:42) There you go.
Scott Benner (5:43) Was very, very spicy, and it was on a tortilla chip. (5:47) I just wanna point that out as well. (5:48) What else was there was something else this weekend I did. (5:50) I texted you about both things, didn't I?
Jenny Smith (5:53) You texted me the tortilla chips and the salsa, and I think you actually said salsa, check, or done or something like that.
Scott Benner (6:00) Yes. (6:00) I sent that back. (6:02) I said salsa, check. (6:03) And then Jenny sends back a picture of her salad that just literally has greens and a giant tomato in the middle of it that I know you probably ate like an apple. (6:11) I did that.
Scott Benner (6:11) Well, I also sent you a
Jenny Smith (6:13) Oh, you sent me a funny picture, which I didn't I forgot to respond to.
Scott Benner (6:17) It's a whole shelf of Velveeta cheese that I saw at the grocery store yesterday. (6:21) Just like it genuinely looks like a 100 maybe more boxes of Velveeta cheese covering four different shelves in different sizes. (6:29) I saw that. (6:30) Was like, that's funny. (6:30) I'll send it to Johnny.
Scott Benner (6:31) Okay. (6:31) So sorry about that. (6:33) Are
Jenny Smith (6:33) going Break down the to loaves chips.
Scott Benner (6:34) Yep. (6:35) So we're gonna we broke down the chips. (6:36) Right? (6:36) We know what the carbs are. (6:38) Why don't we say this time I'm gonna do something a little crazier.
Scott Benner (6:41) Let's say today that, you know, your blood sugar is a 150. (6:44) Right? (6:45) So you now you've looked up. (6:47) You're like, oh, I'm a 150. (6:49) I'm about to have 15 grams of chips.
Scott Benner (6:51) Hopefully. (6:52) Probably not. (6:53) So now you need to bolus for the number, the one fifty. (6:57) Right? (6:57) Right?
Scott Benner (6:57) Whatever your target is, you there's an amount of insulin that'll bring your one fifty that target. (7:01) That insulin goes in. (7:03) Insulin for the you know, if you're one to 10, right, 15 carbs is gonna be Right. (7:07) A unit and a half.
Jenny Smith (7:09) Right.
Scott Benner (7:10) And then, you know, we'll, you know, look at all the things. (7:13) Are we gonna be active? (7:14) Are we not? (7:15) I'm guessing if you're eating chips, it's possible you're gonna be inactive. (7:19) Chips are a sitting around thing, aren't they?
Jenny Smith (7:21) Unless they're served at, like, a picnic or a barbecue or, you know, that kind of thing, then maybe you're doing something after.
Scott Benner (7:27) Fair enough. (7:28) Fair enough. (7:28) So are we gonna be but is are chips a thing that you think activity would cut into, or are they gonna be a thing that are gonna be too sticky for activity to break?
Jenny Smith (7:39) They actually hold the activity from dropping you. (7:42) I mean, if you consider this this particular brand
Scott Benner (7:45) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (7:45) This chip. (7:46) Right? (7:46) We have 10 grams of fat.
Scott Benner (7:49) Mhmm. (7:49) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (7:49) That's not light fat. (7:51) When we look at, you know, what's the total what's the total calories in this?
Scott Benner (7:55) $1.60 for the 15 chips.
Jenny Smith (7:57) One sixty. (7:58) So if you consider how many of the calories are coming from just fat
Scott Benner (8:04) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (8:05) You're looking at nine calories per gram, which is 90 of these calories. (8:09) 90 of a 160. (8:11) That's more than 50% is coming from fat. (8:14) Mhmm. (8:15) Which means that they're going to be more let's call it stabilizing.
Scott Benner (8:20) Yeah. (8:21) Stabilizing. (8:21) Jenny's like, don't want it to be too positive of a word. (8:23) But yeah.
Jenny Smith (8:24) Yeah. (8:24) Yeah. (8:25) Yeah. (8:25) But more stabilizing. (8:26) So when you ask about activity, you may think, well, I am gonna be active after this, then maybe these will hold me a little bit better.
Jenny Smith (8:34) And I am not encouraging people to eat Lay's chips to be stable in exercise. (8:38) I just wanna make that very clear.
Scott Benner (8:40) Just being we're just trying to talk about the chips for a moment.
Jenny Smith (8:42) Just talking about the chips. (8:43) Yes. (8:43) But it's a good consideration now for those who aren't going to be let's say, you're lounging around and it's, you know, a cookout and you're just the one you like to sit in your lawn chair and talk to whoever's there. (8:54) Mhmm. (8:54) Then you might actually find that bolus thing just for the carbs, especially if you have more than just the 15 chips
Scott Benner (9:01) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (9:02) You're likely to stay maybe stock Yeah. (9:06) Higher.
Scott Benner (9:07) I mean, this is also could be a situation where the chips are going with beer. (9:10) Right? (9:11) That could be another thing. (9:12) Yeah. (9:13) So anyway burgers
Jenny Smith (9:14) or yes.
Scott Benner (9:15) So but but anyway, let's taking it back to just I grabbed a bag of chips.
Jenny Smith (9:19) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (9:19) Understand what your activity is gonna be afterwards. (9:22) That could impact how much insulin you're gonna use. (9:24) Right. (9:25) Time of day sensitivity, other factors like that that we're gonna look at. (9:29) Now, pre bolus thing.
Scott Benner (9:30) Here's one where I mean, no person in the world I don't have diabetes, and I have so much compassion for pre bolus thing. (9:38) You have no idea, especially as, you know, my daughter gets older and I can see her, you know, becoming more and more, like, of a I don't know. (9:45) An adult, has more things to do. (9:47) Right? (9:47) Yeah.
Scott Benner (9:48) It's hard to remember to pre bolus. (9:49) I understand. (9:50) But you don't pre bolus a potato chip. (9:52) It's gonna grab you pretty quickly, and you're gonna be fighting with it then for hours afterwards.
Jenny Smith (9:57) So And that's frustrating given what we just talked about with the fat.
Scott Benner (10:00) Yeah. (10:01) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (10:01) For sure. (10:02) But if you go back to some of the nutrition episodes that we did Mhmm. (10:07) You'll understand that the more processed something is like, we're not talking about this being a baked potato with a spoonful of butter on top.
Scott Benner (10:16) Right.
Jenny Smith (10:17) We're talking about something that's, like, processed potato flakes.
Scott Benner (10:21) Maybe.
Jenny Smith (10:22) May maybe. (10:23) Yes. (10:25) It started out as a potato at some point in its life, and now we have something that's a chip. (10:31) It's flavorful. (10:32) It's got fat.
Jenny Smith (10:33) It crunches. (10:34) It's got salt. (10:35) They do it the right way. (10:36) That's why you don't just eat 15 of them. (10:38) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (10:38) But in the long run, you have a two sided effect here. (10:43) If you don't pre bolus, you are going to get a rise eating again just the potato chips, but then you may have a lingering effect from the fat. (10:53) There's not a heck of a lot of I mean, I'd almost call these void of protein. (10:57) There's nothing valuable protein wise here.
Scott Benner (10:59) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (10:59) But the fat definitely is gonna linger.
Scott Benner (11:02) Mhmm. (11:02) Yeah. (11:03) I mean, potatoes, vegetable oil, canola, corn, soybean oil, and or sunflower oil, salt. (11:09) Mhmm. (11:09) That's it.
Scott Benner (11:10) So it's more of the processed nature of it that's
Jenny Smith (11:13) It is.
Scott Benner (11:14) Yeah. (11:14) And then you're getting the fat from the
Jenny Smith (11:16) oils. (11:17) Yes.
Scott Benner (11:17) Okay. (11:18) Alright. (11:18) So you process the potato, that makes it more difficult for your body to process. (11:22) You add a bunch of oil, it slows down your digestion, makes it even more difficult again. (11:27) Then you run into the idea that when you get to 15 chips, you're like, that was a nice appetizer.
Scott Benner (11:32) I'm gonna just grab a handful of chips next time. (11:35) And now you're doing the blind, like, 45 carbs. (11:38) What is 45 everyone's number, by the way? (11:41) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (11:42) I kind of funny. (11:43) It's they're round numbers. (11:44) If you look at enough records like I do
Scott Benner (11:47) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (11:48) You'll definitely be able to see sure. (11:51) Some things are even five, ten, 15. (11:54) Most things are not.
Scott Benner (11:55) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (11:56) Most things are, like, eighteen, twenty three. (11:59) 28 is a very common carb count on lots of different foods.
Scott Benner (12:04) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (12:04) Right? (12:05) But you can definitely tell
Scott Benner (12:07) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (12:08) That, this was just an estimate. (12:10) It's like, 45, 45, 45 for each meal. (12:13) No. (12:14) Probably not, but good guess.
Scott Benner (12:16) Arden's give up number is 45. (12:18) So I wonder how many other people's is just like, this is 45. (12:21) I saw her do it yesterday, and I thought, this is not 45. (12:24) This is probably more. (12:26) But moreover, the bigger problem was is that it was a sit down bolus eight, five minutes later.
Scott Benner (12:31) And I was like, this is not gonna go well. (12:34) And in the end, hours later, that bolus missed by four units, I think. (12:40) That's a fairly sick significant amount. (12:43) Yeah.
Jenny Smith (12:43) Yeah. (12:43) Yeah.
Scott Benner (12:43) So, anyway, I'm not telling you to like, I know people are like, look. (12:47) I don't count my carbs, but, like, you gotta guess you gotta guess right. (12:50) So I think Fairly close. (12:52) Yeah. (12:52) Yeah.
Scott Benner (12:52) So pre bolus these chips if you can because if not, you're gonna fight with them and maybe be honest with yourself about how many you're gonna eat so that you can get that insulin in upfront.
Jenny Smith (13:02) Right. (13:03) Yeah. (13:03) Absolutely.
Scott Benner (13:04) Do you have a favorite potato chip?
Jenny Smith (13:06) Like, brand wise, nothing.
Scott Benner (13:07) No?
Jenny Smith (13:08) Well, I can't actually say it was probably two weeks ago we were gonna get some food to have at the pool for an evening dinner and, like, swim.
Scott Benner (13:18) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (13:20) So I made some sandwiches, and the boys always they they want chips. (13:24) Like, if they could pick, they would have picked chips probably every single day of their life because, you know, who wouldn't? (13:30) So I stopped at the grocery, and I did pick up I think it was the Boulder brand.
Scott Benner (13:35) Boulder?
Jenny Smith (13:36) Because they're made with avocado oil.
Scott Benner (13:39) Oh, okay. (13:41) Does that did you eat any of them?
Jenny Smith (13:43) I did. (13:43) They were they I mean, from a potato chip aspect, I don't like something that's gonna melt in my mouth, and they, like, they tasted
Scott Benner (13:51) They crunched.
Jenny Smith (13:52) They crunched, and they had, like, substance to them.
Scott Benner (13:56) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (13:57) So, yes, avocado oil or I know there are some brands that use, olive oil as well.
Scott Benner (14:04) Okay.
Jenny Smith (14:05) But I think that was the brand that I got, if I remember correctly.
Scott Benner (14:08) Okay. (14:08) Alright. (14:09) Alright. (14:09) There Jenny's endorsing.
Jenny Smith (14:11) There there you go. (14:12) Jenny ate potato chips. (14:13) That's what you can call this episode. (14:14) Alright.
Scott Benner (14:15) I'll see you later.
Jenny Smith (14:17) Thanks.
Scott Benner (14:26) In each episode of the bolus four series, Jenny, Smith, and I are gonna pick one food and talk through the bolus thing for that food. (14:35) We hope you find it valuable. (14:37) Generally speaking, we're gonna follow a bit of a formula, the meal bolt formula, m e a l b o l t. (14:45) You can learn more about it at juiceboxpodcast.com/meal-bolt. (14:51) But here's what it is.
Scott Benner (14:52) Step one, m, measure the meal. (14:57) E, evaluate yourself. (15:00) A, add the base units. (15:02) L, layer a correction. (15:06) B, build the bolus shape, o, offset the timing, l, look at the CGM, and t, tweak for next time.
Scott Benner (15:15) In a nutshell, we measure our meal, total carbohydrates, protein, fat, consider the glycemic index and the glycemic load. (15:24) And then we evaluate yourself. (15:26) What's your current blood sugar? (15:27) How much insulin's on board? (15:28) And what kind of activity are you gonna be involved in or not involved in?
Scott Benner (15:32) Do have any stress, hormones, illness? (15:35) What's going on with you? (15:37) Then a, we add the base units. (15:39) Your carbs divided by insulin to carb ratio, just a simple bolus. (15:44) L, layer of correction.
Scott Benner (15:45) Right? (15:47) Do you have to add or subtract insulin based on your current blood sugar? (15:50) Build the bolus shape. (15:52) Are we gonna give it all upfront, a 100% for a fast digesting meal, or is there gonna be like a combo or a square wave bolus? (15:59) Does it have to be extended?
Scott Benner (16:01) Offset the timing. (16:02) This is about pre bolusing. (16:04) Does it take a couple of minutes this meal or maybe twenty minutes? (16:08) Are we gonna have to again consider combo square wave boluses and meals? (16:13) Figure out the timing of that meal.
Scott Benner (16:15) And then l, look at the CGM. (16:18) An hour later, was there a fast spike? (16:20) Three hours later, was there a delayed rise? (16:22) Five hours later, is there any lingering effect from fat and protein? (16:26) Tweak.
Scott Benner (16:28) Tweak for next time, t. (16:30) What did you eat? (16:31) How much insulin and when? (16:33) What did your blood sugar curve look like? (16:36) What would you do next time?
Scott Benner (16:38) This is what we're gonna talk about in every episode of bolus four. (16:43) Measure the meal. (16:44) Evaluate yourself. (16:45) Add the base units. (16:46) Layer a correction, build the bolus shape, offset the timing, look at the CGM, tweak for next time.
Scott Benner (16:52) But it's not gonna be that confusing, and we're not gonna ask you to remember all of that stuff. (16:57) But that's the pathway that Jenny and I are gonna use to speak about each bolus. (17:05) Hey. (17:05) Thanks for listening all the way to the end. (17:07) I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership.
Scott Benner (17:10) Thank you so much for listening. (17:12) I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box podcast. (17:16) The episode you just heard was professionally edited by Wrong Way Recording. (17:21) Wrongwayrecording.com.
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