SUGARS and CARBOHYDRATES – Are They Really The Same Thing? [Video]

A lot of people to one side are telling us “Carbohydrates are Straight Sugar”, and there are just as many on the other side insisting the opposite – that carbohydrates are way more complicated than that. Given our modern scientific knowledge of biochemistry and how the body works, it seems ridiculous that this should be something so contentious. Surely the truth should be obvious and clear? So, who is right?

Well, the answer, strangely, is “Both are correct”! In this video I explain why it’s contentious: The two apparent “sides” of this apparent “argument” are referring to different concepts, and neither side seems to realise what the other is talking about.

To a nutritional biochemist, “carbohydrate” simply refers to a class of substances consisting of sugar molecules; either on their own, or temporarily bound together in chains or clumps. That’s it. So to the biochemist, “carbohydrate” means “pure sugar or sugar compound” – ie “simple” or “complex” carbohydrate. According to that chemical definition of carbohydrate, a carbohydrate really is just sugar, and nothing more.

But to a regular person trying to understand what they are eating, with no particular biochemical training, “carbohydrate” means a class of foods. Cultural practice has divided all our foods into three broad categories which we refer to as “proteins”, “fats” and “carbohydrates”. We then assign everything we eat, from apricots and bread through cheese and eggs to bacon and mussels, to these categories according to their predominant nutrient content. So a piece of steak is loosely considered “protein” (even though it also contains fat and even some sugar), and rice is considered “a carbohydrate”. But the fact that rice is actually a seed, and carries the DNA of the rice plant in the form of amino acids (protein building blocks) means it is certainly not “straight sugar” – in spite of having a very high sugar content (in the form of starch (which is the plant form of stored sugar).

So a regular person, arguing that “Carbohydrates are not all sugar”, is correct in as much as they are referring more loosely to things like rice, pasta or bread, and not to the chemical concept of a carbohydrate which is most definitely just sugar.

LINKS
For an easy-to-understand explanation of the chemistry of sugars and carbohydrates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHrphrfIQu0&t=3s
Guidance to more healthy, disease resistant nutrition based on common sense and what is often realistically manageable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSB86hPIZ8w&t=3s
Join this channel to get access to additional benefits:
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*ANDREW TUNSTALL* is a Nutrition Coach, Elite Athlete and Science Teacher, who avoided Heart Surgery and a Hip Replacement by changing his lifestyle and nutrition before starting SHAPEFIXER to help others harness the power of knowledge to lose weight, improve health, fight disease and slow ageing.

*DISCLAIMER: Andrew is not a medical doctor. All videos are for informational and motivational purposes only, and are not to be taken as personalised medical diagnoses or advice. Speak to your own, trusted medical professional about all decisions you take regarding any aspects of your health, medical conditions and ongoing medication. Andrew may at any time and at his sole discretion change or replace the information available on this channel. To the extent permitted by law, Andrew Tunstall shall not be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of any content available on this channel, regardless of the accuracy or completeness of any such content.*