Sugar FAQ
Options
yarwell
Posts: 10,477 Member
Firstly, if you don't want to track sugar daily you can turn it off in the settings of your food diary at MyFitnessPal Food and Exercise Diary Settings (top left)
Secondly, if you want to use a higher target than MFP's standard you can change that in Custom Goals at MyFitnessPal Fitness Goals (lower left)
1. Will eating sugar affect my weight loss.
Not specifically. Medically prescribed weight loss diets often use sugar as an ingredient (sucrose, fructose or glucose) to get tight control of their composition. You can lose weight on a "juicing" diet where sugars provide much of the nutrition. Consuming or restricting sugar as part of your overall diet may have an influence, but eating some sugar will not in itself stop weight loss.
2. What is MFP's sugar target ?
The value is set at 15% of your daily calories from all the sugars in your foods. If your calorie goal is 2000 cals the sugar part is 300 cals or 75 grams per day. See A Message about MyFitnessPal's updated nutrition goals
3. Where does the target come from ?
It was revised following the recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable intake in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, and using an average of the sugar found of sample menus provided by the USDA. Previously it was based on "added sugars" rather than all of the sugars in the diet and many found the level too restrictive at 8% of calories.
The American Heart Association suggest limits on added sugar "For most American women, no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons." That's 25 or 38 grams per day respectively of added sugars based on "no more than half your discretionary calories". http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf
The World Health Organisation (WHO) sets a guideline for added sugars to be less than 10% of energy intake. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/81/8/en/Steyn0803.pdf
The WHO has revised its guidance in 2015 to "adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits".
The EU have discussed a limit of 90g (18% of energy on a 2000 cal diet) for total sugars and observed that 45g is a typical adult intake of intrinsic or naturally occurring sugars from fruit, veg and dairy. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/1008.pdf
Australia has a Dietary Recommended Intake value for total sugars of 90g per day, as has the EU (for a 2000 calorie diet - so 18% of energy). Annex 13 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011
4. What are "added sugars" ?
This depends on your regulatory authorities. In the UK "added sugars is defined as any mono- or
disaccharide or any other food used for its sweetening properties. This would include, but is not exclusively limited to: sucrose, fructose, glucose, glucose syrups, fructose-glucose syrups, corn syrups, invert sugar, honey, maple syrup, malt extract, dextrose, fruit juices, deionised fruit juices, lactose, maltose, high maltose syrups, Agave syrup, dextrin and maltodextrin. The sugars contained in dried fruit are assumed to be intrinsic and are not included as added sugars. The sugars in milk powder are not included as added sugars, in line with COMA dietary guidelines which deemed sugars in milk as a special case and did not set guidelines to limit their intake."
Others are similar, the target being sugars deliberately added to a food product rather than those which happen to occur naturally in the other ingredients of the product. These regulatory definitions are often a political compromise between science, health and food industry interests - the exclusion for sugar in milk for example is probably a result of pressure from the dairy industry and may have little scientific credibility.
5. What are "free sugars"
Free sugars refer to monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
The WHO guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.
6. Which sugars are natural ?
All of them. Sucrose is found in sugar cane and sugar beet as well as in many fruits - half the sugars in orange are sucrose. Glucose is common in fruit but is less sweet than fructose. Fructose is mainly found in honey and fruit and has the highest sweetness intensity of the sugars. Lactose is a sugar and the main carbohydrate in milk products. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is perhaps the most manipulated sugar product in common use - starch from corn is broken down to glucose and 42-55% of that are then "isomerized" by enzymes or similar processes into fructose molecules to create a liquid syrup with the sweetening characteristics of sucrose but at lower cost.
7. How do natural and added sugars differ chemically ?
They don't. The sucrose molecule is the same wherever you find it. It can be split into a glucose and a fructose molecule under acid conditions or by an enzyme. The resulting fructose and glucose molecules are the same as the native fructose and glucose molecules from fruit.
Note that fruit juice is a natural sugar but becomes an "added sugar" if used to sweeten a food product.
8. Are natural sugars processed differently in the body ?
No. A glucose molecule or a fructose molecule looks the same to your liver, muscles etc wherever it came from. Fructose molecules follow a different pathway via the liver in contrast to other sugars or carbohydrates, some scientists believe this makes fructose potentially problematic and a "cause" of obesity, diabetes, etc. Robert Lustig, John Yudkins, David Gilespie and others have written books with emotive titles about the "dangers" of sugar or fructose.
In eating a whole fruit the fiber content and dilute nature of the sugars reduces the rate and amount we consume. The same cannot be said of fruit juice (fibre removed) which can contain 50% more sugars than regular cola drinks. Fruit has some vitamins and minerals and is generally perceived as "healthy", especially by its marketers, but ultimately the sugar in a fruit is the same stuff as the sugar in sugar cane and looks identical inside your organs.
Typically the blood sugar response to fruit, juice or puree is initially very similar, but a greater insulin response to faster absorption results in a later drop to a lower level of blood sugar :-
9. Are there any health arguments against sugar in fruit ?
There is some weak epidemiology that relatively high levels of consumption of certain fruits - cantaloupe and perhaps strawberries - are associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Other fruits appear to reduce risk. In most epidemiological studies the level of consumption in the public is around 1 piece of fruit per day, even the "5 a day" message would give at most 100 grams a day of sugar intake. Fruit juice consumption was also associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
10. What should I do ?
This is a matter of personal choice. The approach of 90g total sugars per 2000 calories (18% of energy) seems to be accepted in a number of countries, with MFP's minimum 1200 calorie setting this would be 54g of sugars. At this level the fructose intake will be below the level that some regard as potentially problematic. MFP's current approach will give you 45 grams at 1200 calories. If you have less than 45g as a goal you should re-run the goal setting.
If your consumption of fruit (or any food) takes you above this level then you may wish to research further the types of sugar you are eating and the potential health implications. You may choose to set a higher level, or simply to ignore it and just track total carbohydrates which include all sugars. You could replace a banana with an apple to reduce sugar intake, or make other similar changes to your diet.
If you read or follow Robert Lustig, John Yudkins or David Gilespie and buy into their arguments then you may want to stick with the MFP value or set a different one based on what you have learned.
Secondly, if you want to use a higher target than MFP's standard you can change that in Custom Goals at MyFitnessPal Fitness Goals (lower left)
1. Will eating sugar affect my weight loss.
Not specifically. Medically prescribed weight loss diets often use sugar as an ingredient (sucrose, fructose or glucose) to get tight control of their composition. You can lose weight on a "juicing" diet where sugars provide much of the nutrition. Consuming or restricting sugar as part of your overall diet may have an influence, but eating some sugar will not in itself stop weight loss.
2. What is MFP's sugar target ?
The value is set at 15% of your daily calories from all the sugars in your foods. If your calorie goal is 2000 cals the sugar part is 300 cals or 75 grams per day. See A Message about MyFitnessPal's updated nutrition goals
3. Where does the target come from ?
It was revised following the recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable intake in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, and using an average of the sugar found of sample menus provided by the USDA. Previously it was based on "added sugars" rather than all of the sugars in the diet and many found the level too restrictive at 8% of calories.
The American Heart Association suggest limits on added sugar "For most American women, no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons." That's 25 or 38 grams per day respectively of added sugars based on "no more than half your discretionary calories". http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf
The World Health Organisation (WHO) sets a guideline for added sugars to be less than 10% of energy intake. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/81/8/en/Steyn0803.pdf
The WHO has revised its guidance in 2015 to "adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits".
The EU have discussed a limit of 90g (18% of energy on a 2000 cal diet) for total sugars and observed that 45g is a typical adult intake of intrinsic or naturally occurring sugars from fruit, veg and dairy. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/1008.pdf
Australia has a Dietary Recommended Intake value for total sugars of 90g per day, as has the EU (for a 2000 calorie diet - so 18% of energy). Annex 13 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011
4. What are "added sugars" ?
This depends on your regulatory authorities. In the UK "added sugars is defined as any mono- or
disaccharide or any other food used for its sweetening properties. This would include, but is not exclusively limited to: sucrose, fructose, glucose, glucose syrups, fructose-glucose syrups, corn syrups, invert sugar, honey, maple syrup, malt extract, dextrose, fruit juices, deionised fruit juices, lactose, maltose, high maltose syrups, Agave syrup, dextrin and maltodextrin. The sugars contained in dried fruit are assumed to be intrinsic and are not included as added sugars. The sugars in milk powder are not included as added sugars, in line with COMA dietary guidelines which deemed sugars in milk as a special case and did not set guidelines to limit their intake."
Others are similar, the target being sugars deliberately added to a food product rather than those which happen to occur naturally in the other ingredients of the product. These regulatory definitions are often a political compromise between science, health and food industry interests - the exclusion for sugar in milk for example is probably a result of pressure from the dairy industry and may have little scientific credibility.
5. What are "free sugars"
Free sugars refer to monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
The WHO guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.
6. Which sugars are natural ?
All of them. Sucrose is found in sugar cane and sugar beet as well as in many fruits - half the sugars in orange are sucrose. Glucose is common in fruit but is less sweet than fructose. Fructose is mainly found in honey and fruit and has the highest sweetness intensity of the sugars. Lactose is a sugar and the main carbohydrate in milk products. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is perhaps the most manipulated sugar product in common use - starch from corn is broken down to glucose and 42-55% of that are then "isomerized" by enzymes or similar processes into fructose molecules to create a liquid syrup with the sweetening characteristics of sucrose but at lower cost.
7. How do natural and added sugars differ chemically ?
They don't. The sucrose molecule is the same wherever you find it. It can be split into a glucose and a fructose molecule under acid conditions or by an enzyme. The resulting fructose and glucose molecules are the same as the native fructose and glucose molecules from fruit.
Note that fruit juice is a natural sugar but becomes an "added sugar" if used to sweeten a food product.
8. Are natural sugars processed differently in the body ?
No. A glucose molecule or a fructose molecule looks the same to your liver, muscles etc wherever it came from. Fructose molecules follow a different pathway via the liver in contrast to other sugars or carbohydrates, some scientists believe this makes fructose potentially problematic and a "cause" of obesity, diabetes, etc. Robert Lustig, John Yudkins, David Gilespie and others have written books with emotive titles about the "dangers" of sugar or fructose.
In eating a whole fruit the fiber content and dilute nature of the sugars reduces the rate and amount we consume. The same cannot be said of fruit juice (fibre removed) which can contain 50% more sugars than regular cola drinks. Fruit has some vitamins and minerals and is generally perceived as "healthy", especially by its marketers, but ultimately the sugar in a fruit is the same stuff as the sugar in sugar cane and looks identical inside your organs.
Typically the blood sugar response to fruit, juice or puree is initially very similar, but a greater insulin response to faster absorption results in a later drop to a lower level of blood sugar :-
9. Are there any health arguments against sugar in fruit ?
There is some weak epidemiology that relatively high levels of consumption of certain fruits - cantaloupe and perhaps strawberries - are associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Other fruits appear to reduce risk. In most epidemiological studies the level of consumption in the public is around 1 piece of fruit per day, even the "5 a day" message would give at most 100 grams a day of sugar intake. Fruit juice consumption was also associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
10. What should I do ?
This is a matter of personal choice. The approach of 90g total sugars per 2000 calories (18% of energy) seems to be accepted in a number of countries, with MFP's minimum 1200 calorie setting this would be 54g of sugars. At this level the fructose intake will be below the level that some regard as potentially problematic. MFP's current approach will give you 45 grams at 1200 calories. If you have less than 45g as a goal you should re-run the goal setting.
If your consumption of fruit (or any food) takes you above this level then you may wish to research further the types of sugar you are eating and the potential health implications. You may choose to set a higher level, or simply to ignore it and just track total carbohydrates which include all sugars. You could replace a banana with an apple to reduce sugar intake, or make other similar changes to your diet.
If you read or follow Robert Lustig, John Yudkins or David Gilespie and buy into their arguments then you may want to stick with the MFP value or set a different one based on what you have learned.
13
Replies
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We have not had much on sugar lately.
Thanks
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Cheers Yarwell and finally...
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Too many facts.....thread must be closed down as there isn't enough "woo" in here!!!!
Great post!!!!1 -
This is not meant to dispute anything in the OP, but to share my own experience.
When I decreased sugar, and increased protein, veggies, and exercise, I found I stayed fuller longer and so could effortlessly eat at a deficit without being hungry. I don't have sugar cravings anymore, which also helps me stay at a deficit. I said goodbye to pints of Ben & Jerry's and hello to their mini cups, which I can ignore in the freezer for weeks until my fiance requests one. (A pint never lasted more than a day.) I don't have to struggle with willpower anymore - the desire just isn't there.8 -
From a recent article in the MFP blog. Links to the studies cited are in the page:
The Surprising Benefits of Cutting Back on Sugar
...In its recent report, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee cited sugar as one of our biggest health concerns and recommended that sugar make up 10 percent or fewer of our daily calorie intake. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than half of your daily discretionary calories comes from added sugars (about 6 teaspoons or 100 calories for women, and 9 teaspoons or 150 calories for men). But we’re eating way more of the sweet stuff than that: The CDC reports that the average American eats between 13 and 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (around 230 calories for women, and 335 for men).
In its natural state, sugar is a relatively harmless—even necessary—carbohydrate that our bodies need to function. It’s found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy as a compound known as fructose or lactose. The problem comes when sugar is added to foods during processing for added flavor, texture, or color. This is more common than you may realize—you don’t have to be in the candy aisle to be surrounded by added sugar.
Eating too many of these empty calories has many health effects, the most obvious being major weight gain. Added sugar drives your insulin levels up, messes with your metabolism, and causes those calories to turn right into belly fat. And while losing weight is well and good, that’s just the beginning of the health benefits of cutting back on the sweet stuff. Below are 21 more legit reasons—besides fitting into skinny jeans—to tame that sweet tooth for good.
...7. You’ll break your addiction to the sweet stuff.
Research shows that animals that “binge” on excessive amounts of sugar develop symptoms of physical addiction and signs of withdrawal. What’s happening: Dopamine, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, are released during sugar absorption (we’ve all experienced that post-birthday-cake euphoria). The problem is that eating too much sugar shuts down healthy dopamine signaling, meaning it takes more and more sugar to fire off those pleasure signals. In one study, the sight of a milkshake activated the same neurological reward centers as cocaine among people with addictive eating habits. Turns out, drugs aren’t the only substance you need to say “no” to.
...15. You'll have more energy.
Studies show that added dietary sugars can decrease the activity of orexin cells . These cells are basically the Energizer Bunnies of our bodies, and induce wakefulness, stoke the metabolism, and keep our system movin’ and groovin’. When orexin cells are turned off or absent, we’re sleepy and sluggish, which explains why you want to nap after a carb- and sugar-laden lunch.
16. You'll have fewer cravings.
Since over-consumption of sugar triggers the production of ghrelin—the hormone that signals to your body that it’s hungry—cutting down on sweets means you won't feel like a bottomless pit of hunger . Focus on whole, unprocessed foods, sans sweetener, to minimize that annoying "hangry" feeling and feel full for longer.
Read more: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-cutting-back-on-sugar/6 -
Skimmed it and will read again when I have more coffee - but really wanting to tag as it emphasizes the added sugar point as well as where the targets/goals are derived.
As an aside to the above poster - some MFP blogs are unfortunately pretty bad in terms of supporting evidence and/or context.
0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »From a recent article in the MFP blog. Links to the studies cited are in the page:
The Surprising Benefits of Cutting Back on Sugar
...In its recent report, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee cited sugar as one of our biggest health concerns and recommended that sugar make up 10 percent or fewer of our daily calorie intake. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than half of your daily discretionary calories comes from added sugars (about 6 teaspoons or 100 calories for women, and 9 teaspoons or 150 calories for men). But we’re eating way more of the sweet stuff than that: The CDC reports that the average American eats between 13 and 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (around 230 calories for women, and 335 for men).
In its natural state, sugar is a relatively harmless—even necessary—carbohydrate that our bodies need to function. It’s found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy as a compound known as fructose or lactose. The problem comes when sugar is added to foods during processing for added flavor, texture, or color. This is more common than you may realize—you don’t have to be in the candy aisle to be surrounded by added sugar.
Eating too many of these empty calories has many health effects, the most obvious being major weight gain. Added sugar drives your insulin levels up, messes with your metabolism, and causes those calories to turn right into belly fat. And while losing weight is well and good, that’s just the beginning of the health benefits of cutting back on the sweet stuff. Below are 21 more legit reasons—besides fitting into skinny jeans—to tame that sweet tooth for good.
...7. You’ll break your addiction to the sweet stuff.
Research shows that animals that “binge” on excessive amounts of sugar develop symptoms of physical addiction and signs of withdrawal. What’s happening: Dopamine, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, are released during sugar absorption (we’ve all experienced that post-birthday-cake euphoria). The problem is that eating too much sugar shuts down healthy dopamine signaling, meaning it takes more and more sugar to fire off those pleasure signals. In one study, the sight of a milkshake activated the same neurological reward centers as cocaine among people with addictive eating habits. Turns out, drugs aren’t the only substance you need to say “no” to.
...15. You'll have more energy.
Studies show that added dietary sugars can decrease the activity of orexin cells . These cells are basically the Energizer Bunnies of our bodies, and induce wakefulness, stoke the metabolism, and keep our system movin’ and groovin’. When orexin cells are turned off or absent, we’re sleepy and sluggish, which explains why you want to nap after a carb- and sugar-laden lunch.
16. You'll have fewer cravings.
Since over-consumption of sugar triggers the production of ghrelin—the hormone that signals to your body that it’s hungry—cutting down on sweets means you won't feel like a bottomless pit of hunger . Focus on whole, unprocessed foods, sans sweetener, to minimize that annoying "hangry" feeling and feel full for longer.
Read more: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-cutting-back-on-sugar/
lol no..
sugar addiction ..come on MFP ...0 -
Oh, and thanks for the post and the links op!0
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Skimmed it and will read again when I have more coffee - but really wanting to tag as it emphasizes the added sugar point as well as where the targets/goals are derived.
As an aside to the above poster - some MFP blogs are unfortunately pretty bad in terms of supporting evidence and/or context.
cosign0 -
Nice explanation, yarwell.0
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snickerscharlie wrote: »
+2.
I also find it unhelpful, especially in light of yarwell's more informative post, to talk generally about the benefits of cutting down on sugar. Obviously that depends entirely on how much you eat. Sure, if you don't have that high a calorie limit and routinely eat full pints of B&Js, you should cut down.
I eat more ice cream now that I did when gaining, and I usually have a few pints of ice cream in my freezer, and yet when I eat it I eat a serving size that fits into my calories (and is within the limits discussed above normally), so I see no need to cut down.0 -
Could use a bump today.1
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Great post.
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Keep adding to this great sugar debate...I'm still confused if I should eat fruit or not! ...I would think yes...but then which are better than others?0
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Keep adding to this great sugar debate...I'm still confused if I should eat fruit or not! ...I would think yes...but then which are better than others?
"Better" is relative. I think the best advice is to eat a wide variety of colors since you'll get a wide variety of nutrients that way. The "best" is the stuff in season.
I eat all the fruit I want and have lost consistently. My health markers are fantastic. You need sugar for energy. And as the OP says:
The WHO guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.1 -
Thank you BBQsauce....So basically stay away from refined sugar (bagged sugar)....and the honey debate confuses me....I have a friend that is a bee farmer & I buy my honey from him....am I now to avoid honey?
I have to remember what one person said to me....you don't see anyone overweight from eating fruits & veggies...0 -
Thank you BBQsauce....So basically stay away from refined sugar (bagged sugar)....and the honey debate confuses me....I have a friend that is a bee farmer & I buy my honey from him....am I now to avoid honey?
I have to remember what one person said to me....you don't see anyone overweight from eating fruits & veggies...
I'm not saying to stay away from refined sugar at all. I think you should reread the OP because it might answer a lot of your questions. For myself, I haven't seen any credible source that specifically links consumption of sugar to health issues (save the increased chance of obesity and the fact that more sugar in the diet often means fewer nutrients). I have lost 64 pounds while not even tracking sugar, and while enjoying occasional treats like ice cream.
As for no overweight folks only eating fruits and veggies--well, there are people who followed Freelee the Banana Girl's advice to eat as much fruit as they wanted and gained weight. For weight management, calories are more important than anything else. If I ate 25 bananas a day (assuming 100 calories each), I would gain a pound each week.
I think that the best and most sustainable way to approach sugar is to fill your diet with lean protein and plants and view sugary goodies as occasional treats. That works for me.0 -
The amount of sugar has to be considered. Studies on fruit intake tend to have about a pound a day as the top end of intake as the population median is about 1 piece of fruit per day. The absence of evidence of harm is absence of evidence at these levels of consumption.
Hence the total sugars limits in the EU of 90g (female) / 120g (male) and 90g in Australia with Canada proposing 100g per day. "Five a day" of vegetables (and fruit) was always intended to major on the vegetables. Australia was talking about 5 + 2 a day of veg and fruit respectively so again we're seeing a pretty modest level of intake being recommended.0
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