Type 2 Fiercely hot Vindaloo curry raised my blood sugar

[resander]

Had home-made Chicken Vindaloo with 120g new potatoes (no rice, no naan) on two successive days. First day I measured 8.3 mmol/L, the second day 7.9. I expected a value of around 7.3 which I usually get for same amount of chicken-only-no-curry and same amount of potato. Anyone getting raised blood sugar when eating very chilli-hot foods?

Here is the recipe:
Chicken Vindaloo 2 servings

350 chicken breast
40 ml vegetable oil
10ml (2tsp) tomato paste carb=4g
6 dried Red Bird eye chillies carb=?
25mm piece of cassia bark carb=? (see link below)
250g onions finely chopped carb=20g gi/gl=45/4(ok)
3 cloves garlic carb=3g gi/gl=45/7(ok)
60ml water
7ml ground coriander carb 1.7g
5ml ground cumin carb 1g
5ml hot chilli powder carb 1.5g
3ml turmeric carb 0.6g
2 pinches ground cloves carb=?
5ml red vinegar
----------------------------------------
carb 31g

Ceylon vs Cassia - Not All Cinnamon Is Created Equal
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ceylon-vs-cassia-cinnamon

 

[Deleted Account]

I have not experienced this but, whilst I enjoy spicy food, I don't think I have eaten anything I would describe as "fiercely hot".
I wonder if the extra BG rise is due to the stress from the heat.
Our bodies seem to release glycogen for different types of stress from tough meetings at work to trying to cycle up a steep hill in the pouring rain so it would not surprise me if it did something similar if it felt a curry was too hot.
But that's just a theory.

 

[DCUKMod]

@resander - did the 7.3 you were expecting take into account of the carbs in the curry element on your vindaloo? .

 

[Mr_Pot]

Not sure what to say about the readings. I would leave out the potatoes and have some cauliflower instead ( just roast some florets after drizzling with oil).

What do the figures gi/gl indicate?

 

[KK123]

Had home-made Chicken Vindaloo with 120g new potatoes (no rice, no naan) on two successive days. First day I measured 8.3 mmol/L, the second day 7.9. I expected a value of around 7.3 which I usually get for same amount of chicken-only-no-curry and same amount of potato. Anyone getting raised blood sugar when eating very chilli-hot foods?

Here is the recipe:
Chicken Vindaloo 2 servings

350 chicken breast
40 ml vegetable oil
10ml (2tsp) tomato paste carb=4g
6 dried Red Bird eye chillies carb=?
25mm piece of cassia bark carb=? (see link below)
250g onions finely chopped carb=20g gi/gl=45/4(ok)
3 cloves garlic carb=3g gi/gl=45/7(ok)
60ml water
7ml ground coriander carb 1.7g
5ml ground cumin carb 1g
5ml hot chilli powder carb 1.5g
3ml turmeric carb 0.6g
2 pinches ground cloves carb=?
5ml red vinegar
----------------------------------------
carb 31g

Ceylon vs Cassia - Not All Cinnamon Is Created Equal
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ceylon-vs-cassia-cinnamon

To be honest, you could record a difference of 1 point in two checks on the same finger one straight after the other. That's the difficulty with carb counting when you are doing it to calculate insulin (which I'm guessing you're not), even the EXACT weighed amount of something has a different effect on your glucose, it could be what you were doing 5 minutes before or that morning or the evening before or your stress levels or an unexpected bill or looking out of the window and seeing your next doors neighbours cat doing its business in your garden. Seriously, I'm not sure I would be bothered about a 'rise' unless it was over 2 points...and maybe not then.

 

[resander]

Carbs -> blood sugar readings:
Chicken curry + 120g new potato = 30g + 18g = 48g carb -> 8.1mmol/L
Chicken + 120g new potato = 18g carb -> 6.9 to 7.2 mmol/L
Porridge + low carb bread slice + ham = 34 + 10 = 44g carb -> 7.1 mmol/L

The sum of carbohydrates in the recipe is 30g. The onions account for 20g of the carbs, the tomato paste for 4g and the garlic for 3g and all have low Glycemic index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) values. Onion gi/gl=45/4, tomato paste 45/6 and garlic 45/7 so would expect these to be blood sugar friendly.

I have had only two hot Vindaloo meals and numerous meals of the other two. Maybe the Vindaloo pushes the blood sugar up a bit, but I need more blood sugar readings. Will post here again after next curry.

 

[DCUKMod]

Carbs -> blood sugar readings:
Chicken curry + 120g new potato = 30g + 18g = 48g carb -> 8.1mmol/L
Chicken + 120g new potato = 18g carb -> 6.9 to 7.2 mmol/L
Porridge + low carb bread slice + ham = 34 + 10 = 44g carb -> 7.1 mmol/L

The sum of carbohydrates in the recipe is 30g. The onions account for 20g of the carbs, the tomato paste for 4g and the garlic for 3g and all have low Glycemic index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) values. Onion gi/gl=45/4, tomato paste 45/6 and garlic 45/7 so would expect these to be blood sugar friendly.

I have had only two hot Vindaloo meals and numerous meals of the other two. Maybe the Vindaloo pushes the blood sugar up a bit, but I need more blood sugar readings. Will post here again after next curry.

Resander, some people find not all carbs are the same. In other words, 20gr carb from porridge returns a different result to 20gr from, say fruit. Timing of the day, fat content of the meal/snack, individuals stress levels,.... all sorts.

Carbs v blood scores is by no means a straight line correlation