Sugar values - too low?

Kate_UK

The recommended amount for a woman, bassed on 200 calories a day is 90g. So why, when I'm on 1380 cals a day does MFP only give me 26g? Or 68g when on maintenance cals of 1860? Now I know that too much sugar isn't good for us, but that is quite a big difference from the guidelines. I hate seeing red numbers on my diary, but staying under on sugar is pretty difficult at those levels.

nicole00lynn

I was having this probelm too. I added sugar to my diary and deleted it a few days later after going over EVERY day by lunchtime when I'd only eaten a yogurt and an apple. I did some looking around and theres a difference between naturally ocurring sugars and added sugars, but MFP doesnt differentiate between them.

Id love to hear whatever advice you get!

ajbeans

If you feel the number is too low, you can change it manually. Just go to my home > goals > customize, and you can change whatever you want.

Shweedog

This is from the American Heart Association:

Your daily discretionary calorie allowance consists of calories available after meeting nutrient needs—these calories don’t contribute to weight gain. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than half of your daily discretionary calorie allowance come from added sugars. For most American women, this is no more than 100 calories per day and no more than 150 per day for men (or about 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for men).

Sugar’s primary role in the body is to provide energy (calories). To get the nutrients you need, eat a diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Typically, foods high in added sugars do not have the nutrients the body needs and only contain extra calories.


1 teaspoon= 4 grams of sugar. So they are recommending 24 grams per day. Natural sugars are ok I think. Not sure where you got 90?

summercooper

Yeah it's pretty much impossible for me to go a day and stay within the sugar guideline. I thought it was ridiculous so deleted it from my diary also. I did think about changing the number but wasn't sure what to change it too. It was interesting to see how much sugar is in some foods but I hate seeing the red numbers come up haha

Kate_UK

This is from the American Heart Association:

Your daily discretionary calorie allowance consists of calories available after meeting nutrient needs—these calories don’t contribute to weight gain. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than half of your daily discretionary calorie allowance come from added sugars. For most American women, this is no more than 100 calories per day and no more than 150 per day for men (or about 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for men).

Sugar’s primary role in the body is to provide energy (calories). To get the nutrients you need, eat a diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Typically, foods high in added sugars do not have the nutrients the body needs and only contain extra calories.


1 teaspoon= 4 grams of sugar. So they are recommending 24 grams per day. Natural sugars are ok I think. Not sure where you got 90?

Thanks for the explanation. Most UK food packaging has not only the nutritional information of the product, but the guideline amounts for average adults too. These tables list 90g of sugar for the average woman consuming 2000 cals a day.

I've deleted sugar and gone back to monitoring my sodium levels instead.

Shweedog

Thanks for the explanation. Most UK food packaging has not only the nutritional inormation of the product, but the guideline amounts for average adults too. These tables list 90g of sugar for the average woman consuming 2000 cals a day.

I've deleted sugar and gone back to monitoring my sodium levels instead.

Hmmm, maybe the AHA has updated their values to reflect lower amounts these days?