What is good sugar and bad sugar?

[pinkfoot]

This is a genuine question, I'd really appreciate some helpful advice.

I'm seeing good weight loss after switching to a low carbohydrate regime, I'm also starting to exercise with swimming and gym as my main activities.

What constitutes good sugars? I am starting to eat lots of fruit, mainly melons, oranges, blueberries, any sort of red berry and the odd banana. Are fruits bad for diabetes in general (as some have a high 'natural' sugar content) or should I carry on with eating them?

I understand that processed foods will be high sugar content with some being added, but how do we go about monitoring sugar in natural, non-processed foods.

Many thanks for constructive advice.

 

[bulkbiker]

Do you test your blood sugar levels after eating the fruit? If so what kind of spikes do you get?
Most would say if you want to be low carb avoid most fruit apart from some berries.
Personally apart from a few raspberries in double cream (as a dessert treat) I haven't eaten any fruit in the last 11 months.

 

[bulkbiker]

Oh yes and in answer to your question.. there aren't really any good sugars...

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi @pinkfoot.

People vary as to what fruits they can and cannot eat. Temperate ones are better than tropical ones and if you eat them as a dessert then they have less impact than if you eat them as a snack.
Testing is the key as to whether different fruits affect your blood sugars.

 

[AndBreathe]

@pinkfoot - Many T2s find that about the best fruits for them to eat are berries. Most other options don't tend to return good blood results. However, we are all different, and really the very best way to answer your question is to do some self testing; including fruit. That gives you immediate (well, within 2 hours) feedback on how your body coped with that food, on that day.

We can each give you our opinions, but what really matters is how you react, not what works or not for me. I must openly admit that in my early days, fruit was one thing I really, really missed, and I still do to an extent.

Virtually 3 years into this adventure, my numbers are in a good place, and my blood numbers (testing, as suggested) tell me, I'm OK with fruits. I still don't push my luck too much in terms to frequency or quantity, but I do now eat more fruit.

So, I guess what I'm saying is it's worthwhile doing the hard yards early on, if you can, and you might find yourself in a good place. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[pinkfoot]

Many thanks to all for the replies. It is something that I hadn't thought about, fruits being carbs etc..

This has made me feel a little down as I have really been enjoying fruit of late and thought it would be a healthier way of eating. But as stated by @AndBreathe that it is down to testing.

 

[delacey68]

Ultimately your liver doesn't differentiate on the type of sugar you eat, it is all sugar.
I don't eat fruit much nowadays, except if it has the word "berry" in it. And then only as an occasional treat.

 

[phil1966]

As others have said, the only way to know for sure is to test after eating some. Many people can't eat bananas for example, but they barely affect my blood sugar (as long as it's a small one and not overly ripe): if I wasn't testing, I wouldn't have known that

 

[Pinkorchid]

I don't eat a lot of fruit I got sick of just having berries so now I have whatever I fancy occasionally it might be a satsuma a plum or a small doughnut nectarine

 

[Lamont D]

As others have it all depends on how much or what type of fruit you react to!

Sugar and fruit are a source of fructose, in which we derive glucose and energy from.
It is a good source of minerals and vitamins. But there are alternatives.
You can do without them!
But it is how they effect you.

 

[RCot]

Ultimately your liver doesn't differentiate on the type of sugar you eat, it is all sugar.
I don't eat fruit much nowadays, except if it has the word "berry" in it. And then only as an occasional treat.

I presume you make the exception for berries because they contain less sugar than other fruits per gram, rather than for any other inherent factor? I can understand why people may think there may be good and bad sugars as there are different "types" of sugars e.g. fructose, glucose, sucrose etc. I believe, however, that the substance "sugar" should be explained in more detail so that we all have a proper evidence base. This would also support your statement about the liver.

 

[bulkbiker]

I presume you make the exception for berries because they contain less sugar than other fruits per gram, rather than for any other inherent factor? I can understand why people may think there may be good and bad sugars as there are different "types" of sugars e.g. fructose, glucose, sucrose etc. I believe, however, that the substance "sugar" should be explained in more detail so that we all have a proper evidence base. This would also support your statement about the liver.

A lot of us would say they are all carbohydrate which is not good for those with insulin resistance so maybe best avoided. That is why we follow a low carb diet with higher fats to keep us satiated.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Basically anything ending in "ose" is sugar, and whether natural or otherwise, it will have some sort of effect on blood sugar. However, it isn't just sugar we should look out for, it is carbohydrate. There is no need to monitor sugar in anything we eat. We need to monitor the total carb content as any sugar will be included in that amount.

As for bananas, they are extremely fast acting. As soon as you take your first bite the glucose is released, which is why tennis players could always be seen munching them between games. They have glucose tablets and drinks these days. If you want to test out bananas you need to test every 15 minutes from first bite. If you can get away with one, I am very jealous!

 

[Deleted Account]

To my understanding, sugar isn't the thing that is "good". How you are consuming those sugars are what is good or bad.
For example, downing a bag of granulated sugar (or drinking a can of coke) is just consuming sugar and is not providing any nutrients to your body.
However, fruit contains nutrients that are good for your body like vitamin C or iron or vitamin B6 or ...
Food which is just sugar is often referred to as "empty calories". In other words calories that provide your body with no value.
This is why we are encouraged to eat fruit and veg - not for the sugar but for the added value they bring.

 

[chalup]

There is not one single vitamin or mineral you can get from fruit that you can't get from veggies, only without the sugar. Often in higher amounts.

 

[Brunneria]

To my understanding, sugar isn't the thing that is "good". How you are consuming those sugars are what is good or bad.
For example, downing a bag of granulated sugar (or drinking a can of coke) is just consuming sugar and is not providing any nutrients to your body.
However, fruit contains nutrients that are good for your body like vitamin C or iron or vitamin B6 or ...
Food which is just sugar is often referred to as "empty calories". In other words calories that provide your body with no value.
This is why we are encouraged to eat fruit and veg - not for the sugar but for the added value they bring.

But we can all make sensible decisions based on our particular circumstances and our ability to cope with the sugars/carbs that accompany the fruit and veg 'added value'.

For instance, a T1 can eat what they like of fruit and veg, because they can adjust their insulin to deal with the carbs

While a T2 not on insulin needs to be aware that every gram of carb will have blood glucose impact, and decide on portion size as appropriate.

To me, the damage the carbs do FAR outweighs the perceived benefits from (for example) tropical fruit. Especially when the same nutrients are easily found in foods such as bell pepper, leafy greens and broccoli.

In fact, veg often has MORE nutrition and fibre than the sweet fruits do. We have just become a culture that thinks sugary fruit is 'good' for us, and 'necessary'. But if that were the case, our ancestors would have died of malnutrition long before oranges and bananas became freely available via the first refrigerated supermarket lorry.

 

[Catlady19]

Basically anything ending in "ose" is sugar

Like Morose, Diagnose, Hose, Moose? He he only teasing!
@pinkfoot as others have said, it is totally down to your own body - it doesn't differentiate between good and bad sugar. The only way to know is to test.
Good luck!

 

[Hotpepper20000]

But we can all make sensible decisions based on our particular circumstances and our ability to cope with the sugars/carbs that accompany the fruit and veg 'added value'.

For instance, a T1 can eat what they like of fruit and veg, because they can adjust their insulin to deal with the carbs

While a T2 not on insulin needs to be aware that every gram of carb will have blood glucose impact, and decide on portion size as appropriate.

To me, the damage the carbs do FAR outweighs the perceived benefits from (for example) tropical fruit. Especially when the same nutrients are easily found in foods such as bell pepper, leafy greens and broccoli.

In fact, veg often has MORE nutrition and fibre than the sweet fruits do. We have just become a culture that thinks sugary fruit is 'good' for us, and 'necessary'. But if that were the case, our ancestors would have died of malnutrition long before oranges and bananas became freely available via the first refrigerated supermarket lorry.

The only fruit I eat is a small apple once in a while and berries. For me it not so much about the nutrition as it is about the pur enjoyment of a bowl of berries with 36% fat cream.
And as long as I keep losing weight I will enjoy.

 

[pinkfoot]

Just undertook my first days Low Carb program and it has been eye opening to see what my readings have been. Fasting 6.7, breakfast: scrambled eggs & smoked salmon reading 8.2 after two hours. Post prandial lunch, 6.8 and then two hours after 5.4! Lunch was Linda McCartney's veggie sausage with half a chicken breast, got to get used to drinking water and salt now... Thanks one and all for the advice and inspirations

Kev