Carb and Sugar are the same? Help me to understand...

Hello, I am trying my best to ask a question about the relationship between carb and sugar.

My carb intake is 180 g, while my sugar intake is 40 g according to the food diary. I am not sure what formula the MFP uses to calculate the total carb. BTW, I don't eat any sweet treats, but the sugar is counted when I eat fruits and vegetables.

Questions: Is the sugar intake supposed to be in the carb? Or is it "added" sugar to the carb?

Formula A: 40 g of sugar + 140 g of complex carb = 180 g of total carb

Formula B: 180 g of complex carb + 40 g of sugar = 220 g of total carb

Please help me to understand how that works so I don't mess up my diet progress. Thank you!
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Replies

  • bubus05
    bubus05 Posts: 121 Member
    I think what is important here is that both will have the same effect on the body. A chocolate cake or a bag of potato chips will both spike the body's insulin level to extreme levels. If one's insulin level is high the body will switch to fat storing mode, not what we want. For me it is not how they differ technically they do, as much as what each will do to your body. In that they are essentially the same.
  • bubus05
    bubus05 Posts: 121 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I think what is important here is that both will have the same effect on the body. A chocolate cake or a bag of potato chips will both spike the body's insulin level to extreme levels. If one's insulin level is high the body will switch to fat storing mode, not what we want. For me it is not how they differ technically they do, as much as what each will do to your body. In that they are essentially the same.

    That is just not how it works. Also, what is your definition of spiking insulin to extreme levels?

    There are some semantic difference in how fast and where some sugar are metabolized but its only worth noting those if you are doing nutrient timing for exercise reasons.
    The simple explanation is, you eat carbohydrate sugar or potatoes for example your blood sugar level will go up the more you eat the higher your blood sugar will be. Your body will need to compensate, will release insulin to counter the high blood sugar level, the higher your blood sugar the more insulin it will release. As a consequence the blood sugar will tank, and there you have hunger and craving. I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands. That is why I wrote sugar or carbo pretty much the same when it comes to how your body will react to them.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    edited November 2020
    bubus05 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I think what is important here is that both will have the same effect on the body. A chocolate cake or a bag of potato chips will both spike the body's insulin level to extreme levels. If one's insulin level is high the body will switch to fat storing mode, not what we want. For me it is not how they differ technically they do, as much as what each will do to your body. In that they are essentially the same.

    That is just not how it works. Also, what is your definition of spiking insulin to extreme levels?

    There are some semantic difference in how fast and where some sugar are metabolized but its only worth noting those if you are doing nutrient timing for exercise reasons.
    The simple explanation is, you eat carbohydrate sugar or potatoes for example your blood sugar level will go up the more you eat the higher your blood sugar will be. Your body will need to compensate, will release insulin to counter the high blood sugar level, the higher your blood sugar the more insulin it will release. As a consequence the blood sugar will tank, and there you have hunger and craving. I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands. That is why I wrote sugar or carbo pretty much the same when it comes to how your body will react to them.

    🙄🙄🙄
    Yeah.... I'm just craving plain boiled potatoes or apples... sheesh...
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    bubus05 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I think what is important here is that both will have the same effect on the body. A chocolate cake or a bag of potato chips will both spike the body's insulin level to extreme levels. If one's insulin level is high the body will switch to fat storing mode, not what we want. For me it is not how they differ technically they do, as much as what each will do to your body. In that they are essentially the same.

    That is just not how it works. Also, what is your definition of spiking insulin to extreme levels?

    There are some semantic difference in how fast and where some sugar are metabolized but its only worth noting those if you are doing nutrient timing for exercise reasons.
    The simple explanation is, you eat carbohydrate sugar or potatoes for example your blood sugar level will go up the more you eat the higher your blood sugar will be. Your body will need to compensate, will release insulin to counter the high blood sugar level, the higher your blood sugar the more insulin it will release. As a consequence the blood sugar will tank, and there you have hunger and craving. I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands. That is why I wrote sugar or carbo pretty much the same when it comes to how your body will react to them.

    Not every carb breaks down the same or as quickly. I have science to prove this below in case you are curious about how it works. Multiple family members are diabetic, so I’ve done my research on this one (used to have a quick reference list posted on the fridge lol)

    So no, a potato and plain old sugar will not have the same affect on your insulin level.

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325586

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    Sugar is just a subset of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugar, starch, and fiber. So yes...sugar is a simple carbohydrate, starch is a complex carbohydrate, and fiber is a complex carbohydrate.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands.

    I'm not sure of that at all.

    I explained it scientifically, but science doesn’t agree with what bubus05 was claiming. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    Maybe they’ll come back and review the science so that they understand the difference between low and high GI carbs.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands.

    I'm not sure of that at all.

    I explained it scientifically, but science doesn’t agree with what bubus05 was claiming. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    Maybe they’ll come back and review the science so that they understand the difference between low and high GI carbs.

    I didn't mean these concepts couldn't be described scientifically, it's just I don't think there is a valid, evidence-based way to explain the specific claims that our bodies process all carbohydrates identically or that eating carbohydrates will cause you to store fat automatically.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    bubus05 wrote: »
    I am sure someone could explain the process better more scientifically but it still stands.

    I'm not sure of that at all.

    I explained it scientifically, but science doesn’t agree with what bubus05 was claiming. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    Maybe they’ll come back and review the science so that they understand the difference between low and high GI carbs.

    I didn't mean these concepts couldn't be described scientifically, it's just I don't think there is a valid, evidence-based way to explain the specific claims that our bodies process all carbohydrates identically or that eating carbohydrates will cause you to store fat automatically.

    Sorry, I was being sarcastic and it doesn’t come across properly in text sometimes lol. I was agreeing that the science would NOT show that every single carb you ingest will spike your blood sugar as that person was suggesting. They claimed that science would support what they said without providing the science. The science directly contradicts their claim.

    The part about them coming back and reading the article was not sarcastic. I enjoy learning new things and always hope to find others who want to expand their knowledge.

    Carbs are not the enemy and the more people who learn that, the better 😊