sugar
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thielke2015
Posts: 212 Member
just to let people be aware of an app called change4life it tells you the recommended daily allowance and you scan a product and it tell you how many sugar cubes the whole product has , how much in 100G and how much in a portion. it does this as a visual representation with sugar cube pictures .... I've found it very helpful. the only question I have is does this app allow you to see how much you have consumed a day eg. fats, sugars and carbs..... as an overall figure. I know it has a pie chart showing how many calories each meal but can it or is it any more specific than that? I can't seem to find it. thank you in advance
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ok.... I have answered my own question by just finding the info. there seems to be a big difference between what this app suggests should be the daily intake 79 Gram and what the NHS based app says which is 30 gram0
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thielke2015 wrote: »ok.... I have answered my own question by just finding the info. there seems to be a big difference between what this app suggests should be the daily intake 79 Gram and what the NHS based app says which is 30 gram
They are two different things, the NHS 30g is added sugars and MFP includes natural/free sugars.
To answer your previous question if you log in on a laptop or tablet and go to your diary page, click on reports and they are all there.0 -
thielke2015 wrote: »just to let people be aware of an app called change4life it tells you the recommended daily allowance and you scan a product and it tell you how many sugar cubes the whole product has , how much in 100G and how much in a portion. it does this as a visual representation with sugar cube pictures .... I've found it very helpful. the only question I have is does this app allow you to see how much you have consumed a day eg. fats, sugars and carbs..... as an overall figure. I know it has a pie chart showing how many calories each meal but can it or is it any more specific than that? I can't seem to find it. thank you in advance
That sounds very useful! Going to download it and play with it now.
I read a report recently that said for Americans: a little over 50% of sugar consumed is in the "hidden" added sugars.0 -
79 grams is 15% of your calories for ALL sugar. The NHS recommends 5% from ADDED sugar (same as the WHO), which does not include fruit, veg, and dairy. (http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1139.aspx?categoryid=51) MFP cannot break out added sugar, since it's not on the labels, so estimates what a limit should be assuming a decent amount of intrinsic sugars from fruit and veg and dairy.
The NHS's 30 gram number is supposed to represent 5% (see my link), but that's only so if you eat 2400 calories per day. Like MFP's, it will vary depending on total calories.
Also worth noting is that the main reason given for limiting added sugars by the WHO and others (including the US's new limit) is that added sugars tend to be found in high numbers in lower nutrient/higher cal foods and so can lead to overconsumption of calories and a diet overall that is not nutrient rich. Of course, in many or most cases (with soda as a key exception), these foods are high cal not merely because of the sugar, but a high fat content.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »thielke2015 wrote: »just to let people be aware of an app called change4life it tells you the recommended daily allowance and you scan a product and it tell you how many sugar cubes the whole product has , how much in 100G and how much in a portion. it does this as a visual representation with sugar cube pictures .... I've found it very helpful. the only question I have is does this app allow you to see how much you have consumed a day eg. fats, sugars and carbs..... as an overall figure. I know it has a pie chart showing how many calories each meal but can it or is it any more specific than that? I can't seem to find it. thank you in advance
That sounds very useful! Going to download it and play with it now.
I read a report recently that said for Americans: a little over 50% of sugar consumed is in the "hidden" added sugars.
Do you have a link?
I continue to be puzzled about how any sugar in a packaged item can be called "hidden," as it's on the label. And sometimes people lump in sugar from stuff like donuts or sugary cereals, which are obviously about as far from hidden as it can get. My vague memory is that something like 50% of sugar in the US diet is from soda and energy drinks (but that could be mis-remembered), so that would leave the other 50% including other foods that are pretty obviously sugar-filled.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »thielke2015 wrote: »just to let people be aware of an app called change4life it tells you the recommended daily allowance and you scan a product and it tell you how many sugar cubes the whole product has , how much in 100G and how much in a portion. it does this as a visual representation with sugar cube pictures .... I've found it very helpful. the only question I have is does this app allow you to see how much you have consumed a day eg. fats, sugars and carbs..... as an overall figure. I know it has a pie chart showing how many calories each meal but can it or is it any more specific than that? I can't seem to find it. thank you in advance
That sounds very useful! Going to download it and play with it now.
I read a report recently that said for Americans: a little over 50% of sugar consumed is in the "hidden" added sugars.
Do you have a link?
I continue to be puzzled about how any sugar in a packaged item can be called "hidden," as it's on the label. And sometimes people lump in sugar from stuff like donuts, which is obviously about as far from hidden as it can get. My vague memory is that something like 50% of sugar in the US diet is from soda and energy drinks (but that could be mis-remembered), so that would leave the other 50% including other foods that are pretty obviously sugar-filled.
It IS a stupid word, I agree. But yes, I'll look for the report. I read it off Twitter yesterday.
It was something above 50% of sugars in foods were added sugars.
And yes, I'd love to see how much fat is added fat...0 -
I found a source for some numbers, which might be of interest:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/What-are-the-biggest-contributors-of-added-sugars-to-the-US-diet
42.4% from soda and energy and sports drinks + fruit drinks (so not quite as high as I'd thought)
12.7% from grain desserts (I assume this means flour-based desserts?)
6.7% from candy
5.6% from dairy desserts
Total of 67.4%
I bet cereals are another big source.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »I found a source for some numbers, which might be of interest:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/What-are-the-biggest-contributors-of-added-sugars-to-the-US-diet
42.4% from soda and energy and sports drinks + fruit drinks (so not quite as high as I'd thought)
12.7% from grain desserts (I assume this means flour-based desserts?)
6.7% from candy
5.6% from dairy desserts
Total of 67.4%
I bet cereals are another big source.
heh, I'd put cereals with desserts. But seriously, I'm surprised cereal isn't on there. I'm sure it would be for kids!
42.4% from drinks. wow.
So really, my quote of 50% could be low.
The one I saw had a lot for the not so common ones all lumped together: bread (beyond the pinch that's needed), condiments, dressings etc. That number turned out to be quite high too.
I wonder where they'd put so called protein bars? Desserts, I guess.
67.4% wow. Thanks for the link.0 -
I am trying to eliminate sugar from my diet. Here is an interesting article from the LA Times that contains information about research, the World Health Organization's changing guidelines and more. I found it very helpful. [LATimes="http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-added-sugar-who-six-teaspoons-per-day-20140305-story.html"]0
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lindakirchubel wrote: »I am trying to eliminate sugar from my diet. Here is an interesting article from the LA Times that contains information about research, the World Health Organization's changing guidelines and more. I found it very helpful. [LATimes="http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-added-sugar-who-six-teaspoons-per-day-20140305-story.html"]
I doubt you can "eliminate it", but if you eat a lot of added sugars, (and added fats) reducing them can't be bad.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »I found a source for some numbers, which might be of interest:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/What-are-the-biggest-contributors-of-added-sugars-to-the-US-diet
42.4% from soda and energy and sports drinks + fruit drinks (so not quite as high as I'd thought)
12.7% from grain desserts (I assume this means flour-based desserts?)
6.7% from candy
5.6% from dairy desserts
Total of 67.4%
I bet cereals are another big source.
heh, I'd put cereals with desserts. But seriously, I'm surprised cereal isn't on there. I'm sure it would be for kids!
42.4% from drinks. wow.
So really, my quote of 50% could be low.
The one I saw had a lot for the not so common ones all lumped together: bread (beyond the pinch that's needed), condiments, dressings etc. That number turned out to be quite high too.
I wonder where they'd put so called protein bars? Desserts, I guess.
67.4% wow. Thanks for the link.
That's of added sugar, not total sugar. 14% of total calories from added sugar. I will dig around for added sugar's percent of total sugar, but given the average US diet (too few fruits and veg), I would not be at all surprised if it's over 50%. I just don't think added sugar="hidden" sugar and was wondering if that was supposed to refer to sugars in savory items or the like.0 -
lindakirchubel wrote: »I am trying to eliminate sugar from my diet. Here is an interesting article from the LA Times that contains information about research, the World Health Organization's changing guidelines and more. I found it very helpful. [LATimes="http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-added-sugar-who-six-teaspoons-per-day-20140305-story.html"]
Sugar or added sugar? Many extremely healthy foods have sugar -- not just fruit and dairy, but also vegetables. I can end up with quite a few grams from just vegetables plus maybe some beets and sweet potato alone.
As for added sugar, I tend to eat the foods that contain it in moderation (for me that means ice cream, chocolate, the occasional homemade baked good, since I don't eat a lot of packaged stuff that would contain it otherwise). I don't see a need to cut these out so long as I am aware of how much I'm eating and don't overdo it. I also might add a bit of sugar to a rhubarb sauce or other homemade sauce (or honey, which is basically the same), use a hot sauce that might have a bit (I think sriracha does), or add a bit to a pizza crust to feed the yeast. And while I rarely have pancakes or waffles, on the occasion that I do I will have real maple syrup!
For me this approach works, but if you want to cut it out, I think there's nothing wrong with that. I just don't think it's at all necessary for health or to have a healthful, nutrient-dense diet, and it goes beyond what's being recommended.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »thielke2015 wrote: »just to let people be aware of an app called change4life it tells you the recommended daily allowance and you scan a product and it tell you how many sugar cubes the whole product has , how much in 100G and how much in a portion. it does this as a visual representation with sugar cube pictures .... I've found it very helpful. the only question I have is does this app allow you to see how much you have consumed a day eg. fats, sugars and carbs..... as an overall figure. I know it has a pie chart showing how many calories each meal but can it or is it any more specific than that? I can't seem to find it. thank you in advance
That sounds very useful! Going to download it and play with it now.
I read a report recently that said for Americans: a little over 50% of sugar consumed is in the "hidden" added sugars.
Do you have a link?
I continue to be puzzled about how any sugar in a packaged item can be called "hidden," as it's on the label. And sometimes people lump in sugar from stuff like donuts or sugary cereals, which are obviously about as far from hidden as it can get. My vague memory is that something like 50% of sugar in the US diet is from soda and energy drinks (but that could be mis-remembered), so that would leave the other 50% including other foods that are pretty obviously sugar-filled.
thank you everyone for your comments. if you just type change4life into google you will get it.
the app is good as it recognises natural sugars and will tell you this. for example if I scan a packet of peppers or milk it says " you don't need to worry about this product. these sugars are naturally occurring and have no added sugar"
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »thielke2015 wrote: »ok.... I have answered my own question by just finding the info. there seems to be a big difference between what this app suggests should be the daily intake 79 Gram and what the NHS based app says which is 30 gram
They are two different things, the NHS 30g is added sugars and MFP includes natural/free sugars.
To answer your previous question if you log in on a laptop or tablet and go to your diary page, click on reports and they are all there.
thank you. I wondered if it may be something to do with this.
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well I have eliminated or decreased my "added sugar" products and intake for the last week. I have stopped having sugar in my coffee and now just add a sweetener and I have changed my peanut butter to a less added sugar one as a result of the app. I go to get weighed tonight. this is as well as reducing my calorie intake a day to 1,500-1,600. I will post later the results.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »I found a source for some numbers, which might be of interest:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/What-are-the-biggest-contributors-of-added-sugars-to-the-US-diet
42.4% from soda and energy and sports drinks + fruit drinks (so not quite as high as I'd thought)
12.7% from grain desserts (I assume this means flour-based desserts?)
6.7% from candy
5.6% from dairy desserts
Total of 67.4%
I bet cereals are another big source.
heh, I'd put cereals with desserts. But seriously, I'm surprised cereal isn't on there. I'm sure it would be for kids!
42.4% from drinks. wow.
So really, my quote of 50% could be low.
The one I saw had a lot for the not so common ones all lumped together: bread (beyond the pinch that's needed), condiments, dressings etc. That number turned out to be quite high too.
I wonder where they'd put so called protein bars? Desserts, I guess.
67.4% wow. Thanks for the link.
That's of added sugar, not total sugar. 14% of total calories from added sugar. I will dig around for added sugar's percent of total sugar, but given the average US diet (too few fruits and veg), I would not be at all surprised if it's over 50%. I just don't think added sugar="hidden" sugar and was wondering if that was supposed to refer to sugars in savory items or the like.
I agree about added =/= "hidden" sugar. I think of hidden sugars as those in things like sauces and soups and the such, that you wouldn't expect.
One that was an eye-opener for me was prepared spaghetti sauce. My grandma used to make her own from scratch (even tomatoes that she grew and canned herself, lol) and never put sugar in it, but the bottles from the store do add sugar/HFCS/something-else-that-is-the-same-as-sugar
I'm not opposed to added sugar in moderation; they key is knowing what you're eating and whether it really does fit in your goals. I think there is also a good deal of scare-mongering out there: for example, the "chart" I saw a few years ago of how much sugar is in our common drinks, but it included plain milk and fruit juice. Yes, they have sugars (which are naturally occurring, and FTR I don't often drink juice because it's not worth the sugar and calories and not as much nutrition as the fruit), but when those are portrayed as tsp of white sugar, it give the impression that milk is a sugared drink.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »I found a source for some numbers, which might be of interest:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/What-are-the-biggest-contributors-of-added-sugars-to-the-US-diet
42.4% from soda and energy and sports drinks + fruit drinks (so not quite as high as I'd thought)
12.7% from grain desserts (I assume this means flour-based desserts?)
6.7% from candy
5.6% from dairy desserts
Total of 67.4%
I bet cereals are another big source.
heh, I'd put cereals with desserts. But seriously, I'm surprised cereal isn't on there. I'm sure it would be for kids!
42.4% from drinks. wow.
So really, my quote of 50% could be low.
The one I saw had a lot for the not so common ones all lumped together: bread (beyond the pinch that's needed), condiments, dressings etc. That number turned out to be quite high too.
I wonder where they'd put so called protein bars? Desserts, I guess.
67.4% wow. Thanks for the link.
That's of added sugar, not total sugar. 14% of total calories from added sugar. I will dig around for added sugar's percent of total sugar, but given the average US diet (too few fruits and veg), I would not be at all surprised if it's over 50%. I just don't think added sugar="hidden" sugar and was wondering if that was supposed to refer to sugars in savory items or the like.
I agree about added =/= "hidden" sugar. I think of hidden sugars as those in things like sauces and soups and the such, that you wouldn't expect.
One that was an eye-opener for me was prepared spaghetti sauce. My grandma used to make her own from scratch (even tomatoes that she grew and canned herself, lol) and never put sugar in it, but the bottles from the store do add sugar/HFCS/something-else-that-is-the-same-as-sugar
I wonder how much, though, since a lot of that is naturally-occurring sugar.
I always make pasta sauce at home (often with canned tomatoes, however, especially when fresh tomatoes aren't available and are those tasteless off-season things in the store -- when I am overwhelmed with delicious tomatoes in the summer, though, I use fresh). I never put sugar in it, but am aware that adding a bit of sugar to a marinara is reasonably traditional. It's recommended in my Fundamentals of Italian Cooking book, which is supposed to be a good source, for example.
Anyway, my "meat and vegetable" pasta sauce, which includes lean ground beef, tomatoes, a base of onion, carrot, and celery, plus mushroom, eggplant, garlic, zucchini, and chard (I'm using this one, which was just a "throw in the vegetables on hand" because I actually created a recipe) has 7 grams of sugar. A serving of Prego Marinara also has 7 grams. I think my serving is probably larger (hard to tell since I added meat and didn't indicate on the recipe), but I think this shows that plenty of the sugar could be natural, so those illustrations that make it seem like pasta sauce (usually a whole jar containing numerous servings) has more sugar than a candy bar are quite misleading.
Sorry, this is a particular hobby horse of mine! ;-)
I do recommend homemade pasta sauce to all, though, with or without the bit of sugar. (I add butter to a marinara instead.) I also agree that the key is just understanding what you are eating and making sensible choices.0 -
I agree, @lemurcat12 about most of those being natural. I didn't know that it was traditional to add a bit of sugar to a marinara, so it was unexpected for me.
Hidden sugar is probably a bad term for it, too. It kind of implies that it was snuck in there or something, that they are trying to keep us from knowing it's there. A sensible person *should* read labels and make the decisions based on the information there. (I do still use bottled pasta sauce most of the time, that little bit of added sugar doesn't bother me in the context of my family's whole diet)0 -
I'm sure it's useful for some but I dislike the fact it's advertised on the premise that if you eat to much sugar you will get fat...which is a simplistic twisting of the facts.0
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I think it depends on the product, of course, and reading labels is key.
I recently got a "honey sauce" packet with my mexican food. It was up to me to read that "honey sauce" wasn't really honey at all (nor did it claim to be).
The ingredients in order were:
High fructose corn syrup
corn syrup
sugar
honey
fructose
molasses
Yes, honey is sugar. How much honey was in the "honey sauce" I wondered...
ETA: apparently not much. http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/jmadison/44092/honey-sauce-corporate-greed-at-its-least-tasty
To that end, a popular local restaurant changed its tortilla recipe recently, substituting lard with HFCS. I don't cook, so I have no idea how that works, but to my mind, it's not a move in the right direction. I'm sure some others will disagree.
It behooves us all to read, and then make our own decisions. We get to decide if HFCS in tortillas fits our goals. We get to decide how much sugar in bread makes sense. How much in marinara makes sense etc.
We have to know the various names for sugar, of course, but then it's up to us.
And, yes, we need to make the same decisions about fats. What kind, and how much do we want added to our foods.
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