Processed Sugar

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  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I have no idea why competitors use energy gels during races. Or jelly babies.

    It is a mystery.

    Obviously because poison helps them run faster. This is well known of all types of poison, not just processed sugar. I think Steve Prefontaine was famous for ingesting arsenic before races to give that extra boost.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    It can be. This is a vacuous discussion without context.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Since our diet provides us with energy, I would say so.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Some would say yes, some would say no. Why don't we see what the OP has to say as he is the one who asked the question.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Yup.
  • George_Baileys_Ghost
    George_Baileys_Ghost Posts: 1,524 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Peel it before. Duh! My bicycle has a basket on the front that I like to fill with fresh fruits and veg before a race. After the first few miles that extra full feeling I have from eating enough all-natural, organic, fresh fruit to get half the boost I could have gotten from a couple of small packs of power gel or something similar, really lends itself to an explosive ending for all my races. *nods* true story
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Mental health is important.

    What has mental health got to do with processed sugar?

    One's diet is part of ones 'lifestyle'. Being balanced and happy, which includes the social or even preference factor of eating say ice-cream, is important - therefore beneficial.

    I understand enjoying your diet is good for your mental wellbeing, but I though the question was asked about the nutritional benefits.

    I agree simple sugar serves a purpose - not argument there.

    But as far as nutritional benefits, it doesn't rank high.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Yup.
    Explain please :smile:
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
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    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?

    If the point of eating sugar is to add flavor to your foods, then it is possible that your sauce may have tasted "better" were you to have used honey rather than white sugar. Honey has a flavor all its own. But again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if honey freaks you out (my husband's grandpa calls it "bee *kitten*" and wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole, not even in a survival situation), then perhaps your sauce did taste better with just plain sugar.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Peel it before. Duh! My bicycle has a basket on the front that I like to fill with fresh fruits and veg before a race. After the first few miles that extra full feeling I have from eating enough all-natural, organic, fresh fruit to get half the boost I could have gotten from a couple of small packs of power gel or something similar, really lends itself to an explosive ending for all my races. *nods* true story

    Sounds like you have the benefit of a tailwind then...
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Mental health is important.

    What has mental health got to do with processed sugar?

    One's diet is part of ones 'lifestyle'. Being balanced and happy, which includes the social or even preference factor of eating say ice-cream, is important - therefore beneficial.

    I understand enjoying your diet is good for your mental wellbeing, but I though the question was asked about the nutritional benefits.

    I agree simple sugar serves a purpose - not argument there.

    But as far as nutritional benefits, it doesn't rank high.

    lol...the OP has not even defined it yet.

    It was an observation...and indirectly it can...as it can allow adherence to a balanced diet..
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
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    To the original poster, can you define nutritional benefit?
    When I talk about nutritional benefits I mean the following.

    Every living being eats because our bodies need proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals, in order to live. Naturally, we wouldn't eat a piece of plastic (let's just say for a moment it wouldn't be harmful to us) because our bodies wouldn't get any benefit from it.

    Most people here are trying to lose body fat, or weight as they would say, so from my personal perspective, when someone is going to start eating with a caloric deficit, it makes more sense to be smart about what's being eaten. Why? Because the fact is, what this person is eating might not be providing all the nutritional benefits the body needs in order to stay healthy and function properly, maintaining homeostasis.

    So, my question is a valid one, even though many might disagree, which is perfectly fine with me, as to what benefits a person might get from eating, let's say yogurt with added refined sugar, to eating plain yogurt with added fruits? Because let's me honest, many people who are struggling with obesity will try to go on a caloric deficit, but still eat the same food with very low nutritional benefits to do it in a healthy way. And protein, carbs and carbs are not the only thing our bodies need. So when it comes about energy, we can get it from fruits and veggies, instead of eating a cheesecake, ice cream or pastries, because I will be getting things my body needs along with the glucose I'll be eating.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    DUDE drinking some Jumex post workout is an old time fave of mine.

    Dat suga get absorbed by my bloodstream. Get's sucked right up! and it gets stored as glycogen... it must be true because I don't see it turning into fat.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Some would say yes, some would say no. Why don't we see what the OP has to say as he is the one who asked the question.

    I'm waiting on an explanation on whether energy is a direct nutritional benefit. But that aside, that's energy which is a 'possible' benefit and not sugar.

    Energy is generated from calories and there's plenty of more beneficial sources of calories than sugar.

    I think this thread is a bit of a no goer. The simple answer to the question is no sugar is not nutritionally beneficial. But most of us agree there's nothing bad about processed sugar in moderation.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Yup.
    Explain please :smile:

    Nutrition is like diet - it is simply the selection of food to be consumed to meet the needs of the body.

    Energy is a need of the body and therefore added sugar has a benefit. The amount depends on the context of the individual's personal situation clearly.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Some would say yes, some would say no. Why don't we see what the OP has to say as he is the one who asked the question.

    I'm waiting on an explanation on whether energy is a direct nutritional benefit. But that aside, that's energy which is a 'possible' benefit and not sugar.

    Energy is generated from calories and there's plenty of more beneficial sources of calories than sugar.

    I think this thread is a bit of a no goer. The simple answer to the question is no sugar is not nutritionally beneficial. But most of us agree there's nothing bad about processed sugar in moderation.

    That cannot be answered without context...which has been requested...of the actual OP who actually asked the question.

    And your simple answer may of may not be correct in the opinion of others, especially as we have not had the term defined.

    More beneficial does not make less beneficial things not benefical btw.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    nutritional benefits - very few.

    Nothing good or bad about sugar. It serves a purpose but when it comes to nutrition - pretty much neutral.

    Energy

    I have a hard time peeling an orange when on my bicycle.

    Is energy a nutritional benefit?

    Some would say yes, some would say no. Why don't we see what the OP has to say as he is the one who asked the question.

    I'm waiting on an explanation on whether energy is a direct nutritional benefit. But that aside, that's energy which is a 'possible' benefit and not sugar.

    Energy is generated from calories and there's plenty of more beneficial sources of calories than sugar.

    I think this thread is a bit of a no goer. The simple answer to the question is no sugar is not nutritionally beneficial. But most of us agree there's nothing bad about processed sugar in moderation.

    And of course, I disagree still. Energy is a nutritional benefit. Whether there are more beneficial sources is moot as that wasn't the question. All foods fall into that category.
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
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    DUDE drinking some Jumex post workout is an old time fave of mine.

    Dat suga get absorbed by my bloodstream. Get's sucked right up! and it gets stored as glycogen... it must be true because I don't see it turning into fat.

    Oh come on now, you know what my point is.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    The benefits? Processed sugar is delicious!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    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.

    Just want to point out that technically vegetables and fruits can be poisonous. It's just that we are able to handle certain amounts before it becomes a problem.

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