HOW MUCH SUGAR IS TOO MUCH?

CyberEd312

So can someone please tell me whether these Thin Mints I'm munching are going to kill me or not? I mean, I'm in my early 40s and sit at a desk for a living, so instantly obese, right?

You are So Doomed!!!! and so am I when my 4 boxes of Samoa's and 4 boxes of Thin Mints and 4 boxes of Do Si Dos get here!! lol

SunofaBeach14

So can someone please tell me whether these Thin Mints I'm munching are going to kill me or not? I mean, I'm in my early 40s and sit at a desk for a living, so instantly obese, right?

You are So Doomed!!!! and so am I when my 4 boxes of Samoa's and 4 boxes of Thin Mints and 4 boxes of Do Si Dos get here!! lol

Doom sure does taste good. It must be a little like sin in church . . . :drinker:

msf74

I get more sugar than that from fruit. :noway:

1) If you are tracking total energy intake, setting your macros reasonably, and eating "mostly whole foods" and limiting your "junk food" to a reasonable portion of total calories then you don't really need to bother tracking sugar at all.

2) The AHA recommendations are based on added sugars and they exclude naturally occurring sugars.

EDIT: In fact, I'll type more.....

It's important to note a few things: The American Heart association is basing their sugar recommendation on roughly half (give or take) of one's discretionary calorie intake. You can see evidence of that from this study which is where their sugar recommendations are coming from.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf

They are basically giving a range of discretionary calories (calories that you are free to spend once nutrient needs are met with the other calories) from about 10 to 20% and then taking roughly half of that coming straight from added sugar.

So in short, this recommendation (again, by the AHA) is based on total energy intake.

For an active male who may maintain on 3000 calories, they would recommend 512 discretionary calories of which 288kcals could come from added sugars. Note that this does not include naturally occurring sugars which is somewhat silly since it's all sugar.

Finally, note in the text that one concern of added sugars it that it causes people to expand their discretionary intake beyond their recommended limits which could effect nutrient sufficiency of the overall diet. If this is their reason for limiting sugar to half of the discretionary calories then you could basically double that sugar limit provided that you're still sticking to a reasonable discretionary intake.

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

jonnythan

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

msf74

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

SideSteel

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

I don't wear underpants.

msf74

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

I don't wear underpants.

I sincerely hope you continue to wear trousers then!

jofjltncb6

I get more sugar than that from fruit. :noway:

1) If you are tracking total energy intake, setting your macros reasonably, and eating "mostly whole foods" and limiting your "junk food" to a reasonable portion of total calories then you don't really need to bother tracking sugar at all.

2) The AHA recommendations are based on added sugars and they exclude naturally occurring sugars.

EDIT: In fact, I'll type more.....

It's important to note a few things: The American Heart association is basing their sugar recommendation on roughly half (give or take) of one's discretionary calorie intake. You can see evidence of that from this study which is where their sugar recommendations are coming from.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf

They are basically giving a range of discretionary calories (calories that you are free to spend once nutrient needs are met with the other calories) from about 10 to 20% and then taking roughly half of that coming straight from added sugar.

So in short, this recommendation (again, by the AHA) is based on total energy intake.

For an active male who may maintain on 3000 calories, they would recommend 512 discretionary calories of which 288kcals could come from added sugars. Note that this does not include naturally occurring sugars which is somewhat silly since it's all sugar.

Finally, note in the text that one concern of added sugars it that it causes people to expand their discretionary intake beyond their recommended limits which could effect nutrient sufficiency of the overall diet. If this is their reason for limiting sugar to half of the discretionary calories then you could basically double that sugar limit provided that you're still sticking to a reasonable discretionary intake.

I think it is safe to assume that hose who are eating mostly whole foods do not need to worry because eating mostly whole foods would keep total sugar at about 10 percent. But it is the "average" american that does need to worry. The average american is eating almost 90 grams of sugar a day. So much about nutrition is so confusing to most people, through no fault of their own. Good health and fitness is not really that difficult to understand without all the confusion that has been thrown at everyone... low this.. low that... It has all been driven by money at the expense of our health. I's criminal, in my opinion.

Medical experts are suggesting keeping FRUCTOSE at 25 grams and that is why 10 percent of calories is what is recommended; that would include all sugar, including natural sugar. It is not the glucose in the sugar that is the problem; it is the fructose.

What I always say is the proof is in the pudding. When sugar is reduced to about that level, everything gets better, not just weight!

Joanne Moniz
The Skinny on Obesity Group

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

It's the extra 500 calories kids are consuming from added sugar in general, not the fructose in them.

Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in added sugar (sucrose, which is 50% fructose, and high fructose corn syrup). Fructose in excess acts like a "fat switch". All mammals will seek a source of fructose in order to add fat in anticipation of food scarcity. As an example, black bears will gorge on massive quantities of wild blueberries at the end of summer in order to spur fat production (as preparation for hibernation). When we gorge on sugar, we are doing exactly the same thing...only thing is--"winter" never comes. Check out the research on this subject that is being done at the University of Colorado by the team headed by Richard J. Johnson, M.D. chief of the renal division at their medical center there.

So basically it has little to do with over consumption as the reason we as a society are getting fat and the blame can squarely be placed on some add sugars as the trigger...... Good to know....... :drinker:

Eating sugar spurs over consumption of all foods. Almost EVERY item on McDonald's menu has added sugar in it. Hmmm--I wonder why that is? Could it be that they have figured out that if they add sugar to any food, that we will eat more of it!!! :laugh:

What about the worlds population that isn't obese but also eat sugar, why aren't they fat?

Isn't it obvious? They don't have access to excessive calories in general, but that is beginning to change. Rising rates of obesity are occurring in almost all developing nations now. Sugar has become very inexpensive and as consumption rates rocket all over the world, the obesity rate tracks perfectly with it. Mexico just overtook the U.S. as the fattest nation and there are several other semi-developed nations that are in the running. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/news/america-fattest-obese-un-144341236.html

ETA: By the way, the Central American sugar cane workers are typically NOT overweight but they are paying dearly for their sugar-habit. They are paying with their lives--sooner, rather than later.

So it IS about excess calories then?

Of course--but is is also about the spur to overeating that sugar consumption provides. A daily dose of 500 calories devoid of other nutrients is simply not going to work well for anyone but particularly those who are battling the diseases that are associated with excessive consumption of it.

Except for the people that consume sugar but are not overweight or have lost weight....

Except that they are young and typically very active. Older/more sedentary folk simply can't afford it.

Is 42 w/ a desk job old enough/sedentary enough? I lift 4 days/week w/ light to moderate intensity and zero cardio currently.

What health problems should I expect from my higher-than-recommended sugar consumption?

you are going to die...

^this

jofjltncb6

So can someone please tell me whether these Thin Mints I'm munching are going to kill me or not? I mean, I'm in my early 40s and sit at a desk for a living, so instantly obese, right?

Apparently, you and I are both medical miracles. What are the odds that both of us would be in this same thread?!? Staggering odds, no doubt.

jonnythan

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

I don't wear underpants.

I sincerely hope you continue to wear trousers then!

I imagine half (or more) of the women on MFP do not wish that.

RllyGudTweetr

Tagging in to read later. . .

and to join the fundraiser to get SideSteel a cape.

DamePiglet

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

I don't wear underpants.

snikkins

So can someone please tell me whether these Thin Mints I'm munching are going to kill me or not? I mean, I'm in my early 40s and sit at a desk for a living, so instantly obese, right?

You are So Doomed!!!! and so am I when my 4 boxes of Samoa's and 4 boxes of Thin Mints and 4 boxes of Do Si Dos get here!! lol

Doom sure does taste good. It must be a little like sin in church . . . :drinker:

In... For Girl Scout cookies and doom.

Joanne_Moniz

I get more sugar than that from fruit. :noway:

1) If you are tracking total energy intake, setting your macros reasonably, and eating "mostly whole foods" and limiting your "junk food" to a reasonable portion of total calories then you don't really need to bother tracking sugar at all.

2) The AHA recommendations are based on added sugars and they exclude naturally occurring sugars.

EDIT: In fact, I'll type more.....

It's important to note a few things: The American Heart association is basing their sugar recommendation on roughly half (give or take) of one's discretionary calorie intake. You can see evidence of that from this study which is where their sugar recommendations are coming from.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/120/11/1011.full.pdf

They are basically giving a range of discretionary calories (calories that you are free to spend once nutrient needs are met with the other calories) from about 10 to 20% and then taking roughly half of that coming straight from added sugar.

So in short, this recommendation (again, by the AHA) is based on total energy intake.

For an active male who may maintain on 3000 calories, they would recommend 512 discretionary calories of which 288kcals could come from added sugars. Note that this does not include naturally occurring sugars which is somewhat silly since it's all sugar.

Finally, note in the text that one concern of added sugars it that it causes people to expand their discretionary intake beyond their recommended limits which could effect nutrient sufficiency of the overall diet. If this is their reason for limiting sugar to half of the discretionary calories then you could basically double that sugar limit provided that you're still sticking to a reasonable discretionary intake.

I think it is safe to assume that hose who are eating mostly whole foods do not need to worry because eating mostly whole foods would keep total sugar at about 10 percent. But it is the "average" american that does need to worry. The average american is eating almost 90 grams of sugar a day. So much about nutrition is so confusing to most people, through no fault of their own. Good health and fitness is not really that difficult to understand without all the confusion that has been thrown at everyone... low this.. low that... It has all been driven by money at the expense of our health. I's criminal, in my opinion.

Medical experts are suggesting keeping FRUCTOSE at 25 grams and that is why 10 percent of calories is what is recommended; that would include all sugar, including natural sugar. It is not the glucose in the sugar that is the problem; it is the fructose.

What I always say is the proof is in the pudding. When sugar is reduced to about that level, everything gets better, not just weight!

Joanne Moniz
The Skinny on Obesity Group

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

It's the extra 500 calories kids are consuming from added sugar in general, not the fructose in them.

Joanne_Moniz

With reference to the 500 extra calories... We can still eat low calorie and unknowingly go overboard on fructose, the main culprit in the fight against obesity..... That is the problem at hand

jonnythan

With reference to the 500 extra calories... We can still eat low calorie and unknowingly go overboard on fructose, the main culprit in the fight against obesity..... That is the problem at hand

How is fructose "the main culprit in the fight against obesity" when it's calories that actually matter, and MFP is full of people who have successfully beaten obesity despite eating tons of fructose?

SugaryLynx

SideSteel: fighting irrational food phobia and indecipherable low res infographics with actual information and helpful practical advice, one post at a time.

He's like a nutritional caped crusader.

Except he's not wearing a cape...

He should be.

As long as he doesn't start wearing his underpants over this trousers it's all good

I don't wear underpants.

I sincerely hope you continue to wear trousers then!

I imagine half (or more) of the women on MFP do not wish that.

Guilty

DavPul

With reference to the 500 extra calories... We can still eat low calorie and unknowingly go overboard on fructose, the main culprit in the fight against obesity..... That is the problem at hand

weird. i thought manipulation of facts to the point that they become outright lies in order to scare people into believe food propaganda was the problem at hand. i'll guess i'll re-read the thread to make sure we're on the same page

HappyStack

With reference to the 500 extra calories... We can still eat low calorie and unknowingly go overboard on fructose, the main culprit in the fight against obesity..... That is the problem at hand

How is fructose "the main culprit in the fight against obesity" when it's calories that actually matter, and MFP is full of people who have successfully beaten obesity despite eating tons of fructose?

Shame on you. Anecdotal evidence! it doesn't count!

Just because thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people have managed to get fit and healthier by consuming an "unhealthy" amount of fructose doesn't mean the handful of skewed studies saying fructose and sugar is causing obesity are wrong and alarmist.

:laugh:

stefanieraya

Glazed donut in hand...YUM!
But seriously - actually nevermind.