"of which sugars..."

[Steve1122]

Hello everybody. A quick question, and sorry if it's a bit simplistic, but on food labels when it lists carbs and then says "of which sugars", am I right to think this is meaning that's the simple carbs and so what's left is the count of complex carbs that food provides? Does it work like that?

I'm not long diagnosed type 2, and I'm trying to get my head around things!

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Leadinglights]

Hello everybody. A quick question, and sorry if it's a bit simplistic, but on food labels when it lists carbs and then says "of which sugars", am I right to think this is meaning that's the simple carbs and so what's left is the count of complex carbs that food provides? Does it work like that?

I'm not long diagnosed type 2, and I'm trying to get my head around things!

Thanks,

Steve

Forget the 'of sugars' and look at the carbohydrate number of x g per 100g or per item.
Foods can be low in sugar but still high carbohydrate and it is ALL carbohydrates that convert to glucose. You could be easily deceived into thinking something was OK if you just look at the sugar or at the traffic light labelling which is as much use as a chocolate teapot if Diabetic.

 

[rayray119]

All it means is how much sugar is in the food not useful when carb counting.

 

[Steve1122]

Thanks for that. I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much. Does the 'of which sugars...' thing help with that?

Thanks again, and sorry again if I'm restating the obvious - there's a lot to learn about diabetes! 🙂

steve

 

[rayray119]

Thanks for that. I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much. Does the 'of which sugars...' thing help with that?

Thanks again, and sorry again if I'm restating the obvious - there's a lot to learn about diabetes! 🙂

steve

That's false information I'm afraid all carby food effects blood suger.

 

[Steve1122]

All it means is how much sugar is in the food not useful when carb counting.

Okay, thanks for that. Makes me wonder why they include it on the label.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks for that. I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much. Does the 'of which sugars...' thing help with that?

Thanks again, and sorry again if I'm restating the obvious - there's a lot to learn about diabetes! 🙂

steve

I suppose if you are comparing 2 products with a very similar carbohydrate figure then the preferable one would be the one with the lower 'as sugar' number as there would be less 'empty' carbs and may be metabolised more quickly but it is a bit may as the other components, protein and fats as well as people gut microflora all influence it.
Don't make thing more complicated for yourself.

 

[rayray119]

Okay, thanks for that. Makes me wonder why they include it on the label.

Well there not actually putting the information on their soly for diabetics. So some people might be interested in how much sugar something has

 

[Steve1122]

That's false information I'm afraid all carby food effects blood suger.

Okay, thanks, false information seems plentiful. Google throws up more conflicting views on everything diabetes it seems!

 

[Steve1122]

I suppose if you are comparing 2 products with a very similar carbohydrate figure then the preferable one would be the one with the lower 'as sugar' number as there would be less 'empty' carbs and may be metabolised more quickly but it is a bit may as the other components, protein and fats as well as people gut microflora all influence it.
Don't make thing more complicated for yourself.

Over complicating is the problem, I suppose. I discovered I was diabetic while having my foot amputated, so it feels I have a lot invested in getting to grips with the condition (if the wound doesn't heal (which thankfully it is, albeit slowly) they tell me they're coming for my leg!

steve

 

[Steve1122]

Well there not actually putting the information on their soly for diabetics. So some people might be interested in how much sugar something has

Yes, that makes sense.

 

[Inka]

Thanks for that. I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much. Does the 'of which sugars...' thing help with that?

Thanks again, and sorry again if I'm restating the obvious - there's a lot to learn about diabetes! 🙂

steve

@Steve1122 Yes, that’s right. If you choose complex carbs, they usually break down more slowly. @rayray119 seems to have been answering something else. Obviously all carbs affect your blood sugar, but choosing complex, low GI ones is better (for everyone).

The ‘of sugars’ thing is secondary to the carbs, but it does have its use as some items might have the same amount of carbs but one might have significantly more sugar.

 

[rayray119]

@Steve1122 Yes, that’s right. If you choose complex carbs, they usually break down more slowly. @rayray119 seems to have been answering something else. Obviously all carbs affect your blood sugar, but choosing complex, low GI ones is better (for everyone).

The ‘of sugars’ thing is secondary to the carbs, but it does have its use as some items might have the same amount of carbs but one might have significantly more sugar.

@Steve1122 Yes, that’s right. If you choose complex carbs, they usually break down more slowly. @rayray119 seems to have been answering something else. Obviously all carbs affect your blood sugar, but choosing complex, low GI ones is better (for everyone).

The ‘of sugars’ thing is secondary to the carbs, but it does have its use as some items might have the same amount of carbs but one might have significantly more sugar.

It's not actually always obvious for type 2 that all carbs effect blood sugar.you see it on this forum all the time when they haven't been told. When he said complexed carbs I imagined he might things like pasta but if I'm wrong I apologise.

 

[rayray119]

@StephenUK I was going to say afterwards the best way to work out what works for you is to test your blood sugar before and a couple hours. I'm not type 2 but I know from others experience that's a good method because everyone handles food differently

 

[Inka]

@rayray119 The OP said “I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much.”

You then said this was “false information”. It’s not. That’s what I was responding to.

 

[Steve1122]

Thanks. It seemed intuitive to me that lower sugar carb content made for higher 'good carbs', but I take on board the other comments about other things at play like fibre, protein and whatnot. I'm using the Libre CGM to try and figure out what individual foods work for me, but it's definitely a learning curve. And even that seems to throw up contradictions, results I didn't expect, that are different for the same foods on different days.

 

[Steve1122]

@StephenUK I was going to say afterwards the best way to work out what works for you is to test your blood sugar before and a couple hours. I'm not type 2 but I know from others experience that's a good method because everyone handles food differently

Yes, it is what I'm doing with a CGM. It's expensive but worth its weight right now. Hopefully, when I learn what I'm doing I can gain confidence and do without it.

 

[rayray119]

@rayray119 The OP said “I keep reading I should aim for food with more complex carbs as they convert to sugar more slowly and so don't 'spike' as much.”

You then said this was “false information”. It’s not. That’s what I was responding to.

Okay yes I was wrong to say false information again(although I'm know some people that can find foods that are meant to slow release) but yes I apologise for not thinking things though.

 

[rayray119]

Yes, it is what I'm doing with a CGM. It's expensive but worth its weight right now. Hopefully, when I learn what I'm doing I can gain confidence and do without it.

Yeah tech should be more accessiblly to type 2s really.

 

[Leadinglights]

You definitely have a vested interest in getting to grips with getting your blood glucose down but nobody ever said it was easy and your body is a biological system and can have a mind of it's own which can perplex people.
Looking at trends rather than individual readings and being aware of the limitations of the technology. Finger prick testing monitors are permitted to be 15% accurate so the permitted inaccuracy is greater when blood glucose is high. likewise the Libre is more accurate when blood glucose is not high or low.
There is a thread about limitations somewhere on the forum.