Different sugars in fermentation Re: health

[Jim Stone]

This discussion below was sent to me. (Starting from the bottom up).
Person A is saying it does not matter what sugar is used at the beginning of
a brewing process from a health point of view, whilst person B says it
'does' matter. Grateful if the wise minds here can throw some light on this
debate. Thanks.

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B. There is simple sugar and complex sugar, the second is processed in a
different way and also includes various nutriments beneficial to the
organism.


A. Surely all sugar is finally processed to the same end product when
consumed within the human body? Sugar is converted into alcohol via a
brewing process which has fourteen distinct stages. What type of sugar used
at the beginning of this brewing process no longer exists, and so from a
health point of view is not significant, whether white refined sugar, grape
juice or malt.


B. Yes, obviously. Alcohol is fermented sugar, but *quality* alcohol is
made from malt or fruit (usually grape) juice, not refined white sugar which
is toxic (empty calories without nutritional value).

A. Are not all beers made from sugar? i.e. Malt ?

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[Steve Bonine]

Post by Jim Stone
B. There is simple sugar and complex sugar, the second is processed in a
different way and also includes various nutriments beneficial to the
organism.

I think this is pretty much bullshit. There are different types of sugar
(glucose/dextrose, fructose, sucrose, etc.) but these are specific
chemicals and do not "include various nutrments".

Post by Jim Stone
A. Surely all sugar is finally processed to the same end product when
consumed within the human body? Sugar is converted into alcohol via a
brewing process which has fourteen distinct stages. What type of sugar used
at the beginning of this brewing process no longer exists, and so from a
health point of view is not significant, whether white refined sugar, grape
juice or malt.
B. Yes, obviously. Alcohol is fermented sugar, but *quality* alcohol is
made from malt or fruit (usually grape) juice, not refined white sugar which
is toxic (empty calories without nutritional value).

So B agrees with A, then states the opposite.

Like sugar, alcohol is a specific chemical. Saying that alcohol that
was fermented from white sugar is "bad" because white sugar is "bad" is
silly.

[c***@gmail.com]

The only real difference between simple vs complex sugars is how long the chain is. The reason we're told to avoid simple sugars is because they're so easy for our body to break down whereas complex sugars take a little more work so the net energy (and fat) gain is less.

Simple sugars are also easy for yeast to break down so you'll get more alcohol from more simple sugars. If you have very complex sugars some of those are going to be unfermentable. When you drink your beer it will always have some alcohol and some unfermentable sugars.

From a health perspective I don't know if it's better to have more alcohol and less sugar or vice versa but I'm quite sure there's no health difference between alcohol made from simple sugars and alcohol made from more complex yet still fermentable sugars.
Colin

Post by Jim Stone
This discussion below was sent to me. (Starting from the bottom up).
Person A is saying it does not matter what sugar is used at the beginning of
a brewing process from a health point of view, whilst person B says it
'does' matter. Grateful if the wise minds here can throw some light on this
debate. Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------
B. There is simple sugar and complex sugar, the second is processed in a
different way and also includes various nutriments beneficial to the
organism.
A. Surely all sugar is finally processed to the same end product when
consumed within the human body? Sugar is converted into alcohol via a
brewing process which has fourteen distinct stages. What type of sugar used
at the beginning of this brewing process no longer exists, and so from a
health point of view is not significant, whether white refined sugar, grape
juice or malt.
B. Yes, obviously. Alcohol is fermented sugar, but *quality* alcohol is
made from malt or fruit (usually grape) juice, not refined white sugar which
is toxic (empty calories without nutritional value).
A. Are not all beers made from sugar? i.e. Malt ?
================================================================

[Bart Goddard]

Post by c***@gmail.com
I'm quite sure there's no health difference between alcohol made from
simple sugars and alcohol made from more complex yet still fermentable
sugars.

I wouldn't be so sure. Our models of the chemistry of sugars and
alcohols are just models. We don't really know what's going on down
there. There are probably lots of different molecules that would
pass for ethanol by any of our tests. Yet subtle differences in
molecules can have different effects. Changing the fermentation
temperature can result in different alcohols being produced, some
of which are certainly not as healthy as plain ethanol. Cf. how
some brands of store-bought beer give some people headaches while
others don't. I don't think it's safe to say there's no possible
difference and I don't think it's right to say that there has to
be a difference. The person in the original conversation seems to
think that "unhealthiness" is some sort of substance which can
pass from the sugar to the alcohol. (So I doubt if they put manure
on their garden.) However, their wrong thinking has a chance of
giving the right answer. I don't think unhealthiness can be
passed from the refined sugar (which unhealthy for certain reasons)
to the alcohol (which could be unhealthy for different reasons.)
But I do think that using different sugar molecules could produce
subtlely different alcohols which might give headache, or better
buzz or interesting/off flavors.

Bart

[Steve Bonine]

Post by Bart Goddard
I wouldn't be so sure. Our models of the chemistry of sugars and
alcohols are just models. We don't really know what's going on down
there. There are probably lots of different molecules that would
pass for ethanol by any of our tests. Yet subtle differences in
molecules can have different effects. Changing the fermentation
temperature can result in different alcohols being produced, some
of which are certainly not as healthy as plain ethanol. Cf. how
some brands of store-bought beer give some people headaches while
others don't. I don't think it's safe to say there's no possible
difference and I don't think it's right to say that there has to
be a difference. The person in the original conversation seems to
think that "unhealthiness" is some sort of substance which can
pass from the sugar to the alcohol. (So I doubt if they put manure
on their garden.) However, their wrong thinking has a chance of
giving the right answer. I don't think unhealthiness can be
passed from the refined sugar (which unhealthy for certain reasons)
to the alcohol (which could be unhealthy for different reasons.)
But I do think that using different sugar molecules could produce
subtlely different alcohols which might give headache, or better
buzz or interesting/off flavors.

Or not.