processed sugar vs sugar in fruits and veggies

jwuchef87

Howdy-
So MFP is telling me i'm going over in sugar everyday but i'm eating fruits and veggies. Does your body tell the difference or is a sugar a sugar? And is it a huge deal?

Sidesteal

Howdy-
Does your body tell the difference or is a sugar a sugar?

No (sugar is sugar), but generally speaking, whole and minimally processed or unprocessed sources of sugar, such as fruit, will contain fiber and other nutrients. Pepsi for example, doesn't.

And is it a huge deal?

No, given you are not diabetic and have relatively normal insulin function.

xarge

What package the sugar comes in matters for the body. So the sugar you get from fruits are better than refined sugars because they come with micronutrients and fiber. That said, a calorie is still a calorie As long as you are in your caloric limits, don't linger on that limit much. It's more intended for refined sugars.

jwuchef87

thanks!

wewon

What package the sugar comes in matters for the body. So the sugar you get from fruits are better than refined sugars because they come with micronutrients and fiber. That said, a calorie is still a calorie As long as you are in your caloric limits, don't linger on that limit much. It's more intended for refined sugars.

Perfect Answer!!

Its not the sugar its the fact that it has no fiber and other micronutrients with it.

mermx

I would watch your sugar intake and try to keep it relatively low.
Sugar does not contain fat. But eating a lot of sugar is not the key to a fat-free lifestyle. Your body uses sugar as fuel. The sugar you'd buy in the grocery store is broken down into a couple of simpler sugars for use. Likewise, the fat and carbohydrates (breads and cereals) you eat are also broken down into simple sugars and used. Any fuel left over, no matter whether it came originally from sugar or from breads or from fat (because chemically it's now exactly the same thing) will be stored by your body. It does that by building fatty acids out of the leftover sugars and storing them in fat cells (called adipocytes).

You can get vitamins, minerals, and amino acids by eating all the things that are supposed to be good for you -- meats, beans, fruits, vegetables, etc. But keep in mind that fruit contains a lot of natural sugars as well. So if you're looking to lose weight, go easy on the fruit and breads and fill yourself up on proteins.

fab_ridz

The sugar in fruits are fructose whereas the sugar that is put into donuts, pop, and other sweet foods is sucrose. The chemical composition is different. It is said that fructose that is in fruits is better than sucrose (which is composed of 2 glucose molecules)
But you should not go way over in fructose (fruit sugar). That is what I would say.

taiyola

An MFP friend told me the other day that the Government reccommended levels for sugar are 90g! So since then, having had my MFP goal at 33g and always being over and worrying, I just deleted the tab.

I used to have a big ice cream with toppings and sauce every day at work, and now I've cut down to a cone and flake for 23g sugar, and 195 calories. Much better for me. With that and having the odd fruit juice, my sugar was always over!

jwuchef87

MFP has it at 28 grams per day...i'm already 35 grams over but for today all the sugar except 8 grams(fiber bar) is coming from fruits and veggies...banana, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, yellow onions...oh, and a yoplait light...that one has 10g :-/

Sidesteal

I would watch your sugar intake and try to keep it relatively low.
Sugar does not contain fat. But eating a lot of sugar is not the key to a fat-free lifestyle. Your body uses sugar as fuel. The sugar you'd buy in the grocery store is broken down into a couple of simpler sugars for use. Likewise, the fat and carbohydrates (breads and cereals) you eat are also broken down into simple sugars and used. Any fuel left over, no matter whether it came originally from sugar or from breads or from fat (because chemically it's now exactly the same thing) will be stored by your body. It does that by building fatty acids out of the leftover sugars and storing them in fat cells (called adipocytes).

You can get vitamins, minerals, and amino acids by eating all the things that are supposed to be good for you -- meats, beans, fruits, vegetables, etc. But keep in mind that fruit contains a lot of natural sugars as well. So if you're looking to lose weight, go easy on the fruit and breads and fill yourself up on proteins.

But if you are eating in a calorie deficit, any fatty acids that are produced are going to be oxidized. Fat oxidation will exceed fat storage in a deficit.
http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

mermx

Maybe try to swap some fruits for more veggies? Carrot sticks, celery sticks etc

casual247mel

Id rather curb the sweet tooth with a fruit though. Cant even have 2 fruit without going over, but I fugure its fruit and thats all the actual sugar I eat. I guess we must try and eat as natural as possible as most bought foods have added sugars in the processing. I was also wondering about that.

MoonPointer

For weight loss, "Enjoy the odd fruits that pretend to be vegetables— think avocados, olives, and tomatoes— in moderation."

Westman, Dr. Eric C.; Phinney, Dr. Stephen D.; Jeff S. Volek (2010-02-17). The New Atkins for a New You (p. 93). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Also helpful to read Gary Taubes' book on Why We Get Fat.

VWilson_Momoftwinsplus1

All sugars are not created equal. Please review the chemistry of a simple sugar molecule (such as fructose aka fruit) and a complex sugar molecule (aka sucrose and other polysaccharides). The body can break down fruit sugar very easily and use it for energy IMMEDIATELY versus trying to break down complex sugars which are molecularly structures built on top of structure (and is not so readily available for the body to use as energy).

Think about it... you don't see people getting fat from eating fruit, but eating bread, candy, cakes, and pies will funnel a different result. These are two different sugars in its chemical make up and the body treats them very differently. Fruit sugar will NOT be stored in body fat. Whereas, complex sugars in cereal bars or other manuafactured "so-called healthy" snacks will.

Processed sugars may be broken down by the body a little bit, but what the body can't break down from these manufactured sugars, it just store in your body fat.

I hope this helps ALL of you see SUGAR in a different light. Everything should be in moderation, but please choose a serving of fruit over a nutrigrain bar.

Sidesteal

Think about it... you don't see people getting fat from eating fruit, but eating bread, candy, cakes, and pies will funnel a different result. These are two different sugars in its chemical make up and the body treats them very differently. Fruit sugar will NOT be stored in body fat. Whereas, complex sugars in cereal bars or other manuafactured "so-called healthy" snacks will.

Processed sugars may be broken down by the body a little bit, but what the body can't break down from these manufactured sugars, it just store in your body fat.

I hope this helps ALL of you see SUGAR in a different light. Everything should be in moderation, but please choose a serving of fruit over a nutrigrain bar.

Excess calories are stored as bodyfat. Eat too much fruit and you will get fat, period. Same with cake, beans, or rice, or whatever.

VWilson_Momoftwinsplus1

As I said before, everything should be in moderation, but I refuse to believe that 30g of sugar from an apple will effect my body the same as 30g of sugar from a Little Debbie Snack Cake. Two completely different chemical makeups. The apple will provide readily available energy, and its actual chemical breakdown starts while you are chewing (all food does). The snack cake's sugar is more complex in nature (manufatured sugars) and the body will break down what it can, but what it cannot use it immediately (i.e. causes a high or spike in glycemic index or "sugar surge" due the the body's inability to break down complex sugar structures for immediate use) , it will be stored.

Acg67

All sugars are not created equal. Please review the chemistry of a simple sugar molecule (such as fructose aka fruit) and a complex sugar molecule (aka sucrose and other polysaccharides). The body can break down fruit sugar very easily and use it for energy IMMEDIATELY versus trying to break down complex sugars which are molecularly structures built on top of structure (and is not so readily available for the body to use as energy).

You know fruits contain sucrose right?

Think about it... you don't see people getting fat from eating fruit, but eating bread, candy, cakes, and pies will funnel a different result. These are two different sugars in its chemical make up and the body treats them very differently. Fruit sugar will NOT be stored in body fat. Whereas, complex sugars in cereal bars or other manuafactured "so-called healthy" snacks will.

Processed sugars may be broken down by the body a little bit, but what the body can't break down from these manufactured sugars, it just store in your body fat.

Please stop making things up

Sidesteal

As I said before, everything should be in moderation, but I refuse to believe that 30g of sugar from an apple will effect my body the same as 30g of sugar from a Little Debbie Snack Cake. Two completely different chemical makeups. The apple will provide readily available energy, and its actual chemical breakdown starts while you are chewing (all food does). The snack cake's sugar is more complex in nature (manufatured sugars) and the body will break down what it can, but what it cannot use it immediately (i.e. causes a high or spike in glycemic index or "sugar surge" due the the body's inability to break down complex sugar structures for immediate use) , it will be stored.

You can refuse to believe what you want, but your reasoning is incorrect.

That being said, an apple will usually be a better choice of foods due to the nutrients it provides and due to it being less calorie dense. But in terms of how the sugar in each food is metabolized, the differences are not substantial.

Additionally it doesn't matter whether or not you use all of your food for energy in the short term. All that matters is that fat oxidation exceeds fat storage (assuming you are trying to lose fat). This happens in a calorie deficit. In short -- any fat storage that may occur in the short term will be oxidized between meals.

I would recommend that you read this, not because I want you to eat donuts (I don't, really -- apples are probably better in most circumstances) but it might provide you with some research to clear up some things:

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

Lift_hard_eat_big

All sugars are not created equal. Please review the chemistry of a simple sugar molecule (such as fructose aka fruit) and a complex sugar molecule (aka sucrose and other polysaccharides). The body can break down fruit sugar very easily and use it for energy IMMEDIATELY versus trying to break down complex sugars which are molecularly structures built on top of structure (and is not so readily available for the body to use as energy).

Think about it... you don't see people getting fat from eating fruit, but eating bread, candy, cakes, and pies will funnel a different result. These are two different sugars in its chemical make up and the body treats them very differently. Fruit sugar will NOT be stored in body fat. Whereas, complex sugars in cereal bars or other manuafactured "so-called healthy" snacks will.

Processed sugars may be broken down by the body a little bit, but what the body can't break down from these manufactured sugars, it just store in your body fat.

I hope this helps ALL of you see SUGAR in a different light. Everything should be in moderation, but please choose a serving of fruit over a nutrigrain bar.

I sincerely hope that your post was a joke.

Acg67

As I said before, everything should be in moderation, but I refuse to believe that 30g of sugar from an apple will effect my body the same as 30g of sugar from a Little Debbie Snack Cake. Two completely different chemical makeups. The apple will provide readily available energy, and its actual chemical breakdown starts while you are chewing (all food does). The snack cake's sugar is more complex in nature (manufatured sugars) and the body will break down what it can, but what it cannot use it immediately (i.e. causes a high or spike in glycemic index or "sugar surge" due the the body's inability to break down complex sugar structures for immediate use) , it will be stored.

Lol que?

Why is glucose used as the reference food for the GI index?

joejccva71

All sugars are not created equal. Please review the chemistry of a simple sugar molecule (such as fructose aka fruit) and a complex sugar molecule (aka sucrose and other polysaccharides). The body can break down fruit sugar very easily and use it for energy IMMEDIATELY versus trying to break down complex sugars which are molecularly structures built on top of structure (and is not so readily available for the body to use as energy).

Think about it... you don't see people getting fat from eating fruit, but eating bread, candy, cakes, and pies will funnel a different result. These are two different sugars in its chemical make up and the body treats them very differently. Fruit sugar will NOT be stored in body fat. Whereas, complex sugars in cereal bars or other manuafactured "so-called healthy" snacks will.

Processed sugars may be broken down by the body a little bit, but what the body can't break down from these manufactured sugars, it just store in your body fat.

I hope this helps ALL of you see SUGAR in a different light. Everything should be in moderation, but please choose a serving of fruit over a nutrigrain bar.

You're wrong on ALL accounts. That about sum it up?