Do Carbs Or Sugar Increase Insulin More?

The foods you eat always contain a mixture of different types of sugar, carbohydrates, protein and fat. As your body digests, absorbs and metabolizes these nutrients, different hormones are released in your body. Some hormones signal that you are no longer hungry and others have the role of storing some of the energy you consumed for later use. One of these hormones is called insulin and is released in response to your rising blood sugar levels that result from the consumption of either starch or sugar.

Carbs vs. Sugar

Carbohydrates include sugar, so when you look at a food label to see the amount of carbohydrates present in a serving of food, the number already includes the grams of sugar. Besides sugars, starches and fiber are also part of the total carbohydrate content of a food. Both starches and sugars raise your blood sugar, or glucose, levels to the same extent. Dietary fiber, on the other hand, is not absorbed in humans and stays in your intestines without directly contributing to your blood sugar levels.

Insulin Levels

Insulin is produced by the beta cells of your pancreas when your blood sugar levels start to increase after your eat. Because the rise in your blood sugar levels mostly depends on the amount of starches and sugars your eat, it is fair to say that these carbohydrates are the main driver for determining the rise in your blood insulin levels. Starch and sugar have the same potential to elevate your blood sugar levels, and therefore your blood insulin levels.

Starchy vs. Sugary Foods

Starchy carbohydrates are mainly found in grains, legumes and starchy vegetables. For example, potatoes, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, oatmeal, bagels, beans, lentils and anything made from flour is rich in starch. Sugary carbohydrates are predominant in fruits, some dairy products, mainly milk and yogurt, as well as any foods and beverages containing added sugars, including soft drinks, sweets and desserts. Whether you eat 100g of carbohydrates from starches or sugars, the impact on your blood sugar levels and insulin levels will be very similar.

High Insulin and Health

Chronically elevated insulin levels as a result of a high carbohydrate intake from either starchy foods or sugary foods can cause many of the chronic diseases commonly seen in Western societies, according to a 2003 review paper in "Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology." High insulin levels lead to insulin resistance, which is the underlying feature of abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, prediabetes and diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.