Hey look, all of our blood sugar monitors are wrong

[LadyBelle]

Apparently eating sugar or starches doesn't actually raise your blood sugar. All of our monitoring equipment to test blood sugar has been completely misleading us.

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/9/2140

From this article are high points such as

"Carbohydrate in diabetes management
Recommendations

* A dietary pattern that includes carbohydrate from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat milk is encouraged for good health. (B)
* Low-carbohydrate diets, restricting total carbohydrate to <130 g/day, are not recommended in the management of diabetes. (E)
* Monitoring carbohydrate, whether by carbohydrate counting, exchanges, or experienced-based estimation remains a key strategy in achieving glycemic control. (A)
* The use of glycemic index and load may provide a modest additional benefit over that observed when total carbohydrate is considered alone. (B)
* Sucrose-containing foods can be substituted for other carbohydrates in the meal plan or, if added to the meal plan, covered with insulin or other glucose-lowering medications. Care should be taken to avoid excess energy intake. (A)
* As for the general population, people with diabetes are encouraged to consume a variety of fiber-containing foods. However, evidence is lacking to recommend a higher fiber intake for people with diabetes than for the population as a whole. (B)
* Sugar alcohols and nonnutritive sweeteners are safe when consumed within the daily intake levels established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (A) "

"Substantial evidence from clinical studies demonstrates that dietary sucrose does not increase glycemia more than isocaloric amounts of starch (1). Thus, intake of sucrose and sucrose-containing foods by people with diabetes does not need to be restricted because of concern about aggravating hyperglycemia. Sucrose can be substituted for other carbohydrate sources in the meal plan or, if added to the meal plan, adequately covered with insulin or another glucose-lowering medication. Additionally, intake of other nutrients ingested with sucrose, such as fat, need to be taken into account, and care should be taken to avoid excess energy intake."


"For planned exercise, insulin doses can be adjusted. For unplanned exercise, extra carbohydrate may be needed. (E) "

[MyJourney]

Anyone know of any great deals on coffins? This information is criminal IMO.

[Dawn-Ball]

Apparently eating sugar or starches doesn't actually raise your blood sugar. All of our monitoring equipment to test blood sugar has been completely misleading us.


"Substantial evidence from clinical studies demonstrates that dietary sucrose does not increase glycemia more than isocaloric amounts of starch (1)."

What that actually says is that sugar doesn't raise blood sugar more than the same number of calories of starch. Really - that's the same information you'd get from any of the mainstream diabetes groups.

[Daryl]

* Low-carbohydrate diets, restricting total carbohydrate to <130 g/day, are not recommended in the management of diabetes. (E)


The second half of that sentence was..... "because then we'll be out of a job, and have to admit we were wrong." :lol:

[Lisa N]

What that actually says is that sugar doesn't raise blood sugar more than the same number of calories of starch. Really - that's the same information you'd get from any of the mainstream diabetes groups.

Yes, indeed. This is pretty much in line with ADA recommendations; sugar doesn't raise your blood sugar more or faster than starch, therefore there's no reason to restrict sugar.
The underlying assumption is that it's expected for a diabetic to see a large rise in blood sugar when eating. :p
A different perspective is this: since dietary starch raises your blood sugar just as much as sugar, it would be prudent to restrict both if you are a diabetic looking for better blood glucose control. :idea:

[mailbean]

Sucrose can be substituted for other carbohydrate sources in the meal plan or, if added to the meal plan, adequately covered with insulin or another glucose-lowering medication.

So, basically, they say that you can eat extra sugar, you just need to take more medication. Right. Somehow I'm not surprised that this info came from the ADA. Most of their funding comes from drug companies.

[BillyHW]

<b>"Substantial evidence from clinical studies demonstrates that dietary sucrose does not increase glycemia more than isocaloric amounts of starch (1). Thus, intake of sucrose and sucrose-containing foods by people with diabetes does not need to be restricted because of concern about aggravating hyperglycemia. Sucrose can be substituted for other carbohydrate sources in the meal plan or, if added to the meal plan, adequately covered with insulin or another glucose-lowering medication. Additionally, intake of other nutrients ingested with sucrose, such as fat, need to be taken into account, and care should be taken to avoid excess energy intake."</b>

So let me get this straight. Sugar and starch are equally bad, so therefore you can have sugar.

Geniuses.

[jschwab]

Men's Health did a great article on this in 2006. It is criminal.

Janine

[mike_d]

Yes sourdough white and French bread has so much insoluble fiber; just put some in water and look, its very healthy:Refined grains is a better term here. And the only thing this even applies to is the white bread, pasta, and white rice. Other high soluble fiber foods like oatmeal, polenta, potatoes, etc. are not refined at all. Refined grains are still complex carbs, not simple carbs, but they've had their bran and germ removed. There's nutrition in bran and germ as well as insoluble fiber, but for wheat products, once they're refined they're then enriched, to add the vitamins/minerals back in. So all you're missing is the insoluble fiber.
One thing many folks don't seem clear on is that there is nothing in refined carbs that isn't also in whole grains. Nothing is added to white breads that you aren't already eating with whole wheat bread. So it's not like there is something unhealthy being added to white bread - you're just missing the insoluble fiber.http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=diet&Number=58163&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

[MyJourney]

So let me get this straight. Sugar and starch are equally bad, so therefore you can have sugar.

Geniuses.


To me that reads: Which would you prefer to kill yourself with, a gun or a knife?

[Wifezilla]

A different perspective is this: since dietary starch raises your blood sugar just as much as sugar, it would be prudent to restrict both if you are a diabetic looking for better blood glucose control.

You radical! LOL

[renegadiab]

Yes, indeed. This is pretty much in line with ADA recommendations; sugar doesn't raise your blood sugar more or faster than starch, therefore there's no reason to restrict sugar.
The underlying assumption is that it's expected for a diabetic to see a large rise in blood sugar when eating. :p
A different perspective is this: since dietary starch raises your blood sugar just as much as sugar, it would be prudent to restrict both if you are a diabetic looking for better blood glucose control. :idea:

Welllll, everyone knows you have to eat starch. Plus, you need at least 130 g of carbs per day for proper brain function. Nutritionists (via the food pyramid) say you need at least 6 - 11 servings each day and they (& the all-knowing US Government) can't be wrong. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously, as a diabetic, I have the same take as you do Lisa N. They say sugar is no worse than starch. I say starch is no better than sugar. Yep, the ADA does expect higher blood sugar in diabetics -- no more than 140 mg/dl before meals and no more than 180 mg/dl 2 hrs after, even though normal, non diabetics are usually around 83 - 85. They allow an A1C of up to 7%, which is an average blood sugar of 170 -- twice what normal non-diabetics see. Also, my brain functions better on 20 - 40 g of carb a day than it did when I was eating high carb. Even my bosses at work have notice an improvement.

Even some "low GI foods," such as whole grains and oatmeal still jack up my blood sugar, according to my glucose meter. OH MY. I shouldn't rely on that thing, it's too common sense. Why bother checking my blood sugar??? Just have faith in the ADA's dietary recommendations. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Wifezilla]

Even some "low GI foods," such as whole grains and oatmeal still jack up my blood sugar, according to my glucose meter.

I don't have a meter, but I don't need one to know that after eating wheat (even whole grain), rice (brown or white), oats, potatoes, or corn, I am a total spazz for about 2 hours, then I crash and I get reaallly hungry plus get shaky and dizzy if I don't eat again.

This stuff messes me up. Took me FOREVER to figure out what was going on. According to the gooberment, I was doing everything "right".

[Samuel]

People normally eat small amounts of sugar and very large amounts of starch.

Most people bread meat before they fry it, then make a sandwitch of it using a thick french or italian bread. On the side, they eat a large dish of pasta and a piece of garlic bread. The only non-starch part of their extra-high calorie meal is a tiny piece of meat. Even their dessert could be 90% starch and 10% sugar.

So, if you stop eating starch alone, you'll be doing yourself a great favour.

[Lessara]

So, basically, they say that you can eat extra sugar, you just need to take more medication. Right. Somehow I'm not surprised that this info came from the ADA. Most of their funding comes from drug companies.

Oh you hit the nail on the head! My ex has diabetes and he is taking 5 meds now including insilin and when I asked why he isn't doing low carbing its because he feels sick unless he eats carbs due to these meds. The company of these meds are getting rich! Grrrr.

[Wifezilla]

I told a friend about cinnamon and its effects on blood sugar. She decided to try the capsules because she doesn't like the taste. The next time I saw her she said (I kid you not) that she "had to stop taking it because it made her blood sugar too low and messed wither her glucophage." I said, well, then you ask your doctor about reducing your dosage.

She was baffled and couldn't wrap her head around the concept that she could ever be without glucophage. To her, the diabetes medicine was forever. I still haven't convinced her that her type 2 can be treated with diet and supplements, yet I continue to lose weight as she gains.