Is there such a thing as 'good' sugar???

ColeyBear08

Is it ok to go over in sugar from fruit rather than sugars in things like soda and cookies or should you stay away from high sugared fruit as well?

lipt8611

I am no expert- let me say that up front- but I believe everyone metabolizes sugar in different ways, so the answer for you will be different for others. For example, I have low blood sugar levels and eat small meals (or snacks) every couple of hours. Lately I have been adding more fruit into my diet because 1) it is refreshing 2) I feel fuller longer 3) I don't feel as much of a spike in my energy 4) in my mind, it's a better option to add fruit to my lunch than pretzels or another so-called 'healthy' snack 5) fruit does have some fiber!

I know there is a major difference between simple sugars and complex sugars- and to be honest, I am often confused by them. I know too much sugar is a bad thing, for sure, but there is a difference between the way your body breaks down fruit sugars and 'bad' sugars (like soda, cookies, candy, even yogurt).

ColeyBear08

Thanks :-) because I love fruit! I eat at least 1 piece of fruit a day and I'm always going to be over if I eat that much especially bananas!

Naomi91

Sugar is sugar, its all breaks down into glucose. The reason people consider fruit sugar to be good is because fruit is full of vitamins and fiber... the sugar is no better for you though.

melsinct

I am no expert- let me say that up front- but I believe everyone metabolizes sugar in different ways, so the answer for you will be different for others.

I know there is a major difference between simple sugars and complex sugars- and to be honest, I am often confused by them. I know too much sugar is a bad thing, for sure, but there is a difference between the way your body breaks down fruit sugars and 'bad' sugars (like soda, cookies, candy, even yogurt).

I agree with this. Same thing with carbs. Some people do much better on a low carb diet than others. You really need to see what works for you. I see nothing wrong with being over the MFP sugar goal because you eat a piece of fruit. Now if you are eating 8 pieces of fruit, I would say that's a problem!

msarro

Yes and no. First I think its better to step away from the idea of "good and bad." All carbohydrates are categorized as either "simple" or "complex." A simple carbohydrate is made up of a single molecule, and is very readily metabolized by the body. If you have a lot of these in your blood stream, it makes your blood sugar level rise, and causes your body to release insulin to bring the level back down to keep you from going into a diabetic coma. All of the excess sugar gets squirreled away to fat cells by the insulin, making you gain weight.

Complex carbohydrates are created by chaining together multiple simple carbohydrates. Your body is unable to use complex carbohydrates directly. Instead, it has to perform a little work, utilizing enzymes to break them down into their component simple carbohydrates. Because your body has to do this work, not all of them get used. Also, those that do get metabolized much more slowly. This keeps your blood sugar level from spiking. It also keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time. Note that this technically also includes dietary fiber.

So, what you're looking for are complex carbohydrates that keep your blood sugar level from spiking. These are the closest you'll find to "good" carbs.