Carbs not sugar!!!

[SB2015]

A rant warning

The news reports are driving me bonkers today. The constant reference to the dangers of sugar, reduction of sugar in drinks but then replacing it with sweeteners, and ignoring the impact of other carbohydrates is missing the point as far as I can see.

The focus on ‘sugar’ encourages people to ignore all the other carbohydrates that they eat and the impact that these have on their glucose levels.

 

[Maz2]

You are not alone. I am sick of it as well. Why is it that n othing is ever said about carbs. Most people I know express surprise when I mention bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, sugary breakfast cereal etc and think I have gone mad.

 

[Mark T]

It surprises them even more when you point out the things like white bread are pure glucose and convert very quickly, whereas table sugar will generally convert slower due to it's fructose content.

 

[Ljc]

I was &@#%! at the radio today for the same reason, No wonder we all get totally fed up with all the cr** err .... pile of poo some people tell us off for /believe etc
When will the powers that be wake up to the fact that it’s carbs, carbs and yet more carbs that we really don’t need.

 

[Northerner]

Me too I think they'll be really confused when cutting down on sugar in pop doesn't solve the obesity problem 🙄

 

[Maz2]

It surprises them even more when you point out the things like white bread are pure glucose and convert very quickly, whereas table sugar will generally convert slower due to it's fructose content.

Oh, that is a new one on me I must say. Very interesting.

 

[Ljc]

Me too I think they'll be really confused when cutting down on sugar in pop doesn't solve the obesity problem 🙄

I agree but imo the £s will go into the dark depths of the treasury and who knows where they’ll end up.
Or am I just being cynical 🙄

 

[Mark T]

Oh, that is a new one on me I must say. Very interesting.

Table sugar is typically 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Fructose has a relatively low glycemic index, so it slows down the absorption of the glucose.

All the carbohydrates in white bread as glucose... So converts pretty quickly.

You can get Glycemic Index reference books that give you the numbers for all sorts of different foods. Glycemic Index is the rate at which the carbs convert to glucose in your blood stream over a 3 hr (if I recall correctly) period.

 

[mikeyB]

With regard to reduced sugar drinks, it’s always amazed me seeing folk order a Big Mac and large fries with a Diet Coke. To be fair to McDonalds, they do put the carb content on all their comestibles. At least they are honest.

 

[Dave W]

I think it is at least a start towards the reduction of "sugar" consumption and a small step on the way to reducing obesity. Mr and Mrs Average understand "sugar". However I doubt if very many equate carbohydrates witrh sugar, in fact there are many diabetics who don't understand the connection. To throw carb consumption into the arena at present would probably be a step too far. After all it's taken DUK a long time to recognise LCHF and NHS still promote a carb-heavy diet through the eatwell plate.

 

[Martin Canty]

Big Mac and large fries with a Diet Coke

Perhaps because Diet tastes better.....

 

[trophywench]

Perhaps because Diet tastes better.....

... and you have no idea how many people leave half the bun ! (cos I might order that and do that, myself LOL)

Credit where Credit is due. Dr Malhotra was on Jeremy Vine and I prepared to rant - BUT what he said was that sugar generally - and the people like the chap who phoned who used to drink half a dozen cups of coffee with 6 sugars and up to 6 cans of 'normal' Coke every day, with Mars Bars, Pasties and a couple of bags of Haribo confirmed it, having had a heart attack and the cardiologist explaining this to him - has proved to be a major culprit in adding fat to the internal organs and thereby setting that body up with Insulin Resistance even when not overweight and eg still playing regular football aged 50 and considering himself 'fit' - hence the decision was taken to advocate removing sugar from the thing it appeared that all the similar patients they saw regularly consumed the most of. Dr M did not advocate replacing all that sugar with artificial sweeteners cos his main desire was for people to retrain their taste buds for ever.

Yes of course he does accept that pies and pasties are carb laden and he wants us to cut them down too, because not only carbs - you are also turning unprocessed fats into processed fats which really aren't good for us very often either.

All in all, he said that help with also reducing portion sizes of the culprits needed to be given to everyone - not just those who've already had one prob or another.

But that just isn't sensational enough to meet the gutter press requirements of 'Who can we blame today?' is it!

Gutter Press used to mean 'the tabloids' but all the Press have become infected with the same bacteria.

 

[DaveB]

I'm amazed that the whole world doesn't get the 'carbs versus sugar' bit. It will take a few years yet before the 'world' catches up and with the food industry lobby fighting all the way as carbs are a very low cost food. I thought the Dr on Jeremy Vines show was a revelation and the fact that he said sat fats have nothing to do with heart disease was great to hear.

 

[Ralph-YK]

However I doubt if very many equate carbohydrates witrh sugar, in fact there are many diabetics who don't understand the connection.

I've given up the battle of getting anyone to talk about carbs and not go for sugar. Including the Diabetic Dietician. I've given up on them completely.
On labels, one said to look at sugars on the front, not to bother with total carbs on the back and she had no idea why anyone should suggest looking at carb content.
Other said not to manage carbs.

 

[SB2015]

I've given up the battle of getting anyone to talk about carbs and not go for sugar. Including the Diabetic Dietician. I've given up on them completely.
On labels, one said to look at sugars on the front, not to bother with total carbs on the back and she had no idea why anyone should suggest looking at carb content.
Other said not to manage carbs.

!!!! What do they think happens to the carbs that aren’t sugar!!,

 

[Maz2]

Me too I think they'll be really confused when cutting down on sugar in pop doesn't solve the obesity problem 🙄

Yes - I am wondering what they are going to say then because this is certainly not going to cure it. There is much more to obesity than sugary drinks.

 

[Maz2]

With regard to reduced sugar drinks, it’s always amazed me seeing folk order a Big Mac and large fries with a Diet Coke. To be fair to McDonalds, they do put the carb content on all their comestibles. At least they are honest.

I recall many years ago when I was much younger I was out with a friend. We had played badminton and went into the pub and ordered a diet coke and a bag of scratchings. A guy in there said what is the point of a diet coke when you have ordered pork scratchings. My friend said "one cancels the other out." That was in jest, but this is what a lot of people think.

 

[Maz2]

I think it is at least a start towards the reduction of "sugar" consumption and a small step on the way to reducing obesity. Mr and Mrs Average understand "sugar". However I doubt if very many equate carbohydrates witrh sugar, in fact there are many diabetics who don't understand the connection. To throw carb consumption into the arena at present would probably be a step too far. After all it's taken DUK a long time to recognise LCHF and NHS still promote a carb-heavy diet through the eatwell plate.

Yes, that is correct. When I first came to this Forum and was informed that, not only did I need to watch fruit and dried fruit (I was eating loads), but also potatoes, pasta, rice, bread etc. I was amazed too. Some of my friends think I have gone mad when I mention it as they think it is only chocolate, biscuits, and all that sort of stuff that leads to diabetes. They are learning fast.

 

[Maz2]

I'm amazed that the whole world doesn't get the 'carbs versus sugar' bit. It will take a few years yet before the 'world' catches up and with the food industry lobby fighting all the way as carbs are a very low cost food. I thought the Dr on Jeremy Vines show was a revelation and the fact that he said sat fats have nothing to do with heart disease was great to hear.

Yay. At last. I was chatting to my GP when he told me I had gone back to pre-diabetic levels (had got out of it). I told him I know so many people now with diabetes or pre-diabetes and he said it is all the processed foods and too many carbs. He also said the levels have been brought down too which has caught a lot more people as, at one time, they did not bother with "pre diabetes" but it is good thing as they are catching it before it gets too far. No one wants to go back to the days when people found out they were diabetic because they developed a complication.

 

[Maz2]

I've given up the battle of getting anyone to talk about carbs and not go for sugar. Including the Diabetic Dietician. I've given up on them completely.
On labels, one said to look at sugars on the front, not to bother with total carbs on the back and she had no idea why anyone should suggest looking at carb content.
Other said not to manage carbs.

For crying out loud!!!!!