Sugar Sugar Sugar

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garethm
garethm Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
I have been using myfitnesspal to aid my diet and training for a few months and it's really useful to manage protein and calorie intake but I am continually massively over the sugar intake which it recommends.

Depending on my exercise it suggest 40-50g a day but for instance today I drank a pint of milk with breakfast and that was 24g of sugar before 9am !!!!

It isn't unusual for my sugar intake to push 150-200g a day even when I don't feel I'm eating unhealthily.

Does anyone else find this?

Replies

  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
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    If you eat Fruit you will go over immediately! That is why I dont even monitor sugar. As long as it is a healthy natural sugar I dont worry about it!
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
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    Sugar is in many things we don't realize. It has made me re-think many foods I will/won't eat. It does depend on my aerobic activity for the day though. I don't feel bad having a glass of milk if I'm going to run for an hour, because I will burn right through any sugar. I have eliminated processed sugar (junk food stuff), though, because we get enough sugar from healthy things.
  • happy_heather121
    happy_heather121 Posts: 135 Member
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    Hi there,
    I have always had the same problem because I am a HUGE fruit eater. I can go over my sugar by lunch time with a friut for breakfast and fruit with lunch. You get really mixed reviews on here. Some say natural sugar is ok and other say it's all the same. I would ask your doctor. If I look at my sugar levels and they are from things like fruit I don't count it against me. I still try to stay within 20gs of my range but I would like to ask my doctor about it if I ever remember too. Let me know what you hear if you end up asking!

    Good luck!

    HH
  • SkierElle
    SkierElle Posts: 335
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    I don't worry about going over my sugar so much but I try to keep the refined sugar under 15-20g. Lactose - sugar in milk, and sugar in fruit is fine. Now honey, granulated, and brown sugar, thats another ball game. I wish MFP could just track the "bad" sugar but I guess it can't really differentiate.
  • tishieb
    tishieb Posts: 80 Member
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    Yeah, I'm TOTALLY lost about the whole sugar thing. I've tried reading up on it and still don't " get it "
    Because of this I pretty much avoid fruit.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    The sugars found in milk (unless it's organic or raw milk) aren't completely natural. Don't go over 30g of processed sugars, but you can feel pretty free to go over with fresh/frozen fruits & other produce. However, even tho fruit sugars are natural they're still sugar, and too much of a good thing can be bad.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    Hi there,
    I have always had the same problem because I am a HUGE fruit eater. I can go over my sugar by lunch time with a friut for breakfast and fruit with lunch. You get really mixed reviews on here. Some say natural sugar is ok and other say it's all the same. I would ask your doctor. If I look at my sugar levels and they are from things like fruit I don't count it against me. I still try to stay within 20gs of my range but I would like to ask my doctor about it if I ever remember too. Let me know what you hear if you end up asking!

    Good luck!

    HH

    People who say all sugar is made the same are on the right train of thought, but they're not totally getting it. Processed/refined sugars are quickly released and give you an initial sugar high which is quickly followed by a crash, this of course sends your body into chaos and messes with everything. Natural sugars found in fruit, etc are slowly released into your system and keep things much more moderated. However, too much of a good thing can be bad, so if you're having 10 pieces of fruit a day you can send your body into a state of chaos similar to what refined sugar does to you. Everything in moderation!
  • vrsity
    vrsity Posts: 2 Member
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    Sugars that occur naturally in foods should not be counted. I did some research on this because I was hitting my sugar intake by lunch time just from having raisins on my plain oatmeal for breakfast and chili for lunch!! What I found is that only sugars that do not occur naturally should be counted (otherwise known as refined sugars). For example, soda - you would count all sugar because it's a man made additive. Candy bars/donuts/cakes - all man made additives and need to be counted. Fruits and vegetables on the other hand have naturally occuring sugars. These should be omitted from your sugar counting. I guess you could think of it as "If God made it, the sugars don't count! If man made it, they sure do!" :)
  • garethm
    garethm Posts: 5
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    THANKS FOR ALL THE REPLIES EVERYONE,

    It is really confusing, all the advice says 5 pieces of fruit and veg a day but you do that and its almost impossible to remain under the sugar intake.

    I think I'll just take the advice of those who say ignore sugars in fruits and milk, I don't think I eat/drink enough of those to every be unhealthy. If anything I should have more !!!

    I will have to keep an eye on those other sugars though, perhaps stop using stir in sauces which appear to be full of it.

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