Sugar is Sugar
Sugar is Sugar…period.
It doesn’t matter the source of the sugar. Sugar is Sugar. I like to tell people there is no such thing as “good sugar” or “bad sugar.” This will only give people an excuse to look for items that contain “good sugar” and consume large quantities perhaps frequently. This can be just as bad as eating items that contain “bad sugar.” The terms good and bad sugar are made up by people who really don’t have a firm understanding of diabetes. I have always heard them used by non-diabetics. I have not seen any diabetic periodical or medical website use these terms.
In either case, glucose/sugar will cause an increase in the bloodstream. As a diabetic, you will have to utilize your treatment and/or exercise to decrease the glucose levels. All sugars are essentially the same and none offer any significant nutritional advantage over another. Therefore, there is no difference between honey or brown sugar and table sugar. The sugar in fruit is no better or worse than the sugar in a candy bar. It is more important to be concerned with the amount of sugar that is being introduced into the body than the source. I am sure there will be people that will argue this point. I encourage you the reader to do your own research on the topic if you find something of interest please contact me.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
High Fructose Corn Syrup is an extreme popular food additive. It is in all kinds of edible products. Next time you go to the grocery store read the ingredient labels. Because this sweetener is in so many foods, the average persons exposure to HFCS is greatly elevated and there is concern as to how the body will react to the overload. This is not good to consume in large quantities. It has been linked as a contributor to diabetes. Do not be fooled by the commercials that try to say HFCS are natural and it is just sugar so it is good for you the consumer. Be your own health advocate and do your research. You will find there are heated debates on the subject of HFCS on how healthy and harmful they are in the American diet.
While regular table sugar (sucrose) is 50% fructose and 50% glucose, high-fructose corn syrup can contain up to 80% fructose and 20% glucose, almost twice the fructose of common table sugar. The high flux of fructose to the liver, the main organ capable of metabolizing this simple carbohydrate, disturbs glucose metabolism and uptake pathways and leads to metabolic disturbances that underlie the induction of insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Having a diet with HFCS has been shown to cause a reduction in insulin sensitivity.
Because of the bad reputation, the manufacturers of HFCS have changed the commercial name to CORN SUGAR. Don’t be fooled it is the same product with a new name. It is the same thing.
