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Prediabetes Eating vs drinking (coffee) sugar, which is worse?

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tcarroll12

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I am borderline prediabetic so I don't want that to progress any further. I feel I've improved my diet as far as refined carbs and all that, but my quandary is with treats. I prefer drinking sugar (half-sweet lattes, iced teas or, currently, iced pumpkin chai lattes) rather than eating it because it lasts longer and is, I feel, a better value for the sugar amount than something that can be consumed in 1 minute and then it's gone :/ Additionally, with a customized drink, I have 100% control over how much sugar goes in it instead of having to look up nutrition of a certain pastry or whatever and having no control over the amount of sugar in that.
I thought having, say, 25g of sugar (with tea or coffee) in a 3 or 4 hour period would be easier on the body than 30g (plus white carbs and other bad stuff), but my coworker says the opposite is true. Which is it?
 
tcarroll12 said:
I am borderline prediabetic so I don't want that to progress any further. I feel I've improved my diet as far as refined carbs and all that, but my quandary is with treats. I prefer drinking sugar (half-sweet lattes, iced teas or, currently, iced pumpkin chai lattes) rather than eating it because it lasts longer and is, I feel, a better value for the sugar amount than something that can be consumed in 1 minute and then it's gone :/ Additionally, with a customized drink, I have 100% control over how much sugar goes in it instead of having to look up nutrition of a certain pastry or whatever and having no control over the amount of sugar in that.
I thought having, say, 25g of sugar (with tea or coffee) in a 3 or 4 hour period would be easier on the body than 30g (plus white carbs and other bad stuff), but my coworker says the opposite is true. Which is it?
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I'm afraid your coworker is on to something, though I wouldn't be sure about the amount of carbs it would even out as. If something's liquid, it hits the system a lot quicker, making for a bigger spike. If you take sugar with food, the fats and fibres will slow down the uptake of those same sugars. Which is why a hypo treatment is often a sugary drink. Food can take too long, in an emergency. That said, sugars in whatever form are not a good idea if you want to stay ahead of the game, but then, you knew I was going to say that. You might be interested in googling the terms keto and starbucks, you'll get a load of low carbs sweet coffee suggestions.
 
Your coworker is definitely on to some thing keep in mind you only have control of the extra sugar you are adding to a drink that already contains carbs.

A chai latte from Starbucks has approximately 45 grams of carbs add a couple of tea spoons of sugar and you have one huge carbohydrate hit in a cup.

When I go to a Costa now I have the latte from the vegan choices with coconut milk and do not add sugar far less carbs involved.
 
Sucrose is a slow toxin, particularly for those already experiencing metabolic problems. It contains glucose that further necessitates the release of insulin, and fructose that simultaneously aggravates insulin resistance. In terms of the ‘time-to-spike’, drinking it will only make things worse than eating it, but neither is a great idea under the circumstances.
 
tcarroll12 said:
I am borderline prediabetic so I don't want that to progress any further. I feel I've improved my diet as far as refined carbs and all that, but my quandary is with treats. I prefer drinking sugar (half-sweet lattes, iced teas or, currently, iced pumpkin chai lattes) rather than eating it because it lasts longer and is, I feel, a better value for the sugar amount than something that can be consumed in 1 minute and then it's gone :/ Additionally, with a customized drink, I have 100% control over how much sugar goes in it instead of having to look up nutrition of a certain pastry or whatever and having no control over the amount of sugar in that.
I thought having, say, 25g of sugar (with tea or coffee) in a 3 or 4 hour period would be easier on the body than 30g (plus white carbs and other bad stuff), but my coworker says the opposite is true. Which is it?
Click to expand...
Your co worker is right but only because the sugar in your latte will be half fructose and this will usually get converted to fat in the liver thus making insulin resistance worse.. Incidentally white bread is pure glucose (unless you are in the US) so would ultimately result in a higher bg reading.
However on a practical note you have made changes but are not psychologically ready to give up sweetness and seek to have controlled amounts which seems a sensible strategy though ultimately you will need to reduce your dependence and allow your body and taste buds to get used to less sweetness so that in the end you won't crave it so much.
 
I agree with what’s been said so far but just wanted to welcome @tcarroll12 to the forum. Have a read around the various sub forums, you’ll learn a lot.
 
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