I always go over on my sugars!!

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AshBear
AshBear Posts: 63
in Food and Nutrition
I seem to be in the range for ever other nutrient (except I eat way more fiber than the minimum)...but I eat double my sugar. Does anyone else have this problem?? Also does anyone have suggestions on how to lower than amount??

FYI I'm a vegan so I don't eat animal products (meat, milk, eggs, butter) and I don't do artificial sweetners! Thanks!
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  • Eryn47
    Eryn47 Posts: 34
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    I have the same problem!!!! I have looked at everything I'm eating and I dont know how else I can cut back, :ohwell: Sorry I can't help, but I will be checking in to see if someone does have an answer to this! Good luck!!!!:happy:
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    From my research I found that it's the added sugars that you need to watch out for. So if all your sugar comes from fresh fruit and vegetables, then if it's over, it really doesn't matter. MFP can't differentiate between natural and added sugars.
  • AshBear
    AshBear Posts: 63
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    okay, thanks. ya i did realize that most of my sugars come from fruit so that makes sense
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    well, thats something that should be couched. Fruit sugars are BETTER then table sugar, but that doesn't really make them great. Double is still a lot.

    Fructose (fruit sugar) is still something to be watched, it takes longer to break down then table sugar, and won't spike the blood sugar levels like table sugar will, but you should still be aware of it. Going over by a few grams per day in fruit sugar is fine, but doubling it might still be a bit much. Just try to cut back a bit on the fruits, don't cut them out, try to find a few fruits that have less sugar. I.E. strawberries, blueberries, apples, cantaloupe, watermelon ...etc. and space them out throughout the day so you aren't loading up on sugar on any one meal or snack.
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    well, thats something that should be couched. Fruit sugars are BETTER then table sugar, but that doesn't really make them great. Double is still a lot.

    Fructose (fruit sugar) is still something to be watched, it takes longer to break down then table sugar, and won't spike the blood sugar levels like table sugar will, but you should still be aware of it. Going over by a few grams per day in fruit sugar is fine, but doubling it might still be a bit much. Just try to cut back a bit on the fruits, don't cut them out, try to find a few fruits that have less sugar. I.E. strawberries, blueberries, apples, cantaloupe, watermelon ...etc. and space them out throughout the day so you aren't loading up on sugar on any one meal or snack.

    Good points.
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
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    I have the same problem with the sugar part, but my sugar is not mainly from fruit, I eat more vegetables and they contain sugar also. I don't worry about them as there is not much else I can do. My fiber and protien are always over and from what I read this is a good thing as they help you feel full longer.
  • pickadilly2009
    pickadilly2009 Posts: 320 Member
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    After reading your question and the answers you received, I changed my settings to see if I was doing o.k. on the sugar. I am at least double everyday. It only say's 25g of sugar per day is what I should eat. Well eat one medium bananna with 27g of sugar and you are a done deal. Add a cup of grapes, some zuchinni, bread and wow...you are way over.

    So my question to add to this, - Isn't that really a low and unrealistic #?
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    After reading your question and the answers you received, I changed my settings to see if I was doing o.k. on the sugar. I am at least double everyday. It only say's 25g of sugar per day is what I should eat. Well eat one medium bananna with 27g of sugar and you are a done deal. Add a cup of grapes, some zuchinni, bread and wow...you are way over.

    So my question to add to this, - Isn't that really a low and unrealistic #?

    not really. Bananas are one of the highest sugar fruits going. I mean, 30 or 35 grams wouldn't be terrible. But really, considering most moderate fruits have between 4 and 8 grams, and most veggies have between 2 and 5 grams of sugar per serving, you can have 2 servings of fruit, and 4 servings of veggies a day and stay under 25 grams. And if all your sugar is coming from fruit, you can go a little over, it's not going to cause problems.
  • pickadilly2009
    pickadilly2009 Posts: 320 Member
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    Thank you. I think I need to change the type of fruit I am choosing then.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Thank you. I think I need to change the type of fruit I am choosing then.

    Think berries (blue, black, straw, ras, cran), great food, low sugar, more fructose than sucrose, and have lots of antioxidants (and a fun food to eat raw right out of your hands). Also good are watermelon, peaches, certain apples, and cantaloupe.

    fruits to steer away from because of high sugar:

    Cherries, grapes, bananas, mangos

    the rest generally fall somewhere in the middle, not horrible, but not great.

    Oh and steer clear of fruit juice if you can, high sugar and all the fiber is gone, making the sugar metabolize very fast.
  • dimplzz
    dimplzz Posts: 456 Member
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    :noway: I just looked at my sugar too and am always over by lots!! What a eye opener. I am going to leave sugar on my diary so that I can keep better track of it. Thanks for the info everyone!
  • pickadilly2009
    pickadilly2009 Posts: 320 Member
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    I am a big fan of berries so that should be easy. Grapes and banannas! lol Those are the two fruits I have been leaning towards because they are so easy to deal with. I can't eat apples, they upset my stomach something terrilbe. Berries and watermelon I can do...gladly!

    Thanks again!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I am a big fan of berries so that should be easy. Grapes and banannas! lol Those are the two fruits I have been leaning towards because they are so easy to deal with. I can't eat apples, they upset my stomach something terrilbe. Berries and watermelon I can do...gladly!

    Thanks again!

    any time, Maine blueberries are a great snack! I have them while I'm in front of the Boob tube at night (them and microwave popcorn):tongue:
  • pickadilly2009
    pickadilly2009 Posts: 320 Member
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    Sounds like a tasty snack!

    So here is another question for you. Is it just as bad to go over on your fiber?
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Sounds like a tasty snack!

    So here is another question for you. Is it just as bad to go over on your fiber?

    well, I imagine that would depend on what you consider bad. I think it would take quite a bit of extra fiber to be medically bad, but I can think of a few reasons not to go too far over.:tongue:
  • MissVitaVonCherry
    MissVitaVonCherry Posts: 709 Member
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    This was a good question. I am a banana eater because when ever they have pulled blood on me they say my potassium is wack! now the only way I know of to fix it is to eat a banana a day, but I have see the high amount of fruit sugar in it. Is there anyother way to help my potassium that you know of?
  • pickadilly2009
    pickadilly2009 Posts: 320 Member
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    Not a LOT over. Typically 10-15 g. And if you are talking about the plumbing...hasn't been a problem! lol!

    So I guess I wont get too concerned with that one.

    Again, thanks very much!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Options
    This was a good question. I am a banana eater because when ever they have pulled blood on me they say my potassium is wack! now the only way I know of to fix it is to eat a banana a day, but I have see the high amount of fruit sugar in it. Is there anyother way to help my potassium that you know of?

    sweet potato

    tomato

    yogurt

    many types of white fish (cod, halibut, tuna steak)

    ahh, spinach

    peaches

    Cantaloupe

    Kidney beans
    :flowerforyou:
  • MissVitaVonCherry
    MissVitaVonCherry Posts: 709 Member
    Options
    This was a good question. I am a banana eater because when ever they have pulled blood on me they say my potassium is wack! now the only way I know of to fix it is to eat a banana a day, but I have see the high amount of fruit sugar in it. Is there anyother way to help my potassium that you know of?

    sweet potato

    tomato

    yogurt

    many types of white fish (cod, halibut, tuna steak)

    ahh, spinach

    peaches

    Cantaloupe

    Kidney beans
    :flowerforyou:


    :bigsmile: Thank you so much! I would have never thought of half those things ....You learn a lot while getting into a healthy roll!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: That is always good though! Im not a vegitarian, but I do eat a lot of beans and spinach! and tillapia!:bigsmile: That rocks thank you !
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
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    There is no formal limited Recommended Daily Intake for sugar. “Added sugars” are sugars and syrups that are added to foods during cooking. They don’t include naturally occurring sugars like the ones found in milk and fruit. Sugars may be added to foods to make them more palatable and are found in calorie-rich foods, which may lead to a higher calorie diet, excess weight and cavities. This is why most nutrition experts recommend limiting added sugars (excluding fruit and milk) to 40 grams per day or 10 teaspoons (4 grams is in one teaspoon). Total sugar content is easily identifiable on the Nutrition Facts panel on the back of processed foods.

    Michèle Turcotte, MS, RD/LDN
    Contributing Expert

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