If calories is a calorie-what's the issue with Sugar then? how to reduce intake? HELP!

viren19890
viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
edited December 3 in Food and Nutrition
Saw a documentary "Fed up" and "Sugar Coated"

are there different types of sugar? like good sugar vs bad sugar? sugar in fruit vs sugarcane vs jaggery vs molasses vs honey?

How do I reduce my intake? -i'm not diabetic or have any one in my family or extended family suffering from it or have history of but those documentaries make me think.

I finally accepted that eating a pizza vs eating regular home made food is no different for weight loss as long as I maintain a deficit and now this?

The more I learn the more confused I get -who is right? who is wrong?
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Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I think dosage is the issue, and not types of sugars. But I do believe refined foods with sugars tend to be more problematic than whole foods with sugars. Anyway, some people can handle more glucose and fructose than others before health problems creep up. The problem is knowing which group you are in.

    I thought I could handle sugars. Apparently my body can't (health issues now like IR) so I skip them. My sugar intake is usually well under 10g per day. Others can handle sugars no problem. Hopefully they will continue to do so, although the likelihood of that drops as one ages.
  • NEOHgirl
    NEOHgirl Posts: 237 Member
    For weight loss, there is no difference. If you overdo the sugar consumption, over time your body will lose the ability to handle it properly, and that's when people start to get into medical conditions. Enjoy sugar in moderation, and you should be fine - just make you sure really are practicing moderation.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Eating more calories than you burn leads to weight gain.
    My problem was never one particular food. I overate.................everything.
    Learning moderation and portion control of all foods was key for me, and continues to be in maintaining.

    There are no demon foods.

    As with most things regarding becoming healthier, you have to learn what works for you, and stick with it. We are all different, but basically, it is CICO.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    Thanks a lot all for posting.

    They did mock AHA and AMA in the documentary. They also talked about how most research funds are provided by big corporations. USDA being in the pocket of bugger corporations.

    They revised so many things in the bills and legislation.
    Also, the food at school cafeteria being pizza, fries, nachos and no vegetables? They were able to categorize pizza as a "vegetable".

    They did talk about eating something with "fat" is better than eating 0 Fat but with higher sugar.

    Also how come sugar does not have DV percentage. Aren't we already consuming more than AHA recommended sugar?
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Sugar is sugar. The body breaks it down to simplest form and absorbs it. Good carbs get broken down to sugar. Don't believe all the hype.
    If sugar was really the issue to obesity, then countries that consume more than the US should also have an obesity issue, and most of them don't. Brazil as a country consumes more than the US.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Bro, they had Brazil on the list of obesity ridden countries lol
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    And oh! What about sugar being 8 times more addicting than Cocaine?

    The study they did on 43 rats that chose sugary water over cocaine?

    They didn't list any links to the study though.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Pizza is not counted as a vegetable, the tomato sauce is if anything.
    There's no DV because DV is based on how much an average body needs.
    Sugar is not addictive. At all.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Sugar is sugar. The body breaks it down to simplest form and absorbs it. Good carbs get broken down to sugar. Don't believe all the hype.
    If sugar was really the issue to obesity, then countries that consume more than the US should also have an obesity issue, and most of them don't. Brazil as a country consumes more than the US.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    This is true. However, for me, foods with lots of sugar added do not keep me full as long as higher fiber, naturally sweet foods. I'll eat peaches before cake, for instance. And a sweet potato is always a first choice if it's available.
    On the other hand, if I really want a milkshake, I'll have one. I just don't really want them as often now as three years ago when I started here on MFP.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    viren19890 wrote: »
    And oh! What about sugar being 8 times more addicting than Cocaine?

    The study they did on 43 rats that chose sugary water over cocaine?

    They didn't list any links to the study though.

    A study that shows rats prefer food over pharmaceuticals does not indicate that sugar is addictive.

    IKR?

    The rats actually ate - wait for it - the actual food source over the non-food source.

    NFS.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    Sugar is sugar, but provides a very easy and neurologically rewarding way of consuming Lott's oof calories in a short space of time.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Sugar is sugar. The body breaks it down to simplest form and absorbs it. Good carbs get broken down to sugar. Don't believe all the hype.
    If sugar was really the issue to obesity, then countries that consume more than the US should also have an obesity issue, and most of them don't. Brazil as a country consumes more than the US.

    ^^^This, end thread...
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Protein and fat are essential nutrients. You can survive perfectly well without any sugar that is not naturally present in low sugar foods like vegetables. All other concerns aside, protein, in particular, contributes greatly to satiety. Sugar doesn't.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    People talk about taxing this and banning that.

    I vote, that misinformation should be banned and anyone intentionally spreading it should be taxed heavily.

    The more I learn ,more confused I get.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    btw guys-long ago a lot of studies supported Smoking helps exercising lungs and later what the truth was.

    I wonder if what we know about food and types of food -changes as well. 
  • BillMcKay1
    BillMcKay1 Posts: 315 Member
    edited August 2016
    ozarknick wrote: »
    The way I see it, a calorie is a calorie.

    But calories from different sources make me feel different.

    I remember reading about a guy a couple years ago lost weight eating nothing but Twinkies because he maintained his deficit.

    But if I did that, I guarantee I'd feel like crap.

    Not to mention hungry as hell. 150cal per twinkie. If your TDEE is say 2500 and you are going for a 500cal deficit, that's 13 twinkies a day. Idk that 4 twinkie for each meal would keep me at all satisfied.

    The only real issue with sugar, is that it is normally paired with high fat as well (ie baked goods, ice cream etc) for a very calorically dense combination.The resulting high calories for non satiating food can lead people to over consume calories. But, then again so are fried chicken, BBQ ribs, lasagna, pizza etc. All tasty, all pretty calorically dense, all need portion control to avoid over consumption.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    edited August 2016
    Yup. What's the issue with sugar? It uses up your calories and leaves you hungry. That's all.

    What's the difference between "bad sugars" and "good sugars" (or "bad carbs" and "good carbs")? Some of them leave you hungry right away, others keep you going for a bit longer. That's all "glycaemic index" means.

    Sugar is also bad for your teeth and can make you hungrier in general. My advice: eat it in moderation, brush your teeth, eat your greens, and stick to your calorie goals. You've got this.
  • Mrsko79
    Mrsko79 Posts: 8 Member
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Saw a documentary "Fed up" and "Sugar Coated"

    are there different types of sugar? like good sugar vs bad sugar? sugar in fruit vs sugarcane vs jaggery vs molasses vs honey?

    How do I reduce my intake? -i'm not diabetic or have any one in my family or extended family suffering from it or have history of but those documentaries make me think.

    I finally accepted that eating a pizza vs eating regular home made food is no different for weight loss as long as I maintain a deficit and now this?

    The more I learn the more confused I get -who is right? who is wrong?

    Well to start with - stop watching shockumentaries as your source of health information and instead go to real medical sources of information like the AMA or the AHA.

    At any rate yes a calorie is just a calorie, but eating more sugar will tend to make you hungrier because it triggers a higher insulin response - so it is harder to resist cravings. So unless you have super human willpower, if you eat more sugar, you are most likely going to eat more food overall. So just cut back on added sugars and you will find your appetite decreases. You don't have to be fanatical about it.

    The AHA does warn as well as the WHO that women should only consune 6 teaspoons of added sugars daily. Men are 9.

    Consuming too much sugar causes cardiovascular issues, obesity, and other problems. It has been revealed for a while. Not just by "shockumentaries"

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#mainContent
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member


    Consuming too much sugar causes cardiovascular issues, obesity, and other problems. It has been revealed for a while. Not just by "shockumentaries"

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-

    Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#mainContent[/quote]

    To much of anything causes those issues not just sugar.

  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Saw a documentary "Fed up" and "Sugar Coated"

    are there different types of sugar? like good sugar vs bad sugar? sugar in fruit vs sugarcane vs jaggery vs molasses vs honey?

    How do I reduce my intake? -i'm not diabetic or have any one in my family or extended family suffering from it or have history of but those documentaries make me think.

    I finally accepted that eating a pizza vs eating regular home made food is no different for weight loss as long as I maintain a deficit and now this?

    The more I learn the more confused I get -who is right? who is wrong?

    These message boards will just confuse you more because everyone on here thinks they're an expert... but let's be real/ logical here... if they were an expert... they wouldn't be on the message boards now would they? best of luck weeding through the BS.

    Best advice I can give is speak with your doctor or go to a nutritionist.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Mrsko79 wrote: »
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Saw a documentary "Fed up" and "Sugar Coated"

    are there different types of sugar? like good sugar vs bad sugar? sugar in fruit vs sugarcane vs jaggery vs molasses vs honey?

    How do I reduce my intake? -i'm not diabetic or have any one in my family or extended family suffering from it or have history of but those documentaries make me think.

    I finally accepted that eating a pizza vs eating regular home made food is no different for weight loss as long as I maintain a deficit and now this?

    The more I learn the more confused I get -who is right? who is wrong?

    Well to start with - stop watching shockumentaries as your source of health information and instead go to real medical sources of information like the AMA or the AHA.

    At any rate yes a calorie is just a calorie, but eating more sugar will tend to make you hungrier because it triggers a higher insulin response - so it is harder to resist cravings. So unless you have super human willpower, if you eat more sugar, you are most likely going to eat more food overall. So just cut back on added sugars and you will find your appetite decreases. You don't have to be fanatical about it.

    The AHA does warn as well as the WHO that women should only consune 6 teaspoons of added sugars daily. Men are 9.

    Consuming too much sugar causes cardiovascular issues, obesity, and other problems. It has been revealed for a while. Not just by "shockumentaries"

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#mainContent

    Excessive sugar intake has been linked to those issues through correlation studies. It has not been shown that excessive sugar actually causes those issues.
    What it does show is that people who tend to eat more sugar also tend to eat more calories in general which leads to obesity. From there, we know that obesity does indeed lead to such health problems.

    Maybe a lot of people get their excess calories from sugar (many don't) but the issue is obesity caused by too many calories, regardless of their source.
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