Sugar and processed food good or bad?

tennisdude2004

This is a simple question open to all response:

Do you personally think that added sugar products and processed food are good to eat or bad to eat (in any level).

Thanks.

jonnythan

No foods are inherently good or bad. Why would they be?

The idea that any individual food can be inherently good or bad is ludicrous, and represents an unhealthy way to think about food.

It is an overall diet that is either good or bad for an individual.

nvpixie

They're fine as long as they don't make up your entire diet.

Strokingdiction

No foods are inherently good or bad. Why would they be?

I've never been attacked by my food in my sleep either. Never has that cookie jumped off the shelf and slapped me in the face nor has it ever told me a hurtful lie.

Strangely enough, it's just food and when you take nutritional values into account, they can easily be fit into a healthy, fulfilling diet.

:drinker:

suremeansyes

They taste good. So my vote is for good.

suremeansyes

I've never been attacked by my food in my sleep either. Never has that cookie jumped off the shelf and slapped me in the face nor has it ever told me a hurtful lie.

What about Chex Mix though?

Strokingdiction

I've never been attacked by my food in my sleep either. Never has that cookie jumped off the shelf and slapped me in the face nor has it ever told me a hurtful lie.

What about Chex Mix though?

Not even that revolting tasting food. Still a food even if I give it the evil eye when I pass by it.

lindsey1979

It's a relative thing to me. Vitamin D is generally considered to be good, but you can take enough of it for it to be toxic, so at that point, it would be bad.

I find a lot of added sugars to not be beneficial. They are empty calories. If you're struggling to eat enough, they likely would be beneficial in that context. But, for most on this site, that's not a problem. Most struggle with eating too much, so for those folks, they're going to be more detrimental.

nomeejerome

:yawn:

bcattoes

If the only answers allowed are good or bad, then I'd choose bad.

But it really depends on the food. What type of processing, what is the end product's ingredients and nutritional breakdown? How much sugar was added, to what was it added, what is the end product's ingredients and nutritional breakdown?

And most importantly, how much of it are you eating and what else do you consume?

scraver2003

I *personally* think there are a lot of processed foods that could do with much less added sugar. Sometimes when I have a soda for a *treat*, I cut it with seltzer b/c I don't necessarily want THAT much sugar.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

lindsey1979

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

jonnythan

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

lindsey1979

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

Yes, there are people that literally have said just that. It must be painful to realize that you're omniscient.

asdowe13

Sugar good. Processed food good.

If it was bad what would we eat??

juggernaut1974

Depends on your goals...

For weight loss only - no food is particularly good/bad/better/worse than others. Calories are calories and as long as you fit it in your calorie goals, everything is on the same playing field.

But certainly some foods are more nutrient dense than others, and/or help fill out a healthy macro profile better than others. So if your goals are more geared toward overall health than merely weight loss, certainly some foods are more beneficial to that end than others.

ETA - not to say you need to cut out the "not as beneficial foods" - just enjoy them in moderation.

FatFreeFrolicking

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

Yes, there are people that literally have said just that. It must be painful to realize that you're omniscient.

Bahahaha jonnythan, you must be kidding. All you do in the forums is go on and on about how everything is fine and all foods are the same.

molarbear31

Taste: GOOD
For your health: BAD

jonnythan

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

Yes, there are people that literally have said just that. It must be painful to realize that you're omniscient.

Please link to someone who has said that. I've never seen it on MFP, ever.

I've seen people say that calories are all that matter for weight loss/gain. That is a fact. It's not all that matters for body composition and health.

I've never seen anyone say that "calories are all that matter" and that "it's all the same."

If you care to prove me wrong, I will apologize.

dlionsmane

Moderation, moderation, moderation.... the key to just about everything in life.

QueenBishOTUniverse

What I find bad is the human propensity for trying to fit all conditions of life in to only two categories. Dichotomies only exist in your head.

and, in.

jonnythan

Bahahaha jonnythan, you must be kidding. All you do in the forums is go on and on about how everything is fine and all foods are the same.

This is a simple lie.

I've never said all foods are the same, ever. Not once.

LolBroScience

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

Yes, there are people that literally have said just that. It must be painful to realize that you're omniscient.

I think you misunderstand the context, which isn't suprising.

In regards to weightloss - doesn't make a difference. In regards to health, a different topic.

Edit - And even in regards to health one must look at overall diet. You can't judge one item of food alone.

bcattoes

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

I don't think anyone at all says that everything is fine or that it's all the same. Literally no one says that.

Are you serious?? People say everything is fine a LOT. They even say that if you don't think everything is fine then you have an unhealthy relationship with food.

I haven't seen anyone say "it's all the same" but I have seen people say sugar and an apple are the same. I once had someone tell me that a McD hamburger was healthy becuase there studies showing carbs, protein and fat were healthy.

People say all kinds of crazy things on these forums.

sijomial

Let's hear your definition of "processed" OP - that's a very wide scope!

For example does it include:
Cooked, peeled, pressed, trimmed, frozen, dried, pickled, salted, made into a preserve, mixed with other ingredients.....

molarbear31

....but then again, food with no sugar (such as diet coke, low calorie yogurts, ect) are filled with carcinogenics such as aspartame so, even the 'good', unprocessed, no-added sugar foods can be BAD. I'm guessing, its the choice you're going to make between wanting to risk health problems such as diabetes and obesity (if eaten without moderation) or the risk of cancer? Too strong?

jonnythan

....but then again, food with no sugar (such as diet coke, low calorie yogurts, ect) are filled with carcinogenics such as aspartame so, even the 'good', unprocessed, no-added sugar foods can be BAD. I'm guessing, its the choice you're going to make between wanting to risk health problems such as diabetes and obesity (if eaten without moderation) or the risk of cancer? Too strong?

Aspartame is not a carcinogenic. Sorry.

molarbear31

My bad :blushing: that's my ignorance there...throughout my childhood I always heard my mother say all this stuff about carcinogenics and she'd refer to aspartame a lot, so I put two and two together. Duh. Should have done my research beforehand. But the point's still valid - additives such as are still not 'good for you'.

eric_sg61

Calliope610

Seriously OP, you haven't learned this yet?

It came about from another thread. I've found a shocking amount of people, on a fitness website nonetheless, who talk about how everything is fine. It's all the same. There are no differences with processed food, added sugar, chemicals, etc. Just eat in moderation.

Although I agree with the moderation approach as being a good rule of thumb for many, I've been just shocked by some folks that say it's all the same. I'm starting to agree with some other users that such people are not true MFP users, but paid food corp. reps as I can't imagine how such outlandish claims otherwise make any sense.

Yep, just got my check from General Mills today. The check from Frito-lays comes on the 1st of the month. BTW, I'm trying to get on with Coca-Cola - I hear they pay the big bucks.