Sugar from fruit
wendycoyle123
Posts: 1 Member
I keep going over my sugar allowance but it's from fruit (10 grapes, I banana, 1 apple a day). Should I be concerned or is sugar from fruit ok ? thankss x
1
Replies
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if you're diabetic and your chosen fruits raise your blood sugar, yes, you should keep an eye on that or try to eat your fruits as part of a meal that contains protein and fat. If you're not diabetic, you have nothing to worry about at all, unless eating fruits makes you hungry and you end up going over your calories too often.
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Unless you have a medical condition which limits fruit and you stay within your calorie allowance you can eat your fruit and enjoy every single mouthful. It will not impede on your weight loss or health in any way.6
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If you have no existing medical conditions that would prevent it, you may eat, or drink, ANYTHING, and lose weight, as long as you eat less calories than your body burns.1
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Is there any reason you actually want or need to track sugar?
As a subset of carbs it was pointless for me to track so I swapped it out for tracking fibre instead.
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If you are just starting and have no medical reason to watch sugar you should ignore everything but calories.
When you have settled comfortably into your calorie goal you will want to make sure you hit or exceed a proper protein and fat goal most days.
When you have made any changes necessary to eat the proper amount of protein and fat you may want to make sure you are getting the enough fiber.
If you have no medical reason or a symptom of deficiency (like getting cramps when you need potassium) you never have to worry about carbs, sugar, or anything else.
This all assumes you do not have hunger issue in which case you may need to experiment with macros and fiber a little sooner.4 -
Your body metabolizes fruit sugar differently than added sugar, so, do not be concerned about fruit sugar unless you have insulin resistance. There is a lot of info on this matter on the web including the one on MFP's blog from September 5: "Ask the RD: How Much Fruit Is Too Much?" I hope this helps4
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Your body metabolizes fruit sugar differently than added sugar, so, do not be concerned about fruit sugar unless you have insulin resistance. There is a lot of info on this matter on the web including the one on MFP's blog from September 5: "Ask the RD: How Much Fruit Is Too Much?" I hope this helps
How does the body metabolize it differently?
Assuming it did why does it matter if your body metabolizes it differently if you have no insulin issue?
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Your body metabolizes fruit sugar differently than added sugar, so, do not be concerned about fruit sugar unless you have insulin resistance.
I agree that sugar from fruit (or any intrinsic sugar) is nothing to worry about unless it is crowding out protein or healthy fats, the fruit is leading to excess cals, or there is some specific health reason (it raises blood sugar in a problematic way for a particular person with uncontrolled T2D, for one possible example).
However, your reason is wrong--"fruit sugar" is in reality a mix of different sugars, mainly fructose, glucose, and sucrose (and sucrose is just glucose + fructose, 50/50). The particular mix differs from fruit to fruit. "Added sugar" is normally sucrose (table sugar), which as noted is glucose + fructose. Some foods might have HFCS (they usually taste worse to me, but YMMV), and that is just sugar from corn and again glucose + fructose (55% fructose in that one).
Fructose and glucose are processed somewhat differently, glucose is the one that tends to make blood sugar rise, so is more problematic for diabetics (but no more so than many starches in many cases), and fructose is processed by the liver, so if one consumes ridiculous amounts (which is unlikely when one is getting it mainly from fruit, vs pounding crazy amounts of soda) it might be something to watch for liver health.
The more significant difference has nothing to do with the sugar at all, but what it comes with -- fruit has lots of micronutrients, lots of water, and in many cases a good bit of fiber, so that makes it often (not for all) more filling and less caloric for the amount normally eaten and it gives you good things WITH the sugar.
On the other hand, foods with added sugar SOMETIMES can threaten to crowd out more nutritious foods or make it harder, especially if someone is not tracking cals, to stick to a good calorie level. This is because MANY foods with added sugar have lots of fat too, and high cals, or many fewer micros, and they may be foods that are hard to avoid overeating which is more problematic given how calorie dense they are.
So it's reasonable to say "limit added sugar," and it's reasonable to say "don't worry about fruit if overall diet, cals, and protein are in check," but it is not accurate to claim that there's some difference between "fruit sugar" and "added sugar" as if they weren't both basically the same fructose + glucose, and as if table sugar inherently had some bad effect in any dosage that fruit sugar did not (table sugar actually often is fruit sugar in that it can come from sugarbeets).
Also, it's not uncommon for people to use a bit of sugar in a food that has micros, fiber, etc., so that isn't meaningfully different from fruit (i.e., adding some sugar to oatmeal or to some rhubarbs, or the many other ways people might use sugar in cooking).
The issue with added sugar is more dosage and how many calories consumed with it, not that it on its own is different and scary.18 -
wendycoyle123 wrote: »I keep going over my sugar allowance but it's from fruit (10 grapes, I banana, 1 apple a day). Should I be concerned or is sugar from fruit ok ? thankss x
Are you diabetic? If so, have you been told to watch sugar rather than the more common total carbs?
If neither of those pertain to your situation, you will be better off getting rid of the sugar tracking in your diary and just track carbs (since sugar is just another carb source). Switch it for something else more important to track. Most will switch it for fiber since it is important to get enough fiber.1 -
It isn't great for your teeth to have fruit too many times in a day.1
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Sugar is sugar.8
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I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.0
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Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?5 -
hmm I'm a banana fan too but I definitely count the 1-2 a day that I eat. 3 a day is around 360 calories so if you're not counting that, you're ignoring a pretty large part of your daily caloric intake.12
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it is ok. unless you have a medical reason to track your sugar, you typically don't need to worry2
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Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
If you do not count them how do you know you eat 3?
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Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
Biiiiiiig mistake. That's around 300 calories right there.5 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
Biiiiiiig mistake. That's around 300 calories right there.
at least1 -
Hi! I need help. Iam Melina from Argentina. Two days ago I started a lowcarb and today feel whit low energy.
Its normaly? Thanks1 -
Your body metabolizes fruit sugar differently than added sugar, so, do not be concerned about fruit sugar unless you have insulin resistance. There is a lot of info on this matter on the web including the one on MFP's blog from September 5: "Ask the RD: How Much Fruit Is Too Much?" I hope this helps
This is completely false.
Fruit sugar is glucose, fructose and sucrose (which is 50/50 glucose and fructose).
Added sugar is typically sucrose (which, again, is 50/50 glucose and fructose) or high fructose corn syrup which is 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
Whether it comes from fruit, is inherent in the food or is added, sugar is sugar. It's the same chemical compounds.
Your body doesn't care where the glucose and fructose come from.14 -
Your body metabolizes fruit sugar differently than added sugar, so, do not be concerned about fruit sugar unless you have insulin resistance.
I agree that sugar from fruit (or any intrinsic sugar) is nothing to worry about unless it is crowding out protein or healthy fats, the fruit is leading to excess cals, or there is some specific health reason (it raises blood sugar in a problematic way for a particular person with uncontrolled T2D, for one possible example).
However, your reason is wrong--"fruit sugar" is in reality a mix of different sugars, mainly fructose, glucose, and sucrose (and sucrose is just glucose + fructose, 50/50). The particular mix differs from fruit to fruit. "Added sugar" is normally sucrose (table sugar), which as noted is glucose + fructose. Some foods might have HFCS (they usually taste worse to me, but YMMV), and that is just sugar from corn and again glucose + fructose (55% fructose in that one).
Fructose and glucose are processed somewhat differently, glucose is the one that tends to make blood sugar rise, so is more problematic for diabetics (but no more so than many starches in many cases), and fructose is processed by the liver, so if one consumes ridiculous amounts (which is unlikely when one is getting it mainly from fruit, vs pounding crazy amounts of soda) it might be something to watch for liver health.
The more significant difference has nothing to do with the sugar at all, but what it comes with -- fruit has lots of micronutrients, lots of water, and in many cases a good bit of fiber, so that makes it often (not for all) more filling and less caloric for the amount normally eaten and it gives you good things WITH the sugar.
On the other hand, foods with added sugar SOMETIMES can threaten to crowd out more nutritious foods or make it harder, especially if someone is not tracking cals, to stick to a good calorie level. This is because MANY foods with added sugar have lots of fat too, and high cals, or many fewer micros, and they may be foods that are hard to avoid overeating which is more problematic given how calorie dense they are.
So it's reasonable to say "limit added sugar," and it's reasonable to say "don't worry about fruit if overall diet, cals, and protein are in check," but it is not accurate to claim that there's some difference between "fruit sugar" and "added sugar" as if they weren't both basically the same fructose + glucose, and as if table sugar inherently had some bad effect in any dosage that fruit sugar did not (table sugar actually often is fruit sugar in that it can come from sugarbeets).
Also, it's not uncommon for people to use a bit of sugar in a food that has micros, fiber, etc., so that isn't meaningfully different from fruit (i.e., adding some sugar to oatmeal or to some rhubarbs, or the many other ways people might use sugar in cooking).
The issue with added sugar is more dosage and how many calories consumed with it, not that it on its own is different and scary.
Yeah, what she said.3 -
melinalosada wrote: »Hi! I need help. Iam Melina from Argentina. Two days ago I started a lowcarb and today feel whit low energy.
Its normaly? Thanks
Hi Melina - welcome!
Please start a new thread as this is a completely different topic. (Back out of this thread and use the Create button.)5 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.5 -
I also am in the don't count sugar camp.
Unless you need to for a specific reason.
And technically speaking sugar is sugar blah blah, but fruit sugars I don't care about, whereas refined donut sugar for example, can give me a a bit of a headache. Like if I eat something super sugary I sometimes get a bit of a mild feeling in my head.
However, if I've been eating lots of refined sugar thingies over a period of time, that disappears, it's only if I've been limiting those things and then eat it one day.
I don't have that problem with fruit sugars or honey though. I never cut fruit sugar or honey.
I only reduce cakey goodness type sugars when I have to reduce my calories for weight loss - not worth the caloric expenditure for something that doesn't keep me full. They come back on the menu when I am in maintenance or bulking.2 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.
Ah, yeah, me too -- I look at total sugar out of interest, but don't care about it. I do limit added sugar.1 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.
Ah, yeah, me too -- I look at total sugar out of interest, but don't care about it. I do limit added sugar.
Even though I am diabetic I do not track sugar. I do not use insulin (no medications, I manage it with diet and exercise only) so the only thing I need to focus on is limiting my total carbs to 150 g or less per day.
I do try to reduce the sugar I eat even though I do not track it. I eat more veggies and less fruit. I only eat a sweet when I am low in carbs for the day (or it is a special occasion). I drink diet soda if I want a soda. Once in a while I go crazy with the carbs but it is OK as long as it is only occasionally. All of this is with the OK of my PCP who is a Certified Diabetic Educator.2 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.
Ah, yeah, me too -- I look at total sugar out of interest, but don't care about it. I do limit added sugar.
Exactly, same thing with me. There is no way bananas are bad for you. I mean it just is common sense to me. A lot of eating right is common sense, for the most part you don't need a PHD.2 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.
Ah, yeah, me too -- I look at total sugar out of interest, but don't care about it. I do limit added sugar.
Y'know, I don't even limit it, because it just isn't something I tend to overeat.
I stopped tracking sugar in my diary here when I realized I was going over the default every single day, and the only added sugar in my day was a tiny bit of concentrated fruit juice that was not even the top ingredient in my 30-calorie daily tablespoon of all-fruit spread. (The rest was all from whole fruit, some veggies, and no-sugar-added dairy products).
Even now (4+ years later), my daily routine includes a little blackstrap molasses (added sugar but with useful-to-me iron and potassium) and some lightly-sweetend kefir, plus every once in a while (not daily) I might eat a dessert, a Yasso Greek Yogurt bar, a piece of chocolate, or something like that. It's minor.
I watch protein (don't want to undereat it, and I have a medium-high goal), fats (would eat less than my goal routinely if I didn't watch that), my veggie/fruit servings (going for 5 minimum, 10 or more ideally). If I get those, and maintain my weight over time, I just don't see why I need to worry about added sugar specifically, or sugar/carbs generally. I have no idea how much sugar I eat (added or inherent) and only know that I run around 200g carbs most of the time because I've looked on account of questions in other threads.3 -
Cavallaro65 wrote: »Cavallaro65 wrote: »I eat 3 bananas a day, I do not count them or don't care about the sugar from them. Natural sugar and I don't care about it. That's just my take on that.
You don't count them toward your calories?
No I do, I just discount that it puts me over on sugar sometimes.
Ah, yeah, me too -- I look at total sugar out of interest, but don't care about it. I do limit added sugar.
Y'know, I don't even limit it, because it just isn't something I tend to overeat.
I stopped tracking sugar in my diary here when I realized I was going over the default every single day, and the only added sugar in my day was a tiny bit of concentrated fruit juice that was not even the top ingredient in my 30-calorie daily tablespoon of all-fruit spread. (The rest was all from whole fruit, some veggies, and no-sugar-added dairy products).
Even now (4+ years later), my daily routine includes a little blackstrap molasses (added sugar but with useful-to-me iron and potassium) and some lightly-sweetend kefir, plus every once in a while (not daily) I might eat a dessert, a Yasso Greek Yogurt bar, a piece of chocolate, or something like that. It's minor.
I watch protein (don't want to undereat it, and I have a medium-high goal), fats (would eat less than my goal routinely if I didn't watch that), my veggie/fruit servings (going for 5 minimum, 10 or more ideally). If I get those, and maintain my weight over time, I just don't see why I need to worry about added sugar specifically, or sugar/carbs generally. I have no idea how much sugar I eat (added or inherent) and only know that I run around 200g carbs most of the time because I've looked on account of questions in other threads.
Yeah, it's not like I count added sugar except occasionally for curiosity I might look at total and added sugar. Mostly I eat almost none, but occasionally if I want I'll have a serving of some dessert item, and I use some condiments with a bit of added sugar. I don't think it's particularly hard to see if you are getting more added sugar than you want (you obviously are not), and I find that if my calories are reasonable and I get in the veg, fruit, protein, fiber I want, that there's no question that my added sugar won't be especially high, even if it's a day on which I had ice cream. Since there are so many days on which I don't eat much (I just don't want a dessert type food most days), I don't particularly bother worrying about it if I occasionally have more than normal.
I think I was eating a lot of added sugar on some days when I was fat (not so much when I was gaining, but when I was fat and figured it doesn't matter, I'm already fat). It was hardly my biggest contributor to weight gain (I don't have the hugest sweet tooth), but it was an easy way to overeat and one reason my calories were higher than I realized without thinking about it. Quitting snacking (which I find unsatisfying) was really what ended that and absent snacking I'm just naturally pretty limited in the added sugar I eat (occasionally dessert after dinner).
I mostly wanted to make the point that not caring about intrinsic sugar doesn't mean one also eats unlimited added sugar. My view is that if you eat a good overall diet with reasonable cals, healthy fats, sufficient protein, and lots of veg, some fruit, sufficient fiber, there's no need to worry about added sugar since it will be in check, but sometimes people assume otherwise and make assumptions that if you say "I don't worry about sugar" you must be eating stupid amounts of dessert foods.2 -
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/glucose-fructose-metabolism-6981.html
The information at this link regarding fructose is something I had not be familiar with. That is, the sugar from fruit, fructose, can bypass the cellular mechanism which burns it, and instead be converted directly to fat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHmAARLd4yE
This explains that in more detail.0
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