• zeppo@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    One thing about this “sugar = diabetes” thing is that people hyper focus on just sugar. Insulin acts on all digestible carbohydrates, not just sugar. Vegetable starch such as rice, corn, wheat or potatoes is just a chain of glucose molecules and is actually turned into blood glucose faster than sucrose. Eating 1 lb of potatoes is exactly the same as eating 1/4 lb of sugar, other than that it comes with some oil too.

    Also it sure is annoying having type 1, which has nothing to do with that, and type 2, which does, is 24x as common.

    • chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      11 months ago

      Idk how to square it away with what you’re saying but potatoes are good for you and granulated sugar is bad for you.

      • zeppo@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Whole potatoes have some vitamins and fiber. Brown sugar has some, processed sugar has none. Peeled potatoes have little more nutrition than white sugar, and the same or worse effect on insulin response, which is the key of type 2 diabetes. Mainly what I was pointing out is that something like mashed potatoes is the same as sugar, maybe worse, and that “type 2 diabetes happens from too much sugar” might as well be “type 2 diabetes happens from too much french fries” but the real issue is total carbohydrate intake. In practice, Type 2 issues combine with lifestyle, as in if you’re a marathon runner or body builder, eat as many carbs as you want. If not, watch all carbs.