For Diabetics And Those Wary Of Sugar

[Meathead]

Many barbecue rubs and most barbecue sauces have sugar in them, some have a lot. If you are watching your sugar intake, some thoughts:

Why all the sugar anyhow? Well first of all, we like it, especially on pork. It seems to complement and amplify the flavors. It also melts, caramelizes, creating more complex flavors, and contributes to the texture of the crust.

But is it really an issue? Let’s take a look at my most popular rub recipe Meathead's Memphis Dust which has a lot of sugar in it https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...st-rub-recipe/

There are only about two tablespoons of rub on a large slab of ribs. Of that about half, one tablespoon, three teaspoons, is sugar. About one teaspoon of it drips off during cooking and some sticks to the grates. A slab has about 12 bones, so each bone has 0.17 teaspoons of sugar. If you eat six bones, half a slab, you get one teaspoon. The glycemic load (GL) is about 3. Compare that with a slice of white bread with a GL of 10.

Classic Kansas City style red barbecue sauces are pretty sweet, about 25% sugar. But you don't need a lot. One light coat should do the job. About four tablespoons max. You do want to taste the meat after all. There will be drip loss during cooking, so by the time you serve it there’s probably only three tablespoons left. If 25% is sugar, that’s 2.25 teaspoons of sugar or 0.19 teaspoons per bone, almost the same dose as the rub. Again, if you eat half a slab, you get a smidge more than one teaspoon of sugar.

So combined, you’re getting a GL of about 6, or 60% of a slice of white bread if you eat half a slab. Can you eat half a slab?

If that’s still too much, you can make your own rubs and sauces and leave the sugar out. Here’s a link to all our rub recipes (which have no salt) https://amazingribs.com/?s=rub+recipes
And here’s a link to an article on the science of rubs https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip.../science-rubs/

There are some fun sauces without sugar or with very little sugar. Here is my East Carolina Sauce recipe https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...nd-mop-recipe/

And here’s is my Lexington Dip https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...dip-bbq-sauce/

Here’s a link to an article about all the nation’s barbecue sauce styles https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...buy-set-award/

Here is an article on sweeteners including artificial sweeteners

https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-ingredients-glossaries/science-sugars-syrups-sweeteners-sugar/

[bbqLuv]

OKAY, you done good.

[smokin fool]

Thank you, my wife is borderline diabetic so I will pass this info on to here.
She won't be able to refuse my cooking now.

[Davek8282]

Maybe she is using the sugar content for an excuse not to eat your cooking? LOL

[ofelles]

The sauce links didn't work for me.

Lexington Dip https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...dip-bbq-sauce/

East Carolina Sauce recipe https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...nd-mop-recipe/

[Oak Smoke]

Same here, they’re not working for me.

[rickgregory]

"So combined, you’re getting a GL of about 6, or 60% of a slice of white bread if you eat half a slab. Can you eat half a slab?"

You mean can I eat ONLY half a slab, right?

[SierraBBQGuy]

There is a very popular non sugar sweetener now that many diabetics use, Allulose. Just slightly less sweet than sugar, but doesn’t have many of the complaints of other sweeteners, aftertaste, coolness on tongue and GI issues. You won’t find any packaged products using it, too expensive, but just replace for sugar in your favorite recipe.

[Meathead]

I discuss artificial and other sweeteners on this pag https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...eteners-sugar/

[SierraBBQGuy]

I’ve been doing a lot of baking recently, using mainly Allulose. It may not act like sugar in a rub, it definitely aids in the browning of baked goods.

Also makes a great simple syrup for my Old Fashioned 🥃

[Mark V]

I just picked up a pack of Swerve. Gets good reviews, haven't tried baking or much else with it yet myself.

[Mosca]

I’ve been working on getting my A1C under 7. Back in October it was 8.7, last week it was 7.2.

When I was working, I was eating 3 meals a day, and often two of those were fast food. Now I’m retired, I only eat twice a day. That makes a difference.

Another thing I changed: no more dessert-type foods. Cake, cupcakes, cookies, chocolates, peanut butter cups, chips, etc. That took about a week for that craving to stop. And the holidays were tough. There were some concessions made. I did make the cookies last week, but in my defense I gave most of them away.

But all the other stuff: bread, potatoes, rice, ketchups/sauces/rubs, sweet pickles, etc, I ignore that stuff. I’ll let the pills deal with those, and I’ll try not to let the big things overwhelm the medications. Once it gets under 7, I’ll rethink it.

[Bkhuna]

"Everything in moderation, including moderation." - Oscar Wilde

I've lost 30 lbs and dropped my A1C to 5.1 in the last year and I haven't given up anything. For me, it was portion control. I still splurge every now and again but I don't deny myself anything.

[DavidNorcross]

Thank you Meathead . I have an A1C of 6.1 and work on it daily. Any information like this is helpful and useful.

[Dick Anderson]

I have started using Monkfruit in place of brown sugar in my rubs, and no one has said anything about a difference. I can't tell any

[Spinaker]

Getting rid of sugar in your diet does wonders for you. I have gone simple with all my rubs. Salt, Pepper, Granulated Garlic and Granulated Onion. Honestly, The sugar you pick up in rubs is minuscule when going across the meat. Especially if you are cooking large cuts like brisket, pork shoulder or hams. That being said, anytime you leave out the unnatural, refined sugars, it is a win. Every little bit helps that is for sure.

When i was looking to cut sugars from my diet (160 pounds ago), get healthy and not become diabetic, I really focused on cutting out starches, bread products or anything that comes in a box. If I can't touch the actual food when I am buying it, it stays out of my cart. Now I eat whole foods, mostly stuff that grows on the ground; not below it or way above it. Big leafy greens and meats for me. Seasoned with salt, pepper and a few other things, just not refined sugar. It takes a little bit for your body to adjust but once it does, you will never feel better.

[Spinaker]

Greens can be that way, yes. But there are tons of different ways to prepare them. Just gotta be creative! SmokinFool

[smokin fool]

Spinaker doesn't help I have a sweet tooth and no will power

[Spinaker]

Hahaha, yeah. Ice Cream/ Peanut butter mixture is gonna be the death of me. smokin fool

[DanMancuso]

Using less overall and if I buy it, I look for the "less sugar" versions.