A friend asked about the difference in impact between blood sugar that is created from excess consumption of carbs that are not sugar, and from carbs that are sugar. That is to say, why does high carb intake absent a high sugar intake seem to have a different impact than does the high carb/high sugar combination?
First, two facts:
There are islanders who eat at least 60% of their calories as starchy carbs, but they have very little sugar intake. About 95% of the men smoke. They have no heart disease.
Additionally, when studied it is often observed that there are healthy fat folks and non-healthy fat folks.
What happens in a very abbreviated answer is that fructose is processed via the liver, and when consumed in excess it seems to make the liver insulin resistant. This seems to be a stage in development of full insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is detected as metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, and a strong predictor of disease in and of itself.
You can find more about various elements of fructose ingestion here:
Fructose link: http://fireofthegodsfitness.blogspot.com/search/label/Fructose
Also, at Gary Taubes blog Gary summarizes three studies on this topic here:
Taubes summary of the three: http://garytaubes.com/2011/11/catching-up-on-lost-time-–-the-ancestral-health-symposium-food-reward-palatability-insulin-signaling-and-carbohydrates…-part-iib/
The best, most solid science on this topic includes this study:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0057873 ... which is summarized well here:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/its-the-sugar-folks/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
So here's my concept of the progression:
First, we find those who eat too many carbs, and store them as excess fat, but they are not insulin resistant, do not develop metabolic syndrome, and are healthy by most measures.
Second, we find those who eat "too much" sugar (too much is different by individuals for a variety of reasons like ethnicity, activity level, alcohol consumption, etc) and become insulin resistant. For these folks, all carbs now become a driver of excess blood sugar, inflammation, and often progress to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Once sugar and carbs are reduced, these folks often become normal in their tolerance of non-sugar carbs.
Lastly, we find those with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Because they have become insulin resistant, often any kind or dose of carbs will make them fatter and sicker.
The implications for this model include the idea that eating meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, little fruit or starch and no sugar/wheat is a strong preventative for progression through these stages. I would bet that it is not possible to eat enough of the above prescription to become insulin resistant. Once one is in stage 2 or 3 as described above, it may take a more careful approach that includes measured carb restriction, and perhaps induction of ketogenic metabolism.
First, two facts:
There are islanders who eat at least 60% of their calories as starchy carbs, but they have very little sugar intake. About 95% of the men smoke. They have no heart disease.
Additionally, when studied it is often observed that there are healthy fat folks and non-healthy fat folks.
What happens in a very abbreviated answer is that fructose is processed via the liver, and when consumed in excess it seems to make the liver insulin resistant. This seems to be a stage in development of full insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is detected as metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, and a strong predictor of disease in and of itself.
You can find more about various elements of fructose ingestion here:
Fructose link: http://fireofthegodsfitness.blogspot.com/search/label/Fructose
Also, at Gary Taubes blog Gary summarizes three studies on this topic here:
Taubes summary of the three: http://garytaubes.com/2011/11/catching-up-on-lost-time-–-the-ancestral-health-symposium-food-reward-palatability-insulin-signaling-and-carbohydrates…-part-iib/
The best, most solid science on this topic includes this study:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0057873 ... which is summarized well here:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/its-the-sugar-folks/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
So here's my concept of the progression:
First, we find those who eat too many carbs, and store them as excess fat, but they are not insulin resistant, do not develop metabolic syndrome, and are healthy by most measures.
Second, we find those who eat "too much" sugar (too much is different by individuals for a variety of reasons like ethnicity, activity level, alcohol consumption, etc) and become insulin resistant. For these folks, all carbs now become a driver of excess blood sugar, inflammation, and often progress to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Once sugar and carbs are reduced, these folks often become normal in their tolerance of non-sugar carbs.
Lastly, we find those with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Because they have become insulin resistant, often any kind or dose of carbs will make them fatter and sicker.
The implications for this model include the idea that eating meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, little fruit or starch and no sugar/wheat is a strong preventative for progression through these stages. I would bet that it is not possible to eat enough of the above prescription to become insulin resistant. Once one is in stage 2 or 3 as described above, it may take a more careful approach that includes measured carb restriction, and perhaps induction of ketogenic metabolism.
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