Sugar Yes, Please?! No!!
May 23, 2016
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You’re sweet – that doesn’t make you diabetic. But yes, high sugar levels are good enough to make you worry about your health. The fear of being diabetic usually makes you eat less sugar, and if you are genetically predisposed to diabetes, that can alarm you. The way to deal with this is not being paranoid, observing your diet, maintaining a healthy intake of sugar in combination with right minerals that can drive the sugar metabolism in the correct way.
Many sugars are available, which we use in our daily lives without knowing much difference about the nutritional and metabolic effect of them on our system. Predominantly we use:
| Sugar | kJ | % sugars | GI |
| Glucose powder | 1700 | 97 | 100 |
| White sugar | 1700 | 100 | 65 |
| Caster sugar | 1700 | 100 | 65 |
| Icing sugar | 1700 | 100 | 65 |
| Raw sugar | 1700 | 99 | 65 |
| Demerara sugar | 1690 | 99 | 65 |
| Coffee crystals | 1690 | 99 | 65 |
| Brown dark sugar | 1630 | 96 | 65 |
| Fructose powder | 1700 | 100 | 15 |
Source: Food manufacturers’ NIP on pack, except for GI values from the website
So if we look at the above table we find that Glycemic Index of Glucose is highest where as that of fructose powder is the lowest, but interestingly the calories we derive from both are the same.
The glycemic index plays a very vital role in balancing act for the diabetics and so it should be carefully dealt with. The glycaemic Index (GI value) typically represents type of carbohydrate present. The food with high GI should be balanced with foods with low GI to nullify the effect on the blood glucose levels.
There are foods with high nutritional value and high GI and vice-a-versa. However, there is no diet plan that works for all; it needs to be personalized on basis of each individual’s genetics, lifestyle, work profile and other aspects that will help to live a better life fighting the dreadful diabetes.
Generally, amount of carbohydrates are directly related to the blood glucose levels and is better indicator and relatable than GI values of any food.
Research shows that monitoring carbohydrate intake helps maintaining the blood glucose levels and GI values can be taken to just refine the steps towards healthier living.
So now from Sugar, yes please!? Can we get to “Moves like Jagger”!
