Processed Sugar

I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?
«134567

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

    Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?


    Flavor/Palatability.

    Additionally, whether or not it has a benefit is not a counter argument to whether or not the inclusion of some amount of processed sugar is harmful or deleterious in a given context.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

    Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?

    They taste good. Nobody eats sugar for the nutritional benefits. Are you even serious right now?
  • Palamedes
    Palamedes Posts: 174 Member
    Shipwrecked sailors who ate and drank nothing but sugar and rum for nine days surely went through some of this trauma; the tales they had to tell created a big public relations problem for the sugar pushers. This incident occurred when a vessel carrying a cargo of sugar was shipwrecked in 1793. The five surviving sailors were finally rescued after being marooned for nine days. They were in a wasted condition due to starvation, having consumed nothing but sugar and rum. The eminent French physiologist F. Magendie was inspired by that incident to conduct a series of experiments with animals, the results of which he published in 1816. In the experiments, he fed dogs a diet of sugar or olive oil and water. All the dogs wasted and died.

    The shipwrecked sailors and the French physiologist's experimental dogs proved the same point. As a steady diet, sugar is worse than nothing. Plain water can keep you alive for quite some time. Sugar and water can kill you. Humans [and animals] are "unable to subsist on a diet of sugar".

    So, the major benefit to sugar is that you will die quicker. Enjoy!
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
    Flavor/Palatability.

    Additionally, whether or not it has a benefit is not a counter argument to whether or not the inclusion of some amount of processed sugar is harmful or deleterious in a given context.

    Still doesn't answer my question.
    They taste good. Nobody eats sugar for the nutritional benefits. Are you even serious right now?

    Why would you think I'm not being serious? I believe when people are trying to achieve a fitness goal (weight loss, muscle gain, etc) they eat food based on a benefit they will get from what they're eating. If sugar doesn't provide any, then why people get bothered when others don't want to include sugar in their diets?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Flavor/Palatability.

    Additionally, whether or not it has a benefit is not a counter argument to whether or not the inclusion of some amount of processed sugar is harmful or deleterious in a given context.

    Still doesn't answer my question.
    They taste good. Nobody eats sugar for the nutritional benefits. Are you even serious right now?

    Why would you think I'm not being serious? I believe when people are trying to achieve a fitness goal (weight loss, muscle gain, etc) they eat food based on a benefit they will get from what they're eating. If sugar doesn't provide any, then why people get bothered when others don't want to include sugar in their diets?

    Flavor can be a benefit.
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,576 Member
    Shipwrecked sailors who ate and drank nothing but sugar and rum for nine days surely went through some of this trauma; the tales they had to tell created a big public relations problem for the sugar pushers. This incident occurred when a vessel carrying a cargo of sugar was shipwrecked in 1793. The five surviving sailors were finally rescued after being marooned for nine days. They were in a wasted condition due to starvation, having consumed nothing but sugar and rum. The eminent French physiologist F. Magendie was inspired by that incident to conduct a series of experiments with animals, the results of which he published in 1816. In the experiments, he fed dogs a diet of sugar or olive oil and water. All the dogs wasted and died.

    The shipwrecked sailors and the French physiologist's experimental dogs proved the same point. As a steady diet, sugar is worse than nothing. Plain water can keep you alive for quite some time. Sugar and water can kill you. Humans [and animals] are "unable to subsist on a diet of sugar".

    So, the major benefit to sugar is that you will die quicker. Enjoy!

    So....it is only all or none? No middle ground? Not even a little bit? Like that bridge at the end of Fellowship of the Ring? just a tiny sliver of middle ground?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Flavor/Palatability.

    Additionally, whether or not it has a benefit is not a counter argument to whether or not the inclusion of some amount of processed sugar is harmful or deleterious in a given context.

    Still doesn't answer my question.
    They taste good. Nobody eats sugar for the nutritional benefits. Are you even serious right now?

    Why would you think I'm not being serious? I believe when people are trying to achieve a fitness goal (weight loss, muscle gain, etc) they eat food based on a benefit they will get from what they're eating. If sugar doesn't provide any, then why people get bothered when others don't want to include sugar in their diets?

    If you are implying that a nutritional benefit is exclusively the reason to select food I would disagree entirely.

    But either way, sugar provides energy. Energy can be a benefit.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Shipwrecked sailors who ate and drank nothing but sugar and rum for nine days surely went through some of this trauma; the tales they had to tell created a big public relations problem for the sugar pushers. This incident occurred when a vessel carrying a cargo of sugar was shipwrecked in 1793. The five surviving sailors were finally rescued after being marooned for nine days. They were in a wasted condition due to starvation, having consumed nothing but sugar and rum. The eminent French physiologist F. Magendie was inspired by that incident to conduct a series of experiments with animals, the results of which he published in 1816. In the experiments, he fed dogs a diet of sugar or olive oil and water. All the dogs wasted and died.

    The shipwrecked sailors and the French physiologist's experimental dogs proved the same point. As a steady diet, sugar is worse than nothing. Plain water can keep you alive for quite some time. Sugar and water can kill you. Humans [and animals] are "unable to subsist on a diet of sugar".

    So, the major benefit to sugar is that you will die quicker. Enjoy!

    lolwut?

    ETA: I like to link where I extracted quotes from....

    http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all

    and lol at that article.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Energy.
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
    Flavor can be a benefit.
    Not a nutritional one
    If you are implying that a nutritional benefit is exclusively the reason to select food I would disagree entirely.

    But either way, sugar provides energy. Energy is a benefit.

    What if I'm already getting energy from veggies and fruits, which also contain mineral, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. A quick rush of energy won't give me any benefit if I don't need it while I'm sitting in front of a computer working for 8 hours. Won't that turn into adipose tissue because I'm not really using that glucose in my bloodstream?
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

    Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?
    sugar has calories. Calories provide the body with energy so we need calories. End of thread
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

    Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?

    Dunno what "loaded" is, but I made a rhubarb-based sauce and it tasted much better when I added a bit of sugar. Not sure why that's worse than, say, just eating fruit with more sugar content naturally. The benefit is that it tasted good and also that it made a food that's good for me more appealing (rhubarb).

    Also, the "processed" buzzword raises flags. Do you maintain that my rhubarb sauce would have been more acceptable had I just used honey?
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Flavor/Palatability.

    Additionally, whether or not it has a benefit is not a counter argument to whether or not the inclusion of some amount of processed sugar is harmful or deleterious in a given context.

    Still doesn't answer my question.
    They taste good. Nobody eats sugar for the nutritional benefits. Are you even serious right now?

    Why would you think I'm not being serious? I believe when people are trying to achieve a fitness goal (weight loss, muscle gain, etc) they eat food based on a benefit they will get from what they're eating. If sugar doesn't provide any, then why people get bothered when others don't want to include sugar in their diets?

    Because people complain about not being able to eat anything that they love or that tastes good. I would argue that the point is to try to achieve the fitness goals while continuing to eat foods you like/love. It has to be sustainable. In MOST cases, restricting sugar is not .
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Flavor can be a benefit.
    Not a nutritional one
    If you are implying that a nutritional benefit is exclusively the reason to select food I would disagree entirely.

    But either way, sugar provides energy. Energy is a benefit.

    What if I'm already getting energy from veggies and fruits, which also contain mineral, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. A quick rush of energy won't give me any benefit if I don't need it while I'm sitting in front of a computer working for 8 hours. Won't that turn into adipose tissue because I'm not really using that glucose in my bloodstream?

    Not if you're not in a calorie surplus.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
    Shipwrecked sailors who ate and drank nothing but sugar and rum for nine days surely went through some of this trauma; the tales they had to tell created a big public relations problem for the sugar pushers. This incident occurred when a vessel carrying a cargo of sugar was shipwrecked in 1793. The five surviving sailors were finally rescued after being marooned for nine days. They were in a wasted condition due to starvation, having consumed nothing but sugar and rum. The eminent French physiologist F. Magendie was inspired by that incident to conduct a series of experiments with animals, the results of which he published in 1816. In the experiments, he fed dogs a diet of sugar or olive oil and water. All the dogs wasted and died.

    The shipwrecked sailors and the French physiologist's experimental dogs proved the same point. As a steady diet, sugar is worse than nothing. Plain water can keep you alive for quite some time. Sugar and water can kill you. Humans [and animals] are "unable to subsist on a diet of sugar".

    So, the major benefit to sugar is that you will die quicker. Enjoy!

    So....it is only all or none? No middle ground? Not even a little bit? Like that bridge at the end of Fellowship of the Ring? just a tiny sliver of middle ground?

    So...the rum had no impact on them whatsoever? Cool, I'm off to get a couple litres of Sailor Jerry, seeing as how it's basically Slim Fast.... :noway:

    Honestly - added sugar is, IMHO, all about palate and flavour. I'd also be tempted to add - fairly sure that the CEO of ADM and the CEO of Glucophage play golf together. But y'know...conspiracy theories :wink:

    In terms of actual health benefits...I'm in for this one, it's a valid question I haven't seen before.
  • Palamedes
    Palamedes Posts: 174 Member
    Processed sugar is a poison. Given the choice in a survival situation, no sugar is a better survival option than eating sugar.

    Digesting processed sugar leaches other vitamins and minerals from our systems. The real problem is that sugar tastes good. Therefore, when making processed food, the food industry tends to dump a lot of sugar into the mixing bowl. Try this little experiment. Get two foods: a regular one and a low fat one. Check the carbs in both. If the food industry can't use fat, they know to pour in the sugar to make the food taste good. At some point, you get too much and that is bad for you.

    As long as you are eating a balanced diet and getting some exercise, your body can handle a moderate amount of sugar.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I believe when people are trying to achieve a fitness goal (weight loss, muscle gain, etc) they eat food based on a benefit they will get from what they're eating. If sugar doesn't provide any, then why people get bothered when others don't want to include sugar in their diets?

    I do not care what other people eat. I care when false claims are made or when people are told they should not eat things that are, in fact, perfectly fine in moderation (around here that sometimes even includes fruit).

    But I also think that for most people the benefit of food includes taste. That's why many consider cooking an art, or at least a skill worth having. Lots of people wouldn't be into the idea that life would be better if we could just take pills that would optimize our nutritional benefits and provide us with the correct number of calories.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Flavor can be a benefit.
    Not a nutritional one
    If you are implying that a nutritional benefit is exclusively the reason to select food I would disagree entirely.

    But either way, sugar provides energy. Energy is a benefit.

    What if I'm already getting energy from veggies and fruits, which also contain mineral, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. A quick rush of energy won't give me any benefit if I don't need it while I'm sitting in front of a computer working for 8 hours. Won't that turn into adipose tissue because I'm not really using that glucose in my bloodstream?

    This is an entirely different question, because you're adding a lot of context.
    Generally speaking:
    If the diet as a whole is not hypocaloric than fat storage will not exceed fat oxidation. The end result will be that you will not accrue fat stores. If the diet as a whole is hypocaloric than fat storage exceeds fat oxidation and you gain fat. This is a function of excess calories.

    Edit: hyper caloric. I'm posting this with recording software so there may be some grammatical errors.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Processed sugar is a poison. Given the choice in a survival situation, no sugar is a better survival option than eating sugar.

    Umm....coz we are all in a survival situation...
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
    What if I'm already getting energy from veggies and fruits, which also contain mineral, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. A quick rush of energy won't give me any benefit if I don't need it while I'm sitting in front of a computer working for 8 hours. Won't that turn into adipose tissue because I'm not really using that glucose in my bloodstream?

    Not if you're not in a calorie surplus.
    Really?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Mental health is important.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    What if I'm already getting energy from veggies and fruits, which also contain mineral, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. A quick rush of energy won't give me any benefit if I don't need it while I'm sitting in front of a computer working for 8 hours. Won't that turn into adipose tissue because I'm not really using that glucose in my bloodstream?

    Not if you're not in a calorie surplus.
    Really?

    Really!
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I have no idea why competitors use energy gels during races. Or jelly babies.

    It is a mystery.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    90c3b766d45c83398d663a9346264881175bf97694031ac9d1650cb2f3bec867.jpg
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    To the original poster, can you define nutritional benefit?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I am very curious to see what people have to say about the nutritional benefits we get from eating/drinking foods high in processed sugar.

    Besides the endless posts from people debating whether sugar is bad or not, I have not seen one person explaining what are the benefits of including foods loaded with processed sugar in our meals. Anyone?

    Since you like heavy lifting, here:
    http://scholar.google.com
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    Processed sugar is a standard of the American (and many other countries') diet. The question should be what is the benefit of NOT having it in your food since you have to make a concerted effort to avoid it. Aside from one of many ways to create a caloric deficit, there isn't one.

    Life would be boring if we only did what was most efficient.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
    Processed sugar is a poison. Given the choice in a survival situation, no sugar is a better survival option than eating sugar.

    Agreed - I'm a firm believer that processed sugar isn't the best for you.

    But I'm also fairly confident that in the 18th century, those sailors weren't eating Haribo or other "processed" sugar that we see today. More likely, it was as unrefined (aside from being actual sugar cane) as it could possible be gotten.

    9 days on a desert island drinking rum...well rum is a diuretic, yes it contains a helluva lot of sugar, but in the 18th century rum was also around 57%abv. Dehydration was likely a huge factor, not caused by sugar, rather by a lack of actual water and lots of alchol consumption, no?

    Anyway - sorry - total hi-jacking. As you were. :wink:
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Mental health is important.

    What has mental health got to do with processed sugar?