Re: Sources of Foods (Grains)

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Tue, 20 Jan 1998, HELFTER 77 wrote:

> Sources of Foods
...
> Sugar is as bad for horses as it is for any other species, and horses may
> exhibit mood swings similarly seen in humans. Time and time again horses calm

I must take exception to this blanket statement.  Sugar is not "bad" for
horses any more than it is for any other species.  Considering that the
body must convert all food to sugar (glucose) if it is to be used for fuel
(not the same as body building blocks like proteins, vitamins, and
minerals).  Fats are converted to sugar, carbohydrates are converted to
sugar, and complex sugars are converted to simple sugar.

So, generally speaking, all that hay and grain (other than the protiens,
vitamins, and minerals it contains) is either converted to sugar or
expelled as waste. 

We just had an assortment of posts about "ride food" (for humans that is)
which contained a bunch of recommendations, mostly, about how to get sugar
into the body during competition (other than the person who mentioned that
she wanted bacon, eggs, and BBQ chicken, YUCK, _I_ can't think of anything
that would go down worse...except maybe a Power Bar :)) because the body
needs sugar for fuel.

People have been bombarded by the health food industry about how "bad for
you" sugar is.  Mostly, I contend, they are speaking of processed sugars,
which can, indeed be difficult for the body to break down into simple
sugars without causing difficulties with insulin levels (as human beings
are MUCH more prone to diabetes) and variations in the amount of sugar
intake (large meals of high sugar substances followed by fasting).

However, molassas is what is left over from sugar cane AFTER it has been
processed and all the sugar (that white stuff you buy in the store) has
been taken out.  The sugar content of molassas is pretty low (and one need
only taste the stuff to realize this :), it is, in actuality, quite
bitter).

Whether that makes it a good horse food or not, I am unwilling to enter
the fray here; nor am I willing to say one way or the other whether the
additives that may be added to molassas to make it packageable are good or
bad for horses (it is not a given that all additive are necessarily bad).

It wat the statement "sugar is bad for horses as it is for any species"
that I take exception to.

Sugar...is the staff of life.  Ultimately, it is the only thing that the
body uses for energy.  It is, in essence, what keeps us all (horses and
humans alike) going.

Since the body is very good at converting all carbon based food sources
into sugar, it is not a given that the best way to provide a body with
sugar is by eating it; however, nor is it a given that eating it is a bad
way to provide our bodies with what they need to stay alive.

kat
Orange County, Calif.