does actual sugar matter vs carbs?

infinitemantra · Apr 11, 2017

I avoid anything with added sugar - because I am affronted that sugar is added for no reason. However does the actual sugar content matter? or is it just carbs that make the difference.

For example is chorizo with dextrose in it and carbs of 0.7 per 100g worse than chorizo with no sugar and carbs of 0.7 per 100g?

sally and james · Apr 11, 2017

Sugars are carbs, which is why labels say "x grams carbs, of which sugars y grams". For example,
If I sliced up a banana for you, I could label it "23g carb per 100g, of which 12g is sugar". The other 11g are starches, which break down into sugars inside you. Only look at the total carbs, that is the figure you should be using for any calculations or making sure you keep your blood sugars down.

I could label the sliced banana, "no added sugar". This would be true, but it doesn't mean you should eat it, it's naturally packed with enough of the stuff to send most diabetics sky high.
Sally

infinitemantra · Apr 11, 2017

sally and james said:
Sugars are carbs, which is why labels say "x grams carbs, of which sugars y grams". For example,
If I sliced up a banana for you, I could label it "23g carb per 100g, of which 12g is sugar". The other 11g are starches, which break down into sugars inside you. Only look at the total carbs, that is the figure you should be using for any calculations or making sure you keep your blood sugars down.

I could label the sliced banana, "no added sugar". This would be true, but it doesn't mean you should eat it, it's naturally packed with enough of the stuff to send most diabetics sky high.
Sally

thanks

NoCrbs4Me · Apr 11, 2017

At 0.7 g per 100 g it probably doesn't matter.

infinitemantra · Apr 11, 2017

No2D said:
There are dozens of sugars. Blood sugar is glucose (dextrose). Starch, as in potatoes, is made of thousands of glucose molecules connected end to end. Eating potatoes is almost like eating pure glucose. Carbs are fast acting or slow acting. The worst for a diabetic are fast acting, those that are made of sugars that quickly break down in the gut and turn into sugar. These are high glycemic foods, sort of. Some fast acting carbs can raise blood sugar faster than eating spoonfuls of sugar.
Stealth sugars: Manufactures use sugars they aren't required to technically be called sugar. They also use multiple sugars to confuse things. Anything that's labeled "low fat" is likely high sugar.

so are you saying the opposite of sally and james? that the "sugar" ingredients such as Dextrose are worse than the simple carb count ?

infinitemantra · Apr 11, 2017

NoCrbs4Me said:
At 0.7 g per 100 g it probably doesn't matter.

agreed so I ate some. However if I were eating something with a higher carb count out and about - that had fairly low carbs say 5 per 100 grams - but has sugar in it. Is it just the carbs that I should be concerned about as Sally and James says - or do some sugars added to foods have a worse affect as No2d indicates?

NoCrbs4Me · Apr 11, 2017

infinitemantra said:
agreed so I ate some. However if I were eating something with a higher carb count out and about - that had fairly low carbs say 5 per 100 grams - but has sugar in it. Is it just the carbs that I should be concerned about as Sally and James says - or do some sugars added to foods have a worse affect as No2d indicates?

Regular table sugar is sucrose, which is half fructose and half glucose. This will result in a lower blood glucose spike after eating than the same amount of starch, which is all glucose. This is because the fructose needs to be processed in the liver to be usable, whereas the glucose can go straight to you're blood. However, some believe that fructose will contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. So both are not good for you.

ickihun · Apr 11, 2017

Sugar acts differently to starchy carbs.
Sugar raises your sugar to a peak then back down again. It is suppose to be processed a lot quicker than starchy carbs.
On that basis I use sugar for a hypo then follow up with a starchy carb if no carbs lingering in my system from a previous meal.
Starchy carbs raise not as much and get carried along steadily til used up or stored.
Diabetes prevailing!

bulkbiker · Apr 11, 2017

infinitemantra said:
agreed so I ate some. However if I were eating something with a higher carb count out and about - that had fairly low carbs say 5 per 100 grams - but has sugar in it. Is it just the carbs that I should be concerned about as Sally and James says - or do some sugars added to foods have a worse affect as No2d indicates?

If you just consider carbs and sugar as the same thing so look at totals carbs and try to maintain your 5% max then you shouldn't go too far wrong.. don't make it too difficult just cut back all carbs to a minimum.

PNJB · Apr 11, 2017

sally and james said:
Sugars are carbs, which is why labels say "x grams carbs, of which sugars y grams". For example,
If I sliced up a banana for you, I could label it "23g carb per 100g, of which 12g is sugar". The other 11g are starches, which break down into sugars inside you. Only look at the total carbs, that is the figure you should be using for any calculations or making sure you keep your blood sugars down.

I could label the sliced banana, "no added sugar". This would be true, but it doesn't mean you should eat it, it's naturally packed with enough of the stuff to send most diabetics sky high.
Sally

Sound sense Sally, many thanks. For T2 diabetics what do you think are the pros and cons of eating banana 2 or 3 times a week to help reduce Hi blood pressure? Any views?

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