Should fruit be included in daily sugar intake?
Replies
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Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.0
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Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
there are different types of carbs, and processed differently and at different rates. just like calories, not all carbs are created equal.0 -
we need a no bro-science group... lol If someone creates one, add me
I would love to learn from the ones who know their **** and share my scientific findings too 0 -
I was always going over so I just changed it to something different-0
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this!
That is the exact same thing that is happening to me. Although I feel that it shouldn't be counted because fruit sugars are healthy. Not sure though.. looking for an answer to this aswell0 -
this!
That is the exact same thing that is happening to me. Although I feel that it shouldn't be counted because fruit sugars are healthy. Not sure though.. looking for an answer to this aswell
fruit sugars are NOT healthy in abundance. treat fruit as a "treat" not as an important part of the diet. thats what veggies are for.
If you add in healthier choices, you don't have to remove the bad ones (they will remove themselves) & experiment to see what works! It's an art and science how our bodies react, and we just need to figure it out - however we all do absorb sugars the same way
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I generally do not eat anything that has sugar in it other than natural foods like veggies & fruit and my count is high every day. Today it is almost double and the day is not over yet. But I also have only eaten plain yogurt and fresh fruits & veggies all day - that is it. I would say stay away from processed, eat only natural and eat more veggies than fruit. The fruit has so many good nutrients you can't disregard that.0
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Yes it should be counted. Sugar is sugar in any form in which you eat it. Avoid processed foods as much as possible as added sodium and sugars add up very quickly. Pay attention to the recommended daily serving sizes as with everything else. Serving sizes are way smaller than I realized before I started paying attention.
I eat fruit every day. Mostly fresh or frozen with no added sugar.
Too much of anything, even healthy food, is bad for most of us. I know it is how I got to where I was before MFP.0 -
I generally do not eat anything that has sugar in it other than natural foods like veggies & fruit and my count is high every day. Today it is almost double and the day is not over yet. But I also have only eaten plain yogurt and fresh fruits & veggies all day - that is it. I would say stay away from processed, eat only natural and eat more veggies than fruit. The fruit has so many good nutrients you can't disregard that.
true. however many of the nutrients in fruits are water soluble so they are out of the system in 2-4 hours. If you are eating for the nutrition value of the fruit, then it's best to spread small amounts throughout the day.
I do feel we are all splitting hairs here. Most of us - even if we make 1-2 small changes will see good results. No need to cut everything out all at once. Just keep adding better choices and the bad ones will make their way out!0 -
I do the same thing that you do. When I pack my lunch I bring a lot of fruit for snacks to keep me from getting hungry. If you are worried about the sugar in it maybe you should pack some veggie as well.0
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fruit sugars are NOT healthy in abundance. treat fruit as a "treat" not as an important part of the diet. thats what veggies are for.
Cucumbers, green peppers, zucchini, green beans, snow peas and tomatoes are all technically FRUIT. I can't think of any reason to limit those foods and consider them to be 'treats'.
I eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables freely. I don't track sugar on MFP - at all, ever. Carbs make up roughly 50% of my diet. I lost 66 pounds easily, have kept it off for nearly nine months now and have excellent bloodwork and other health metrics. I feel great - loads of energy, never hungry, etc.
I think MFP's sugar limit is silly, and unless you have some kind of metabolic condition that necessitates you to limit your sugar, turn that micro-nutrient column off and track something more meaningful.
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fruit sugars are NOT healthy in abundance. treat fruit as a "treat" not as an important part of the diet. thats what veggies are for.
If only it were so simple - cucumbers, green peppers, zucchini, green beans, snow peas and tomatoes are all technically FRUIT. I can't think of any reason to limit those foods and consider them to be 'treats'.
I eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables freely. I don't track sugar on MFP - at all, ever. Carbs make up roughly 50% of my diet. I lost 66 pounds easily, have kept it off for nearly nine months now and have excellent bloodwork and other health metrics. I feel great - loads of energy, never hungry, etc.
I think MFP's sugar limit is silly, and unless you have some kind of metabolic condition that necessitates you to limit your sugar, turn that micro-nutrient column off and track something more meaningful.
Maybe I should have said high-glycemic fruits. Thank you for clarifying 0 -
Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
there are different types of carbs, and processed differently and at different rates. just like calories, not all carbs are created equal.
You are all about quoting people on bro-science but I have yet to see any studies to back your claims... I am not saying it's true, but sugar is not an enemy of weight loss. It's all about calories in vs out. So if you are going to call BS for bro-science, at least have some curiosity to post the science to state otherwise.0 -
this!
That is the exact same thing that is happening to me. Although I feel that it shouldn't be counted because fruit sugars are healthy. Not sure though.. looking for an answer to this aswell
fruit sugars are NOT healthy in abundance. treat fruit as a "treat" not as an important part of the diet. thats what veggies are for.
If you add in healthier choices, you don't have to remove the bad ones (they will remove themselves) & experiment to see what works! It's an art and science how our bodies react, and we just need to figure it out - however we all do absorb sugars the same way
I call complete BS. I have yet to see anyone fail from losing fat or weight because of sugar from fruit.0 -
fruit sugars are NOT healthy in abundance. treat fruit as a "treat" not as an important part of the diet. thats what veggies are for.
If only it were so simple - cucumbers, green peppers, zucchini, green beans, snow peas and tomatoes are all technically FRUIT. I can't think of any reason to limit those foods and consider them to be 'treats'.
I eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables freely. I don't track sugar on MFP - at all, ever. Carbs make up roughly 50% of my diet. I lost 66 pounds easily, have kept it off for nearly nine months now and have excellent bloodwork and other health metrics. I feel great - loads of energy, never hungry, etc.
I think MFP's sugar limit is silly, and unless you have some kind of metabolic condition that necessitates you to limit your sugar, turn that micro-nutrient column off and track something more meaningful.
Maybe I should have said high-glycemic fruits. Thank you for clarifying
So you are saying banana's prevent weight loss? How about apples? Berries, etc.?
BTW, I have eaten 3-5 servings a fruit a day (including all high GI index ones) and have not had an issue getting from 18% body fat to 12%. And now I am working the final bit. Weight has continued to decrease. Heck, even when I went through a bulk, I didn't have an issue with gaining muscle and maintaining low fat increases (about 10-15% of total weight gained).0 -
Fructose in unprocessed fruits is metabolized very differently from free fructose in things like juices. In its natural state, the fructose in fruit is bound up in fiber. It releases much more slowly into the bloodstream than processed sugar or the sugars in juices.
That said, it's good to focus on lower glycemic-index foods, like vegetables. And it's better to get your sugars from whole fruit than from processed sweeteners or juices.
It's hard to get too much sugar from whole fruits, but really easy if you're eating processed fruit.
This is why my diabetic dad CAN have fruit in limited quantities but absolutely CANNOT have a piece of cake.0 -
This is the way I look at it.... If that banana or bowl of strawberries is whats keeping me from devouring the candy bar.... Who cares? Yes it is important to bring down our sugar intake, really our caloric in take all together, but its a process. The reason diets don't work is because a person goes from a completely unhealthy diet/lifestyle to a rigid one that sets you up for failure. By choosing the banana over an ice cream Sunday your setting your self up to make better choices in the future... this week work on hitting your calorie count, and keeping your diary full of unprocessed foods. Next week try to substitute one of those servings of fruits for vegetables. It is all about setting your self up for LONG term success.0
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Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
there are different types of carbs, and processed differently and at different rates. just like calories, not all carbs are created equal.
You are all about quoting people on bro-science but I have yet to see any studies to back your claims... I am not saying it's true, but sugar is not an enemy of weight loss. It's all about calories in vs out. So if you are going to call BS for bro-science, at least have some curiosity to post the science to state otherwise.
1 tsp. of sugar contains 16 calories. Sugar doesn't provide any nutrients, so all those calories you take in are for nothing. When you are on a strict calorie reduced diet, it's better for you to avoid calories that have no benefit to you. Would you disagree with that statement?
I am saying if you had the choice to eat veggies or fruits, I would eat more veggies than fruits b/c they have a greater positive effect on the body with the least impact to your low calorie diet when it comes to weight loss.
If most of us took out most of the starchy or processed foods in our diet, then eating a few servings of fruit a day would be fine. But compounding the other starches and sugars with more sugars b/c you feel those ones are healthy is just plain stupid.
Your comment of "I call complete BS. I have yet to see anyone fail from losing fat or weight because of sugar from fruit" is a poor mans argument. Have you dug deep into the data of this topic? B/c you have yet to see it doesn't mean it's untrue. What is more likely- they lost weight b/c of other healthy choices - in spite of a few negative choices.
The people on here who attribute their weight loss to eating fruit or whatever is flawed and wrong. It doesn't paint the whole picture. It is possibly b/c they are eating more fruit that they have been able to push out other bad foods from their diet which in turn caused to fat loss, not the fruit itself.0 -
This is the way I look at it.... If that banana or bowl of strawberries is whats keeping me from devouring the candy bar.... Who cares? Yes it is important to bring down our sugar intake, really our caloric in take all together, but its a process. The reason diets don't work is because a person goes from a completely unhealthy diet/lifestyle to a rigid one that sets you up for failure. By choosing the banana over an ice cream Sunday your setting your self up to make better choices in the future... this week work on hitting your calorie count, and keeping your diary full of unprocessed foods. Next week try to substitute one of those servings of fruits for vegetables. It is all about setting your self up for LONG term success.
EXACTLY!
It was not the fruits that made you lose the weight- it could have been in spite of it, but it pushed you from eating those candy bars which were much worse! There are always better options tho, especially for those who are on a strict diet0 -
Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
What works best for me is to track carbs but not sugar and to be mindful of the sorts of carbs I put in my body. I know the difference between whole fruit, fruit juice, and fruit flavored candy, and log all three if and when they pass my lips. And I know to watch out for sugar in its various forms that is hidden in processed foods, most of which I try to avoid anyway. So tracking sugar doesn't tell me anything about the quality of my diet that I don't already know.0 -
Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
there are different types of carbs, and processed differently and at different rates. just like calories, not all carbs are created equal.
You are all about quoting people on bro-science but I have yet to see any studies to back your claims... I am not saying it's true, but sugar is not an enemy of weight loss. It's all about calories in vs out. So if you are going to call BS for bro-science, at least have some curiosity to post the science to state otherwise.
1 tsp. of sugar contains 16 calories. Sugar doesn't provide any nutrients, so all those calories you take in are for nothing. When you are on a strict calorie reduced diet, it's better for you to avoid calories that have no benefit to you. Would you disagree with that statement?
I am saying if you had the choice to eat veggies or fruits, I would eat more veggies than fruits b/c they have a greater positive effect on the body with the least impact to your low calorie diet when it comes to weight loss.
If most of us took out most of the starchy or processed foods in our diet, then eating a few servings of fruit a day would be fine. But compounding the other starches and sugars with more sugars b/c you feel those ones are healthy is just plain stupid.
Your comment of "I call complete BS. I have yet to see anyone fail from losing fat or weight because of sugar from fruit" is a poor mans argument. Have you dug deep into the data of this topic? B/c you have yet to see it doesn't mean it's untrue. What is more likely- they lost weight b/c of other healthy choices - in spite of a few negative choices.
The people on here who attribute their weight loss to eating fruit or whatever is flawed and wrong. It doesn't paint the whole picture. It is possibly b/c they are eating more fruit that they have been able to push out other bad foods from their diet which in turn caused to fat loss, not the fruit itself.
Oh trust me, I research the crap out of stuff. The majority of time, I am on the NIH's website but have yet to see anything about fruit preventing weight loss assuming a calorie deficit exist. Also, while sugar may not be beneficial in it's original form, fruit is full of micronutrients that are very good for you. But since you are call bro-science on everyone in this thread, I just expect you to back up your "BS" flag. Until then, I will stick with my statement that fruit will not prevent weight loss.0 -
Just track carbs and remove the sugar tracker.
Once again... carbs are not the enemy and removing sugar tracker is not a good idea. The point of tracking it is to go back and see what works best for you.
there are different types of carbs, and processed differently and at different rates. just like calories, not all carbs are created equal.
You are all about quoting people on bro-science but I have yet to see any studies to back your claims... I am not saying it's true, but sugar is not an enemy of weight loss. It's all about calories in vs out. So if you are going to call BS for bro-science, at least have some curiosity to post the science to state otherwise.
1 tsp. of sugar contains 16 calories. Sugar doesn't provide any nutrients, so all those calories you take in are for nothing. When you are on a strict calorie reduced diet, it's better for you to avoid calories that have no benefit to you. Would you disagree with that statement?
I am saying if you had the choice to eat veggies or fruits, I would eat more veggies than fruits b/c they have a greater positive effect on the body with the least impact to your low calorie diet when it comes to weight loss.
If most of us took out most of the starchy or processed foods in our diet, then eating a few servings of fruit a day would be fine. But compounding the other starches and sugars with more sugars b/c you feel those ones are healthy is just plain stupid.
Your comment of "I call complete BS. I have yet to see anyone fail from losing fat or weight because of sugar from fruit" is a poor mans argument. Have you dug deep into the data of this topic? B/c you have yet to see it doesn't mean it's untrue. What is more likely- they lost weight b/c of other healthy choices - in spite of a few negative choices.
The people on here who attribute their weight loss to eating fruit or whatever is flawed and wrong. It doesn't paint the whole picture. It is possibly b/c they are eating more fruit that they have been able to push out other bad foods from their diet which in turn caused to fat loss, not the fruit itself.
Oh trust me, I research the crap out of stuff. The majority of time, I am on the NIH's website but have yet to see anything about fruit preventing weight loss assuming a calorie deficit exist. Also, while sugar may not be beneficial in it's original form, fruit is full of micronutrients that are very good for you. But since you are call bro-science on everyone in this thread, I just expect you to back up your "BS" flag. Until then, I will stick with my statement that fruit will not prevent weight loss.
then you will stick to a flawed statement. Not wrong, but not right either.
Another poster said it very well- if the fruit helps you not eat bad foods - then eat the fruit!
this micro-nutrients you speak of are great, but also only stay in the system for a very short time. So wouldn't it make sense to not overload on fruits that are high in sugar and spread them out throughout the day to achieve the best nutrient absorption?
Simple- the fruit is not the reason people are losing weight- it's the other foods they are not eating and the good things they are.
We are splitting hairs again... the original post said should fruit be included when tracking sugar- the answer: YES!!!!
It would be hard to find a good nutritionist who is not selling something tell you to drink your calories with fruit juice. Even if it's freshly squeezed.
Also- those sugars which have no nutritional value won't fill you up - it's the fiber and other things that fill you up. What micro-nutrients do you get from fruit that you can't get from veggies? (serious question- I'd like to know).0 -
How can a raw orange be bad for you - unless of course you're diabetic. It's high in sugar, but I am only counting processed foods.
only counting processed foods - maybe you should try adding more whole foods (thus removing processed options). Eating 2 oranges could have the same effect as a bag of skittles in the body.
Just b/c something is marketing and thought of as healthy, doesn't mean there are better choices out there.
I think I was misunderstood. I don't really eat that many processed foods - meaning no junk foods - it's only occasional. But if I do, I don't usually count the one apple and one orange that I had that day - I don't go overboard on fruit.0 -
Just so the OP has some facts, below is a good paper written by Harvard (actual science). I will also cut and paste some blurbs to make it easier. To answer, do you need to track sugar, absolutely not. Calories > sugar.. Sugar doesn't make you fat if calories are less than expenditures. The science is simple.. calories in vs out. Fruits are healthy. Heck, you can even eat processed foods as long as you don't exceed calories. Will you get as much nutritional benefit? Nope, but it won' t prevent fat loss either. Heck, elite athletes have diets high in processed foods as it's impossible to get 8000 calories in clean foods. Perfect example is Michael Phelps.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2177613/Michael-Phelps-12-000-calories-day-dont-doing-harm.html
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/diet-and-weight/
"It’s no secret that the amount of calories people eat and drink has a direct impact on their weight: Consume the same number of calories that the body burns over time, and weight stays stable. Consume more than the body burns, weight goes up. Less, weight goes down"
"When people eat controlled diets in laboratory studies, the percentage of calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrate do not seem to matter for weight loss."0 -
When someone wants to have an extremely reduced caloric intake, then sugars are bad b/c they are empty calories that can be spent on healthier options. If you have calories to spare, then go right ahead!
Phelps is a case where cold-induced exposure (he is in a cold pool for quite a better part of the day) helps increase burned calories dramatically. In the book 4 hour body I believe it says increase fat burning by up to 300% by incorporating cold exposure similar to olympic swimmers, but most of us don't want to sit in a bath of icewater.0 -
When someone wants to have an extremely reduced caloric intake, then sugars are bad b/c they are empty calories that can be spent on healthier options. If you have calories to spare, then go right ahead!
Phelps is a case where cold-induced exposure (he is in a cold pool for quite a better part of the day) helps increase burned calories dramatically. In the book 4 hour body I believe it says increase fat burning by up to 300% by incorporating cold exposure similar to olympic swimmers, but most of us don't want to sit in a bath of icewater.
Unless you are morbidly obese though, there is NO reason to have a huge calorie deficit. When you have a significant calorie deficit, you can adverse effect your results. See below for a good article. At best, your claims are anecdotal. While it may work for you, it is not a requirement for fat loss.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html0 -
Sugar is sugar - just like fat is fat. You are tracking an entire category.
Except that all fats are not created equal. There are healthy fats (such as that found in olive oil and avocados) and there are unhealthy fats. It's true that you need to limit even the "healthy" fats, but they're less of a concern than other fats.0 -
From the American Heart Association's website:
Note that it talks about "added sugar" and specifically recommends substituting fruits.Limit your consumption of foods with high amounts of added sugars, such as sugar-sweetened beverages. Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains eight teaspoons of sugar, or 130 calories and zero nutrition.
How much is just right?
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons. The AHA recommendations focus on all added sugars, without singling out any particular types such as high-fructose corn syrup. For more detailed information and guidance on sugar intake limits, see the scientific statement in the August 2009 issue of Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association.
Tips for Reducing Sugar in Your Diet:
*Take sugar (white and brown), syrup, honey and molasses off the table — out of sight, out of mind!
*Cut back on the amount of sugar added to things you eat or drink regularly like cereal, pancakes, coffee or tea. Try cutting the usual amount of sugar you add by half and wean down from there, or consider using an artificial sweetener.
*Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.
*Buy fresh fruits or fruits canned in water or natural juice. Avoid fruit canned in syrup, especially heavy syrup.
*Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, add fresh fruit (try bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
*When baking cookies, brownies or cakes, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half. Often you won’t notice the difference.
*Instead of adding sugar in recipes, use extracts such as almond, vanilla, orange or lemon.
*Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar; try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.
*Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar in recipes (use equal amounts).
*Try non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or saccharin in moderation. Non-nutritive sweeteners may be a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding more calories to your diet. The FDA has determined that non-nutritive sweeteners are safe.0 -
MFP suggested that I have no more than 25g of sugar per day. This seems reasonable to me, only if talking about processed sugar. I've been packing alot fruit in my lunch box everyday to have as snacks in between my meals, but this is making my daily sugar intake through the roof. Does this kind of sugar count against the suggested intake? Or does anyone have any suggestions about what I can pack as snacks instead of all my fruit? Thanks.
MFP's recommendation is based on the AHA's recommendation for added/refined sugar.
Eat your fruit...lay off the high fructose corn syrup and added sugars. I hardly think the obesity epidemic is due to people eating too many apples, oranges, and bananas.0 -
Let me just say I made it through ONE day of meeting my recommended amount of sugar (30g) and I was exhausted alllll day. I ate what amounted to a banana and a few strawberries and that maxed out my sugar. First of all, MFP doesn't factor workouts into burning off sugars (the first thing to go in a workout) but it simply just factors in the calories you burn. Also, it treats fruits as sugary snacks instead of the necessary carbohydrates your body direly needs. So while i probably shouldn't eat nothing but fruit all day, i no longer limit myself to a handful of berries just because of the sugar content. Natural sugar is good for an active lifestyle, in fact, it's necessary. If you're even slightly active, trying to meet MFP recommendations will leave you exhausted, trust me. Also, I saw somewhere that someone said to keep away from honey. But in fact it's incredibly good for you and the only naturally occurring non-perishable food. Read up on the health benefits and you won't wanna leave that out of your diet 0
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