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Today's Poll: Are you concerned about how much sugar you eat?

By Howard B. Owens
tom hunt

When I see women is the super market with small children and their shopping carts loaded with 8 and 12 packs of pop, I want to stop and tell them they are ruining the future health of their children. If people only realized the amount of sugar that is in a 12 oz. can or bottle of pop, they would think twice before feeding it to their children.
The high fructose sugars used in these products have come under review of the health industry as they believe they lead to serious health problems latter in life.

Feb 20, 2014, 8:17am Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Hey, Tom. If you ever decide to stop women in the stores, to tell them they are ruining their children's health, could you let me know ahead of time? I'd love to see their reaction. Heck, I'll even bring a pepper-spray container to toss to you. I think you'll need it. :)

Feb 20, 2014, 9:44am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

How about starches? They are converted to sugars and stay in your system for much longer.

Average sugar in 12oz can of soda.... about 40grams
thats the equivalent of 10 ordinary saltine crackers.

Feb 20, 2014, 1:05pm Permalink
matt riggi

"Average sugar in 12oz can of soda.... about 40grams
thats the equivalent of 10 ordinary saltine crackers."

Can you back that statement up with some proof?

Feb 20, 2014, 2:35pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Good catch, Matt.

I went to Google and typed in "How much sugar in saltine crackers?"

The first thing that popped up was a "sugar calculator". According to that "calculator", one 10-gram, round large saltine contains 0.2 grams of sugar. Therefore, it would take 5 crackers to equal one gram of sugar. Extrapolate that to find out how much would be needed for 40 grams of sugar, at it magically becomes 200 (not ten).

And, much as I like a good serving of saltines, I don't ever remember eating 200 of them.

Feb 20, 2014, 3:41pm Permalink
tom hunt

According to Boston.com: " the average 12 oz. soda has 10.2 teaspoons of sugar in it." The biggest problem is that this sugar is not cane sugar but high fructose sugar derived from corn. And is suspect in childhood obesity and a high rate of type 2 diabetes.

Feb 20, 2014, 5:24pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Yes Tom High fructose sugar from corn or cane is much more sugary. However the sugar that your body makes from starches takes 2 to 4 times as long to metabolize. Therefore if you were to eat say a serving of french fries .... that will spike your blood sugar higher than a can of soda. Simple sugars are in and out of your system so quick that you can miss the ill effects.

As for Matt.... here ya go

http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/high-fructose-co…

http://junkscience.com/2013/08/26/high-fructose-corn-syrup-causes-diabe…

there are many other things involved as well. I have adhd and was kept from sugars for 90% of my adolescence and childhood. Not because of diabetes but the hyperactive episodes that occured because of it. (Imagine a 7 yr old literally climbing walls) So the "sugar in childhood causes type 2 diabetes in adulthood" myth holds no water"

Feb 20, 2014, 5:53pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

Having come from a long line of Diabetics, I will say this, Tom is correct, Kyle Is Correct

A proper diet should be 60% protein, and 40 % Carbs, in those carbs there are GOOD CARBS and BAD CARBS

Good carbs being to the likes of Broccoli, Brussel Spouts Cababage, Lettuce etc.

Even Root type vegetables like Potatoes, carrots etc are high in both starches and sugars.

Now, there may very well be 10.2 Teaspoons of sugar in a 12oz can of coke, definitely corn fructose, and there may very well be 10.2. teaspoons of cane sugar in a piece of some pies or cakes.

Corn Fructose in itself isn't necessarily bad, Cane sugar isn't in itself necessarily bad. It is all about moderation. Funny thing is Carb intake is all about moderation too, as is fat, dairy, oils, and even protein .Most starches convert to sugar in your body, that is a fact.

Balance is, was and always will be the issue

Feb 20, 2014, 5:54pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Yep Mark...also activity is also a factor as well. Some diabetics can eat or drink normal foods that you'd think they couldnt. But if they eat them and sit on their ass or in front of a computer. Then they are gonna take a hit in their glucose levels.However if they go run a mile or are active, then they will use that sugar for energy and not need to metabolize it for storage.

Feb 20, 2014, 6:01pm Permalink

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