"Natural" vs total SUGAR gram count

ruthcooper

Food log says goal is less than 24 grams of sugar, but I seem to go over eating only the natural sugars in fruit, vegetables and skim milk. Is this recommendation for added sugar or all sugars? Can't find any nutrition site that says how many 'natural' sugars are OK. (I am generally not going over my 1200 calorie allocation).

jdubs1201

That's a good question... I removed sugar from my display cause I was already over my max after breakfast. But it was from fruits mostly.

sandili

Yeah I do not think it delineates at all. I should take the sugar off of mine too. I also max out during breakfast with a banana and a teaspoon and a half of sugar in my coffee every morning.

serena22289

I always seem to go over as well. Here's a website I found, it says basically that you don't need to worry about fresh fruit and veggies since it's natural sugar and it lists some food that are packed with added sugars. It also has a sample menu for a day.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/joybauernutrition/sugar-how-much-should-we-eat/

RMinVA

RDA guidelines are for 50g ADDED sugar, but there is no guideline for natural sguars from fruit, veggies, milk, etc. I don't know of a single calorie counter that differentiates between the 2.

As far as adjusting sugar for calorie intake, I'm fairly certain it is virtually impossible to eat a healthy, well balanced diet and stay below 30g of sugar, much less 25g. A serving of low-fat/skim dairy, a single piece of fruit and a couple of servings of veggies are enough to reach that #. So, I don't worry about that too much.

I do however, try to kee my total sugar intake to between 50-60g regardless of the source. I don't eat a lot of processed foods, and I try to minimize the presence of sugar when I am cooking, but it is still very easy to overdo it.

And just as an FYI, even though they are "natural" sugars, honey and agave are considered to be "added" sugars too because they don't occur naturally in a food - you have to ADD them.

ruthcooper

Thanks to everyone so far. I checked 'progress/nutrition' and for the last 90 days I have mostly been under 40g total sugar, never over 60 g. I don't add sugar, honey or agave...but sometimes have one dark chocolate (mini Dove). Perhaps checking total carbs (which should include natural sugars) would be better. If someone from Fitness Pal monitors this board, maybe you can comment.

STR0NGisSEXY

I only have dinner left, and still have 13 of my 24 sugars available...
but i limit skim milk and fruits. i worry more about vegetables, and don't eat a ton of fruit.. and i try to only have 8oz of milk a day, because a glass is actually about 16oz...

it's up to you, you can opt to have more. but it is totally possible to not go over that and still have a balanced diet. i know that if i eat too much sugar, even from fruit or dairy i gain weight or don't lose it as easily as i would had i watched my sugar intake.

cmriverside

Thanks to everyone so far. I checked 'progress/nutrition' and for the last 90 days I have mostly been under 40g total sugar, never over 60 g. I don't add sugar, honey or agave...but sometimes have one dark chocolate (mini Dove). Perhaps checking total carbs (which should include natural sugars) would be better. If someone from Fitness Pal monitors this board, maybe you can comment.

Your food diary does track carbs. I'm not sure I understand what you want the comment to be regarding.


Agree that you want to look at added sugars, not natural sugars. You can't subtract out the different types, and it would be impossible to have a calorie database that did so. Relax, you are doing great, just watch your added sugars by looking at your sugar category like you've been doing.
Check out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/79671-sugar-is-not-your-friend-part-2

ruthcooper

Thank you cmriverside, I checked out your 'sugar is not your friend' thread but my question, and comment requested from Fitness Pal, remains. The sugar goal of 24 seems too low if it is total sugar. Even a moderate amount of no-added sugar dairy products, fresh vegetables and a small amount of fresh fruit would put most people over that limit. I would like the monitors to review to see if 24 grams of total sugars per day is correct. In the meantime, I will check sugar from time to time, but change the profile to check carbs (because I believe the sugar goal is incorrect). Perhaps this clarifies my issue.

dladrian

RuthCooper, I have the same question about added sugar vs natural sugar. I have not been able to have that answered. I talked to my Doctor and he says don't count the natural sugar but I also find if I don't then I don't lose weight as fast. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated by me as well.

Grokette

I only have dinner left, and still have 13 of my 24 sugars available...
but i limit skim milk and fruits. i worry more about vegetables, and don't eat a ton of fruit.. and i try to only have 8oz of milk a day, because a glass is actually about 16oz...

it's up to you, you can opt to have more. but it is totally possible to not go over that and still have a balanced diet. i know that if i eat too much sugar, even from fruit or dairy i gain weight or don't lose it as easily as i would had i watched my sugar intake.

Co-sign this statement 10000%

Grokette

RuthCooper, I have the same question about added sugar vs natural sugar. I have not been able to have that answered. I talked to my Doctor and he says don't count the natural sugar but I also find if I don't then I don't lose weight as fast. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated by me as well.

I don't understand why a doctor would say this.

Sugar is sugar when it comes down to it.

Now, I don't agree with the whole corn sugar commercials promoting HFCS.................however, they have a point when they say sugar is sugar no matter where it comes from.

fantm

Keep fruit intake under control and watch the Glycemic Index - sugar is still sugar, but with fruit you do get some added nutrients. If you can cut out as much sugar as possible, it's better for you.

stormieweather

From a diabetic standpoint, sugar is sugar, EXCEPT...when combined with fiber (such as in fruit), the affect on one's insulin levels is reduced/slowed. Insulin levels are part of one's whole endocrine system and involved in the ability to lose weight.

http://www.tidesoflife.com/endocrineoverview.htm

I try to avoid foods with any sort of added sugars, limiting my sugar intake to whole foods as much as I can. I do have a treat now and then, but they're rare.

Foods that contain most of the added sugars in American diets are:
•regular soft drinks
•candy
•cakes
•cookies
•pies
•fruit drinks, such as fruitades and fruit punch
•milk-based desserts and products, such as ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk
•grain products such as sweet rolls and cinnamon toast
Reading the ingredient label on processed foods can help to identify added sugars. Names for added sugars on food labels include:
•brown sugar
•corn sweetener
•corn syrup
•dextrose
•fructose
•fruit juice concentrates
•glucose
•high-fructose corn syrup
•honey
•invert sugar
•lactose
•maltose
•malt syrup
•molasses
•raw sugar
•sucrose
•sugar
•syrup

From: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories_sugars.html

alist11

I suppose it WOULD be possible to subtract them out of your calorie counter if you made your own custom nutritional entries for foods with natural sugars like fruits and milk and just put 0 for sugar. I've considered it for myself but I'm lazy and I'm more concerned with fat intake because of a neurological illness anyway.

mrs_gettingfit

Great info - thank you

origwvgirl

I was just talking to my dietician about this last night. She also said not to worry too much about going over since most of my sugars were from fruit. I wish there was a way to total it differently so we could track the "added" sugar (other than creating custom entries).

ndj1979

I would not concern yourself too much with sugar...

overeating makes you gain weight, not sugar consumption..

as long as you are in calorie deficit you can eat sugar..

unless of course you have some underlying medical condition..

sj___

I struggle with this too! The only thing I generally eat that contains any added sugar is yoghurt in the morning yet I'm I've every single day from eating fruit, milk, honey etc. it'd be awesome to know of there's a certain amount of grams of natural sugar you should draw the line at. I know even though it's natural it still is good in moderation but it's hard to know how much should be eaten because I'm sure you can eat more natural sugars than processed!

npullen

I don't know if this will be helpful but here is my situation. I had my thyroid removed in 2000 due to cancer which has made me hypothyroid and nearly impossible to lose weight. I recently read The Sugar Smart Diet and began limiting myself to a total of 24g of sugar each day. I can tell you it is possible to do it and it has been the only thing that has been working for me. I've noticed when I drink a glass of milk or a bowl of cereal, I do not lose weight since it has 13g (just the milk) bcuz I've used up the majority of my grams with just that. My suggestion is you can have these natural sugar items but lower the portion size so you can stay within your 24g (for women) or 36g (for men). This has been successful for me and I've started my family doing it too.

Hope this helps in some way!

CopperB73

Thanks for this. I was also confused about seeing my "total sugar" high when I was avoiding foods that have added sugar. It's not a terribly useful statistic +if it is used without interpretation+: my sugar "goal of 49 can be reached by eating 3 medium apples, or 2 Mars Snickers bars, but I don't think those choices are otherwise the same.

Actually it tends to be skimmed milk pushing me over the top - I tend to drink it as a non-freaky post-exercise drink.

Naley2322

I go over my sugar totals almost everyday....funny thing is....NOT 1 gram is from added sugar....ever its all from fruit & veggies

EvanKeel

November 13, 2010
February 16, 2011
May 24, 2012
May 31, 2013
April 14, 2014
July 15, 2014

I'm left to question how useful each resurrection is.

_benjammin

November 13, 2010
February 16, 2011
May 24, 2012
May 31, 2013
April 14, 2014
July 15, 2014

I'm left to question how useful each resurrection is.

Hahaha! I noticed the same thing while thinking "How/why the fvck do people keep replying in this thread!?!"

berikson1

It is recommended that we eat five to thirteen SERVINGS of fruits and vegetables per day - if you even go towards two you are in trouble on sugars I have high sugars (124) and need to watch them very closely as I do not want to be pre-diabetic or even ever consider insulin. With summer coming in the cold state of South Dakota, now is when we start having fresh fruits in the stores and they are so delicious. Have I ever eaten the "correct" number of fruit intake - no. I would like to start more. I also have OsteoPorosis - and definitely NEED Lots of calcium which means Lots of dairy - and one glass of a cup of milk is 12 sugars So much for a cup at each meal. As you can see if I go by myfitnesspal (which I have been doing faithfully every day for five weeks) I will Never get to eat the fruits I love and Need - nor will I get to drink milk or eat dairy like my osteo Needs IS there a way to set up the calculator so it knows how to reevaluate the number of sugars when it comes to fruits and dairy???? I am just really scared to go anything different than what this calculaor tells me as I want to stay as healthy as I can. I take Prolia shots for my osteoporosis and hope that one day I could reverse that to osteopenia but without the help of a very good dairy/calcium intake that probably will not happen. If somebody could let me know how to convert the numbers or how to set up my app so it will convert the dairy and fruits with Natural sugars into what are "real" sugars I would Great Appreciate it. Thank you for your help

berikson1

Is somebody from myfitnesspal.com monitoring this page so that they can actually HELP us out with these sugar issues - this is a BIG deal and not just some whining going on. Difference of diabetes versus not. I would rather not post and read all if there will never be answers from the Professionals as well as help with changes to the app for special situations such as natural versus real sugars. Thank you.

AnvilHead

berikson1 wrote: »

Is somebody from myfitnesspal.com monitoring this page so that they can actually HELP us out with these sugar issues - this is a BIG deal and not just some whining going on. Difference of diabetes versus not. I would rather not post and read all if there will never be answers from the Professionals as well as help with changes to the app for special situations such as natural versus real sugars. Thank you.

You may want to consult a Registered Dietician if you want answers from a professional. These are community forums, there are no MFP "professionals" that monitor them and answer questions with medical advice.

kgeyser

berikson1 wrote: »

Is somebody from myfitnesspal.com monitoring this page so that they can actually HELP us out with these sugar issues - this is a BIG deal and not just some whining going on. Difference of diabetes versus not. I would rather not post and read all if there will never be answers from the Professionals as well as help with changes to the app for special situations such as natural versus real sugars. Thank you.

Well, no, there is not. MFP does not have dietitians or physicians monitoring the community, all the responses are generated by members.

As for the sugar, MFP does not differentiate in the food database between naturally occurring or added sugars because the entries are user-generated based on food labels. Since food labels do not yet include that information, there is no way for the database to include it. And in the case of diabetes, diabetics need to monitor all sugars/carbs, naturally occurring or added, so splitting them out would not be helpful in that aspect. Consulting with your physician and sharing your food diary with them is probably the best way to make sure that you are on track for your specific situation.

rheddmobile

@berikson1 - research has found that eating whole fruit, even fruits high in fructose, does not increase insulin resistance and in fact seems to protect against type 2 diabetes. Also, a fasting glucose of 124 is already considered prediabetes.

lemurcat12

EvanKeel wrote: »

November 13, 2010
February 16, 2011
May 24, 2012
May 31, 2013
April 14, 2014
July 15, 2014

I'm left to question how useful each resurrection is.

Important post to read.

At least, if you want to avoid the ZOMBIE!

lemurcat12

berikson1 wrote: »

It is recommended that we eat five to thirteen SERVINGS of fruits and vegetables per day - if you even go towards two you are in trouble on sugars

I had 229 g of vegetables at breakfast, and only 4 grams of sugar, so not really.

As you can see if I go by myfitnesspal (which I have been doing faithfully every day for five weeks) I will Never get to eat the fruits I love and Need - nor will I get to drink milk or eat dairy like my osteo Needs IS there a way to set up the calculator so it knows how to reevaluate the number of sugars when it comes to fruits and dairy????

You mean so it tracks only added sugar? No, not currently. I'd say, look at your diary and use your good judgment as to whether your amount of added sugar is out of whack. That's what I do -- I also like dairy and enjoy lots of fruit in the summer, and I don't care if I go over (although I rarely do, as it's 15% of calories and my calorie limit is 1500 or more).

I am just really scared to go anything different than what this calculaor tells me as I want to stay as healthy as I can.

I think it's important to understand that MFP's guidelines are not set in stone, and it can have no idea of what percentage of your sugar is from nutrient dense foods and what percentage is not. Maybe track fiber instead of sugar (it's a minimum) and focus on that and not going over carbs? Or, better, get advice from a RD and input it (a really good idea if you have IR, as there's more to it than just counting total sugar, as I understand -- you would want to balance carbs).

Hmm, but one idea, if you eat mostly whole foods, is to change the sugar goal to the 5% of calories recommended by the WHO and then count up the ones from dairy (plain, not flavored) and fruit and vegetables and sweet potatoes and so on and subtract them in your notes. I personally think this is overkill, but if it's important to you!