Carbs Vs Sugar

lklein

Need some help. I use to track how many carbs I consumed in a day and was usually under. I recently changed that to tracking how much sugar I consume, and I am always over. I believe that MFP has my daily goal at 24 of sugar; is this number right? It just seems unreasonable when my 4oz of Minute Maid low pulp with Calcium and Vitamin D is listed as 12 of sugar (THAT’S HALF MY ALLOWANCE!) Also is it more beneficial to track the number of carbs I’m consuming or sugar? I’m lost.

SHBoss1673

Need some help. I use to track how many carbs I consumed in a day and was usually under. I recently changed that to tracking how much sugar I consume, and I am always over. I believe that MFP has my daily goal at 24 of sugar; is this number right? It just seems unreasonable when my 4oz of Minute Maid low pulp with Calcium and Vitamin D is listed as 12 of sugar (THAT’S HALF MY ALLOWANCE!) Also is it more beneficial to track the number of carbs I’m consuming or sugar? I’m lost.

the amount of sugar is a tad low, not a lot though. Remember that fruit juices are loaded with sugar. It's good to track both carbs and sugar.

We Americans eat way to much sugar. I try to keep my sugar (all sugar including fruit) under 50 g a day. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but mostly I do, and that's because I limit myself to 1 piece of fruit a day and most of my micro nutrients come from veggies and legumes instead.

A lot of people only track added sugar, but I'm not wholly behind that theory. Sugar is sugar, and while it takes longer to digest fructose, the pathway fructose uses once it's broken down into sucrose is the same as all other sugars. I.E. the Glycemic index is lower for fructose than it is for sucrose, but the Glycemic load isn't necessarily lower. Certain fruits are better for you GL wise than others (berries, some apple types, some melons) but juice is almost always super high on the GL scale, so not the best way to get your fruit servings. Better to eat some blueberries or raspberries than a 4 oz serving of OJ.

rgalloway49

I found MFP's sugar goal low as well. I changed my daily goal to be about 6% of my calorie intake. Just a couple pieces of fruit will knock you over the goal they have you at.

luv2ash

I am not sure what the expert answer is to this, but I do know that carbs convert to sugar in the end. I count carbs. It depends on what you are ultimately trying to achieve I suppose.

I am on a special diet that only allows me no more than 100 grams of carbs a day, I like to stay around 85. I can have up to 125 grams of protein as well per day. That cuts out a lot of options for most, but I have learned that this is the only way I can lose the weight, as all the other diets have failed because they are loaded with carbs. ALso, at this level of 100 grams a day of carbs, I am in a fat burning state. I also consume no more than 1000 calories a day and never exercise any more than 45 mins. Its all how the plan works.

karensoxfan

I think if most of your sugar is coming from fruit and other natural sources (not from candy & junk foods), then it's probably easier to focus on counting carbs, which includes simple carbs, fiber, and sugars.

CarlaMcDougall

I am also always over by sugar and too low on Calcium. Problem is with 200ml Milk and 1 pottle of low fat yogurt all my sugar is already used up ??? Have family history of late onset type 2 diabetes and although I don't have any of the risk factors right now it is always on my mind.? How do I get calium and sugar in check.