Carbohydrates

Recently Answered

• QHow much sugar does the average person consume every year?

  4 Answers

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  A Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  American's sweet tooth may not be so sweet for their waist. Americans, on average, are consuming 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily, the equivalent of 350 calories. That's over 8,000 teaspoons annually! This amount is double the amount recommended daily by the American Heart Association.
  
  With over 65 percent of Americans tipping the bathroom scale in the direction of being classified as overweight or even obese, few of us have an extra 350 calories kicking around in our daily diets to be devoted to less nutrition-rich foods with tons of added sugar.
  
  Where is all of this sugar coming from?
  
  The three top sources of added sugar in the diet of Americans are:

  • Soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks;
  • Grain-based desserts, such as cakes and cookies; and
  • Fruit drinks.

  Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

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• QIs sugar in the blood bad?

  2 Answers

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  A William Lee Dubois , Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism, answered

  It is too much sugar in your blood that is bad. For perspective, “normal” blood sugar levels are those considered to be below 100 mg/dL. Kidney damage starts at an average blood sugar of 212 mg/dL. So we can pretty much agree that below 100 is OK and above 212 is bad. But what about in between?
  
  Well, that’s where the devil is in the details.
  
  Blood sugar comes in several flavors, as it were. We can talk about fasting blood sugar, which is the level of sugar in your blood when it has been some time since you last ate. We can talk about postprandial blood sugar, which is several hours after eating. We can talk about peak excursions, which is the maximum blood sugar level following a meal. And we can talk about average blood sugars, which is a mathematical look at where you are overall most of the time.
  
  Each one of these kinds of blood sugars have different targets. A target is simply a good place to keep your blood sugar in most of the time to keep your body safe over the long run.
  
  For people with diabetes, the trick is to combine medication, activity, and diet to hit those target numbers as often as humanly possible, while realizing that you can’t do it all of the time.
  
  Different doctors may choose different targets depending on your age, overall health, and host of other factors, but typical targets for fasting blood sugar are 90-115 mg/dL and for postprandial 150-180. As to excursions, no one likes to see numbers over 275 mg/dL. For averages we want you under 151 mg/dL.
  
  So readings above any of those targets might be considered “bad;” but I want to point out that there is really no such thing as a “bad” number. A high number is actually very good information. It is nature’s way of telling you that your blood sugar is getting to a point where it could hurt you. In short, “bad” numbers are simply good information that need to be acted on.

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• QHow much sugar does the average American eat?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Jorge Cruise , Fitness, answered

  

  The average American consumes more than 47 teaspoons of sugar each day (this shocking number was revealed by researchers at Colorado State University); that’s about 189 grams a day. About 200 years ago, daily consumption of sugar was under 15 grams -- research has shown that before the Industrial Revolution, that’s about how much the average person ate. You didn't see much belly fat back then. You also didn’t see a population severely overwhelmed by obesity; compare that to now, where two-thirds of our population is overweight and sick and facing crippling medical bills due to the consequences of poor health habits.
  

  

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• QWhat are good sugars and what are bad sugars?

  1 Answer

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  A Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  The good sugars are naturally occurring and the not-so-good sugars are added sugars.
  
  Your taste buds can’t distinguish between naturally occurring sugars, which are found in foods such as fruit and dairy products, and added sugars, which manufacturers add to foods such as soda and candy. From a nutritional standpoint, however, there is a big difference between these sugar sources. Foods that contain naturally occurring sugar tend to be nutrient-rich, and thus, provide more nutrition per bite.
  
  In contrast, many foods that contain lots of added sugars provide little else. The calories in sugar-laden foods are often called empty calories because they provide so little nutrition.
  
  For example, a glass of 100% orange juice is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and other wonderful nutrients. In contrast, orange soda doesn't provide any nutrition other than a lot of calories from added sugars.
• QWhat is a possible side effect of consuming sugar alcohols?

  2 Answers

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  A Dr. Roshini C. Rajapaksa, MD , Gastroenterology, answered

  

  Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, often found in sugar-free candies and cookies, can cause bloating and gas for a variety of reasons. In this video, gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, MD, explains why consuming sugar alcohols can lead to gas and bloating. 

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• QWhat are sugar alcohols?

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  A Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered

  Sugar alcohols, sometimes called polyols, are reduced-calorie sweeteners used in certain sugar-free and reduced-calorie foods as well as chewing gum, cough drops, mouthwash and toothpaste. They also add texture and bulk to baked goods, ice cream, fruit spreads and candies.
  
  Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that the body does not fully digest so they provide fewer calories. They are not alcoholic. If you see sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol in the ingredient list on a food label -- these are sugar alcohols.

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• QHow does eating sugar increase anxiety?

  1 Answer

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  A Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum , Integrative Medicine, answered

  

  Sugar wreaks havoc on the central nervous system and can leave you feeling on edge. Sugar addiction causes anxiety for a number of reasons. Excessive sugar intake, especially when associated with chronic stress, can exhaust your stress-handler adrenal glands. This causes wild swings in your blood sugar levels. As blood sugar levels plummet, the brain reacts by sending out a panicked adrenaline alarm, leading to severe anxiety. Over a period of years, this can become chronic.

  

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• QWhy does my body make sugar?

  1 Answer

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  

  Your body produces sugar from foods you eat to provide fuel for cells or be stored for future energy needs. Watch the animation to learn more about your body and sugar.
  
  
  
• QWhat is sugar?

  2 Answers

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  A American Diabetes Association answered

  Sugar is a carbohydrate that provides calories (4 calories per gram) and is converted to glucose. There are a variety of sugars, such as white, brown, confectioner’s, and raw. Glucose is one type of sugar. Fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, and dextrose are also sugars.

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• QWhat factors can affect the glycemic index (GI) of food?

  1 Answer

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  A American Diabetes Association answered

  The glycemic index (GI) measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose. Fat and fiber content tend to lower the glycemic index (GI) of a food. As a general rule, the more cooked or processed a food, the higher the GI.
  
  There are several factors that can affect the glycemic index (GI) of a food. These factors include:

  • Ripeness and storage time: The more ripe a fruit or vegetable is, the higher the GI.
  • Processing: Juice has a higher GI than whole fruit; mashed potato has a higher GI than a whole baked potato, stone ground whole wheat bread has a lower GI than whole wheat bread.
  • Cooking method: How long a food is cooked (al dente pasta has a lower GI than soft-cooked pasta).
  • Variety: Converted long-grain white rice has a lower GI than brown rice but short-grain white rice has a higher GI than brown rice.

  The glycemic index (GI) value represents the type of carbohydrate in a food but says nothing about the amount of carbohydrate typically eaten. Portion sizes are still relevant for managing blood glucose and for losing or maintaining weight. The GI of a food is different when eaten alone than it is when combined with other foods. When eating a high GI food, you can combine it with other low GI foods to balance out the effect on blood glucose levels. Many nutritious foods have a higher GI than foods with little nutritional value. For example, oatmeal has a higher GI than chocolate. Use of the GI needs to be balanced with the basic nutrition principles of variety for healthful foods and moderation of foods with few nutrients.