What about sugar grams?

[mho357]

Hi all,

I have a good idea of what to look for as far as carbs and fats on food labels but what about sugars? Are there guidelines? I'm not talking about sweets but regular food items that have sugars built in.

For example, I looked at some yogurt containers in the grocery today and they all had sugar numbers in the teens or twenties.

Does anyone have advice on this subject?

Thanks,

M

[iDream]

I was told to pick foods with grams of sugar that are less than half the amount of carbs.

Example: 30 carbs, then going by this method you want the sugar grams to be less than 15

[Trinifar]

As I understand it, the grams of sugar are part of the grams of carbs, a subcategory. So a label might show 30 gm total carbs and then, say, 4 gm dietary fiber and 12 gm sugars. I've been told to be concerned only with the net carbs which in this example would be 26 (that is, 30 - 4).

I think knowing the amount of plain old sugar let's you judge how much of the total carbs are refined/processed/not-so-good-for-you, but that's sort of an advisory.

[someone]

The sugar doesn't really matter. However, what you should realize is that foods where a high percentage of the carbs are sugar often will make your blood glucose rise faster. Of course, the glycemic index is the definative guide to how fast foods raise your blood glucose.

By the way, on a nutrition label, sugar is a subcategory of carbohydrate. Sugar will always be accounted for in the total carbs on the label.

[BlueSky]

.... I have a good idea of what to look for as far as carbs and fats on food labels but what about sugars? .....
Sugar is just a type of carbohydrate. So the amount of carbohydrate on food labels includes added sugar. The impact on blood sugar of carbohydrate in grains, milk, rice, potatoes etc is all pretty much the same, although fibre and fat changes the rate at which it is absorbed. So, no, there are no separate guidelines for sugar in foods. When looking at food labels, I look at the total carbohydrate number and deduct the fibre.

[mho357]

If I understand you all correctly, I should watch the carbs and the sugars will take care of themselves because they are included in the carbs number.

Thanks to you all - that simplifies things quite a bit!

M

[owlyn]

If I understand you all correctly, I should watch the carbs and the sugars will take care of themselves because they are included in the carbs number.

Thanks to you all - that simplifies things quite a bit!

M

Yes, that is correct.

[Dawn]

I have found that I can not always subtract the fiber so I tend to stick to what the carb content says...so be sure to test, test, test if adding something new.

[Alice]

Yes! This is what I wish all diabetics would learn...I don't know why this easy carb fact gets lost in the "educationa fog"...you've asked an excellent question.

I don't deduct for fiber.

[glashalful]

I, too, have always understood that fiber is deducted from the carb content and that the sugar is part of the carb total. The advice on the glycemic index is excellent -- I think the more we understood that, the better we would be with our control.

Elizabeth