Trader Joe's is probably the best-known not-secret of gourmands and those following special diets short of Whole Paycheck Foods. There's a reasonable selection of cheeses, some specialty deli meats, and a lot of private-label groceries from all over the world. The private labeling brings otherwise-overpriced specialty foods, organics, and "natural" groceries into an affordable range; the products are well-labeled for potential allergens; and it's easy to avoid trans-fats and high-fructose corn syrup. Many Trader Joe's locations also have a moderately-priced wine section; their "Charles Shaw" house-brand wines are affectionately known as "Two Buck Chuck" (or in my neck of the woods, "Three Buck Chuck") and a selection of specialty beers and ciders. The lighthearted approach -- ranging from the "crew's" Hawai'ian print shirts to the "Frequent Flyer" featured-foods announcements to "Trader Darwin's" vitamins and supplements -- and the demonstration bar, including a selection of coffees from around the world, make this a favorite place to shop.

 

When I need to replace my stock of TJ's-specific foods, the list is long enough that I prefer to wait for The Other Half to drive me there and back -- but if I have to, it's a short walk to the train or bus to go three towns away, and a short walk from the train station to the store. The schedule is usually just right for me to get into town, efficiently walk over to the store, shop, and briskly walk back to my return ride, arriving just as the train pulls into the station. I was a bit lower than I should have been to start out, 96, but I gave myself enough time to walk leisurely over to the train station, and I knew I'd be able to pick up a snack anywhere I went. Because I had a coupon for a new Staples Copy & Print Center, I took a longer walk around Westfield than usual so I could locate the shop. That, a long wait for the ladies' room, and a very heavy load (including a six-pack of cider in the backpack) combined to make me about five minutes too late to catch the train. Fortunately, one of the two buses home would arrive ten minutes later; I decided to take this bus rather than waiting around another hour for the next train.

 

Meanwhile, it was hot and sunny out and I'd only had a half-liter of water since I'd started out from home, so I decided to splurge on something small at Coldstone Creamery. A flyer advertised the small-size sorbet at 150 calories and fat-free -- a reasonable snack -- so I went for it.

 

Now, here's the rub. If I'm low, I'm likely to be more sensitive to carbs than otherwise. 41 grams of carb -- 35 of which are pure sugar -- as a snack is not a smart idea for anyone with glucose metabolism issues. (One reason I tend to avoid Rita's Italian Ices.) I didn't have that statistic to-hand at the time, and I would have been happier to have been able to purchase something half the size of the overflowing one-cup container. On the other hand, it was just frozen sugar-water. Sugar metabolizes relatively quickly -- an hour or so later and I should be back to baseline, no? Besides, the sorbet was cold, the weather was hot, and I was traipsing around wearing a heavy daypack and carrying two shopping bags of foodstuffs...

 

An hour later, I was home and all my perishables stowed. I grabbed some cold seltzer and went to check my Tweets and e-mail. Headachey, I also checked my blood glucose -- a whopping 160. Cripes. OK, it was only an hour out, and sugar metabolizes quickly, but I don't like to see any reading over 150. (Hell, I don't like to see any reading over 120, but 150 is Definitely Scary for someone who believes in Tight Control.) A half-hour and about 12 ounces of seltzer later, still headachey, my blood pressure was slightly lower than usual, and my blood glucose was 169. [Insert string of expletives here.] I had some food prep and cooking to do, so off to do that... An hour and a half later, felt low/off enough to test again. I was down at 81. High sugar-spike, low rebound plunge -- another reason to keep things in as tight a range as possible.

 

If this is what Coldstone Creamery's "healthy choice" sorbet does to me... I'm afraid to look at the "sinless" ice cream, or Godess forbid, the full-fat, full-guilt, full-sin stuff!

 

It's going to be a loooonnnnnnggggggg summer...

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