Sugar worse than fat, say doctors

[MeSci]

The BBC radio programme 'World at One' had an item on this yesterday, and you can listen online here. The item starts at about 27 mins 28 secs into the programme.

It's only available to listen to for another 6 days.

 

[Undisclosed]

If sugar is the 'new tobacco', does that mean I won't be able to eat it in a public place?

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[MeSci]

If sugar is the 'new tobacco', does that mean I won't be able to eat it in a public place?

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Absolutely it won't be allowed, on the grounds of passive sugar consumption!

 

[alex3619]

If sugar is the 'new tobacco', does that mean I won't be able to eat it in a public place?

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

No, you can eat all you want, but smoking it is prohibited.

 

[maddietod]

I can already see the food lobby reaction..........high fat aspartame cookies!

 

[MeSci]

I can already see the food lobby reaction..........high fat aspartame cookies!

No! Something safer like xylitol! You can already get sweets, biscuits, etc. made with it, and can use it in cooking, but keep it away from dogs as it is poisonous to them.

 

[maddietod]

No! Something safer like xylitol! You can already get sweets, biscuits, etc. made with it, and can use it in cooking, but keep it away from dogs as it is poisonous to them.

My point exactly! Why use xylitol when there's something far more dangerous easily available? Cheap to the industry! Cheap to transport!

 

[dannybex]

Xylitol is a sugar, and raises glucose levels…as of course does sugar, but the brain runs on glucose, and so it's all about balance, (and of course using as natural compounds as possible -- not talking about white sugar here.)

Xylitol also was shown to increase oxalate levels in rats: "There was a significant effect of xylitol on oxalate levels in brain and muscle but not in the liver."

 

[MeSci]

Xylitol is a sugar, and raises glucose levels…as of course does sugar, but the brain runs on glucose, and so it's all about balance, (and of course using as natural compounds as possible -- not talking about white sugar here.)

Xylitol also was shown to increase oxalate levels in rats: "There was a significant effect of xylitol on oxalate levels in brain and muscle but not in the liver."

According to a large document I have which does not seem to be downloadable any more but may be readable online here, the glycaemic response to xylitol (which is a sugar alcohol, not a sugar) is 12 (very low) as opposed to sucrose, for example, which is 68. The insulin response to xylitol is 11 as opposed to sucrose's 45.

There's some info on the human effects of xylitol and some other sweeteners here (animal studies are very unreliable). I'm not sure what some of the implications are, but they need to be weighed against the harms of sugar.

 

[dannybex]

According to a large document I have which does not seem to be downloadable any more but may be readable online here, the glycaemic response to xylitol (which is a sugar alcohol, not a sugar) is 12 (very low) as opposed to sucrose, for example, which is 68. The insulin response to xylitol is 11 as opposed to sucrose's 45.

Good points on the different responses, but it's important to keep in mind that the glycemic ratings are usually based on eating that food or substance by itself. When sugar or honey or other sweet or 'high-glycemic' foods are eaten with protein or fat or even fiber, the glycemic numbers go down.

 

[MeSci]

Good points on the different responses, but it's important to keep in mind that the glycemic ratings are usually based on eating that food or substance by itself. When sugar or honey or other sweet or 'high-glycemic' foods are eaten with protein or fat or even fiber, the glycemic numbers go down.

I'd guess that the same applies to the low-GI sweeteners, so that the differential remains.