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Thing I don't understand about carbs...

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bkkMick

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Bangkok, Thailand
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Chemotherapy. Just finished it.
Hi

I'm trying to low-carb and I must say that, when I'm being good, the results are great.

The other day while out shopping I noticed packets of salt and vinegar crisps (which are hard to find here). I like salt 'n' vinegar crisps so I grabbed a packet and took a look at the carb count on the back (now with a nice sticker in Thai over the English translation.

It says carbs 16gms (8%) of with 0% sugar. Zero percent!?

I bought a packet and had them when I got home. Eating the whole packet (56gm) resulted in only a very slight bump in my BG.

I guess my real question is this: Should we be concerned about all carbs in what we eat or just those carbs that are sugar (if I said that correctly).

Thanks

Mick
 
Hi Mick,

All carbohydrates, other than the indigestible fibre or non starch polysaccherides, are broken down into their component parts (glucose) by the digestion. When ingredient labels seperately list carbohydrates and sugars, they are essentially only distinguishing the carbs which you will convert to sugar yourself from the ones they've already converted for you!

So, yes, all carbs other than fibre (which we lack the enzymes to digest) turn to glucose and should be kept an eye on.

Looks like you got away with it this time though! :D

All the best,

fergus
 
Thanks Fergus.

Bit disappointed to tell the truth. Thought that I'd found sugar free crisps. Oh well.

I'm a little confused. Does your explanation mean that something that says 50gm carbs of which 10gm sugar and another product that says 50gm carbs and 0gm sugar actually mean the same thing? I'm always paying attention to the ' of which sugar' part of the table.

All the best.
 
That's about right Mick.
The only real difference in your example would be that the 'of which 10g sugar' would probably raise your bg a bit faster. The end result would be much the same.
Sorry about the bad news. There really is no such thing as a free lunch is there?

All the best,

fergus
 
As far as your blood glucose is concerned, 50g carbohydrate of which 10g sugar and 50g carbohydrate of which 0g sugar are the same in quantity. the first will just take a few seconds less to arrive.
Although thinking that through again, since sucrose is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructrose and fructose doesn't elevate BG, the first one would have a slightly lesser effect.( If the sugar was sucrose :? )
 
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