Sugar Intake

Bigsur2

My focus has been on calories lately, but how concerned should I be with sugar? Looks like my normal routine is putting me over my sugar goal quite significantly.....one of the major sources being greek yogurt. Should I cut that out or can I continue to focus on calories as my main benchmark for weight loss?

Jersey_Devil

sugar's not good. use a plain greek yogurt and put fruit/granola/flaxseed/honey/whatever in it to sweeten it up...

iLoveMyPitbull1225

I believe that is a decision only you can make. If what you are doing is working for you, then I would not worry about it.

ArtemisMoon

The sugar recs on here are laughably low...according to MFPs allowances most people can't even eat a little fruit or drink milk without clobbering their sugar totals. So just concentrate on the kinds an quality of sugar you take in more than how much. Natural sources like fruit are always best.

tigersword

Sugar makes no difference. The only time you would need to be concerned with it is if you are a diabetic, otherwise, it doesn't matter. Stick to your calorie goals.

MoveTheMountain

sugar's not good. use a plain greek yogurt and put fruit/granola/flaxseed/honey/whatever in it to sweeten it up...

I agree with this. If you have too much sugar you're wasting calories that could be used for something better. E.g., if you get no-fat, plain greek yogurt, you can then add things to it to suit your taste - you're in control of how much sugar you're putting in. You might find you like it just fine with half the sugar you'd get if you bought it already mixed.

It's also worth keeping in mind that sometimes sugar is just what your body needs, especially right after you work out. Sugar (and other fast-digesting carbs) along with protein are crucial for post-workout nutrition. But again, it's better if you're controlling the amounts, not the yogurt company.

jhigg11

I love greek yogurt. It's great for digestion. I don't eat it every day, but I try to balance it in. I just recently started paying attention to Sugar. Only because I have a sweet tooth, and sugary food tends to make me want to eat more.

jevoyager

Like everything else, in moderation its ok, as well as thinking about what type of sugar you're consuming (better to get it from fruit than ice cream! lol) But its so easy to go overboard since its in so many things you wouldn't think of and quantities - I've seen tomato sauce with more sugar listed than some sweets! I've been trying to watch it, trying to do 2 days a week where I have 'low sugar' days and its pretty do-able, just have to really think about what you're going to eat that day. But I'm thinking of switching to just doing a few meals over the course of a week that are lower sugar.

For instance eating steal cut oatmeal for breakfast has <1g sugar! (Especially compared to the usual granola bar and yogurt, together would take up most of my recommended sugar allotment for the day). I have no problems eating oatmeal a few times a week And frankly its more filling too!

Its been really frustrating finding yogurt with little sugar (the lowest I've found still had like 9g) - if anyone has suggestions where to find some that'd be great!

mgmlap

I get plain yogurt and put berries in it. I also put a bit of berry flavored stevia...

NoAdditives

I only worry about refined sugar. While it may be true that "sugar is sugar" no matter where it comes from (although, sucrose is different from fructose on a molecular level), refined sugar is stripped of its nutrients and therefore affects the body in a different way than natural sugar from fruit or milk.

waldo56

If you are controlling your calorie intake there is nothing wrong with sugar unless you are diabetic.

Mindmovesbody

Sugar from Greek yogurt is typically from the fruit on the bottom......

Its fructose that's in fruit not sucrose! That's the difference between sugar from fruit and refined sugars! They are metabolised differently and surplus of each is stored and utilised differently! Sucrose (which breaks down to glucose) is stored as fat!! Fructose remains in the blood stream and is used by mitochondria to form energy!!

I pulled this from another thread. The person who posted it is a sports and exercise/nutrition scientist. I knew fruit broke down differently in our bodies, I just was not sure how! Fruit is fine to eat. Track fiber instead of sugar. I would only really adjust sugar if you hit an extended plateau.

tigersword

I only worry about refined sugar. While it may be true that "sugar is sugar" no matter where it comes from (although, sucrose is different from fructose on a molecular level), refined sugar is stripped of its nutrients and therefore affects the body in a different way than natural sugar from fruit or milk.

Not really. Stripped of other nutrients maybe, but that has no effect on how the body processes the sugar. Digesting sugar and digesting vitamins are two completely separate activities.

waldo56

I only worry about refined sugar. While it may be true that "sugar is sugar" no matter where it comes from (although, sucrose is different from fructose on a molecular level), refined sugar is stripped of its nutrients and therefore affects the body in a different way than natural sugar from fruit or milk.

Sure. That story sounds good at least.

But sugar is sugar.

KayeeDaisyBee

I don't think natural sugars like from fruit are what i should be focusing on avoiding, there's enough of an emotional battle around weight loss as it is and if i want an apple i'm going to have one for crying out loud. I think it's far more important to concentrate on cutting down on sugars from things like biscuits, cakes and sweets tbh.

tigersword

Sugar from Greek yogurt is typically from the fruit on the bottom......

Its fructose that's in fruit not sucrose! That's the difference between sugar from fruit and refined sugars! They are metabolised differently and surplus of each is stored and utilised differently! Sucrose (which breaks down to glucose) is stored as fat!! Fructose remains in the blood stream and is used by mitochondria to form energy!!

I pulled this from another thread. The person who posted it is a sports and exercise/nutrition scientist. I knew fruit broke down differently in our bodies, I just was not sure how! Fruit is fine to eat. Track fiber instead of sugar. I would only really adjust sugar if you hit an extended plateau.

That's not true. Fruits contain varying amounts of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Sucrose is simply equal parts glucose and fructose. The digestive system has a specific enzyme, called sucrase, that's entire job is to split sucrose molecules into fructose and glucose. It doesn't make a bit of difference whether it's refined or from fruit, it's handled identically. Also, fructose does NOT float around in the blood stream, it's converted to glucose by the liver. ALL SUGAR, no matter what it starts out as, is converted to glucose before it is used or stored.

yarwell

The digestive system has a specific enzyme, called sucrase, that's entire job is to split sucrose molecules into fructose and glucose.

If the acidic environment of the stomach hasn't done the inversion / hydrolysis already.

NoAdditives

Not really. Stripped of other nutrients maybe, but that has no effect on how the body processes the sugar. Digesting sugar and digesting vitamins are two completely separate activities.

Sure. That story sounds good at least.

But sugar is sugar.

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all

"Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins and minerals. 'What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant. There is no excess for other added carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of 'toxic metabolite' such as pyruvic acid and abnormal sugars containing five carbon atoms. Pyruvic acid accumulates in the brain and nervous system and the abnormal sugars in the red blood cells. These toxic metabolites interfere with the respiration of the cells. They cannot get sufficient oxygen to survive and function normally. In time, some of the cells die. This interferes with the function of a part of the body and is the beginning of degenerative disease.'"

"In addition, sugar is worse than nothing because it drains and leaches the body of precious vitamins and minerals through the demand its digestion, detoxification and elimination makes upon one's entire system."

tigersword

Not really. Stripped of other nutrients maybe, but that has no effect on how the body processes the sugar. Digesting sugar and digesting vitamins are two completely separate activities.

Sure. That story sounds good at least.

But sugar is sugar.

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all

"Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins and minerals. 'What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant. There is no excess for other added carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of 'toxic metabolite' such as pyruvic acid and abnormal sugars containing five carbon atoms. Pyruvic acid accumulates in the brain and nervous system and the abnormal sugars in the red blood cells. These toxic metabolites interfere with the respiration of the cells. They cannot get sufficient oxygen to survive and function normally. In time, some of the cells die. This interferes with the function of a part of the body and is the beginning of degenerative disease.'"

"In addition, sugar is worse than nothing because it drains and leaches the body of precious vitamins and minerals through the demand its digestion, detoxification and elimination makes upon one's entire system."

Wow, that was a whole lot of made up nonsensical mumbo jumbo. Pyruvic acid is not a toxin, it's a ketone, and it's required in order for the Krebs cycle to happen, and without the Krebs cycle, you would not be alive. The only carbohydrate that is "incompletely metabolized" is fiber, not sugar. As for "the demands of it's digestion?" Refined sugar is actually one of the quickest and easiest forms of energy the body can use. It's processed very easily and efficiently.

Sidesteal

"Dr. Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces,

LOL?

crzyone

All I have had to eat today is a grapefruit and some cherries, and I'm already over my sugar for the day. I'm not worried about it. I think fruit is good. I think sugar from fruit is not a problem. I would only worry about the sugar if you have a problem and should be watching sugar or the sugar is from processed foods.

Sarauk2sf

Unless you have a pre-existing medical condition - do not worry about it as long as you fit it into your macros and generally eat a balanced diet.

Captain_Tightpants

I'm in total agreement with Tigersword.

Even more so, I am a diabetic and there's still no reason for me to track sugar. I certainly try to avoid large quantities of it in refined or liquid form all-at-once (such as soda or candy), but that's only to avoid a post prandial blood sugar spike, and such common sense it doesn't need tracking. If you're tracking total carbs you are already tracking sugar.

yarwell

The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present.

This might (?) be an argument against sitting down with a bowl of white sugar and a spoon, but it's hardly a damning condemnation of sugar incorporated into foods that make up a balanced meal !

NoAdditives

The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present.

This might (?) be an argument against sitting down with a bowl of white sugar and a spoon, but it's hardly a damning condemnation of sugar incorporated into foods that make up a balanced meal !

I wasn't implying it was. The point was that refined sugar is different, and not as good for the body, as fruit.

yarwell

The point was that refined sugar is different, and not as good for the body, as fruit.

What if it isn't refined ?

tigersword

The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present.

This might (?) be an argument against sitting down with a bowl of white sugar and a spoon, but it's hardly a damning condemnation of sugar incorporated into foods that make up a balanced meal !

I wasn't implying it was. The point was that refined sugar is different, and not as good for the body, as fruit.

REFINED SUGAR IS NOT DIFFERENT. They are chemically identical. The body doesn't recognize "table sugar" or "apple." it only recognizes "sucrose" and deals with it appropriately.

bhankiii

I'm a sugar Nazi, I removed it entirely from my diet. No added corn syrup, sugar, cane juice, honey, dextrose, or any of the varied other ways sugar is disguised. I still get plenty though, because sugars are naturally in lots of foods. For instance a cup of skim milk has 12g (about 2.5 tsp) of sugar in it in the form of lactose, and fruits obviously have fructose.

This was the first step I took in losing weight 6 months ago. The two things I noticed right away were that all my food cravings disappeared and everything I ate tasted amazingly better.

Rather than argue about whether sugar is toxic, the question I would ask is, why does anyone think they need to add sugar to their food and drink? It wasn't even available to the average diet until 200-300 years ago. We've just become accustomed it being in EVERYTHING and there's really no need.

After your taste buds adjust - and it doesn't take long, the natural sweetness of everything comes through. I drink a lot of coffee. I've found that the natural sweetness of a little milk in my coffee is plenty to complement raw cacao powder - so I get my chocolate fix every morning without having eat sugar or resort to chemical sweeteners.

Some people preach moderation, and I've tried that, but it just doesn't work for me. If I have a little sugar my body craves a little more. Only eliminating it entirely stops my cravings. And I truthfully don't miss it.

I would (and do) recommend to anyone that they go sugar free for a week or two and try it out. But read your labels - it really is in everything.

As for Greek yogurt - I make my own and it's awesome.

tigersword

People have been eating sugar cane since at least 800BC, and honey has been in common use since at least 6000BC. Granulated sugar has actually been in fairly common use in Asia and India since 500AD. That's a lot longer than 200 years. Much closer to 2000 years (for granulated or "refined" sugar,) actually.

bhankiii

Not among my people. Sugar cane was brought to Europe by Columbus, and wasn't affordable for the masses until the 1800's. Honey sure. But honey supplies are naturally limited. Real bee keeping, while known to the ancients and the Chinese, wasn't well practiced in the west during the dark ages and only came into its own in the 17-18th centuries.

Regardless - sugar manufacture and consumption on today's massive scale is purely a modern phenomena.