added sugars and naturally occurring sugars

QuentinHardage

Anyone know how my fitness pal can distinguish between types of sugar? I believe National Heart Association Recommended Daily Allowance for sugars includes added sugars, not those from natural organic fruits. There is a large difference between the two and has been confusing to those trying to cut sugars out of the diet using my fitness pal.

The American Diabetes Association encourages fruits. I wonder how fruits in the diet affect insulin dosage rates.

WendyTerry420

No. There's really no reason to do so. In fact, most diabetes dietitians have changed their recommendations from worrying about sugar to simply counting net carbs. (Carbs minus fiber)

caribougal

Sugar = sugar = sugar.

You should consult with your endocrinologist about your insulin dosages, based on your post-prandial glucometer readings.

Fruit also has other healthy benefits such as fiber and vitamins, and it's harder to overeat a ton of fruit compared to other more processed sources of sugar. But... in the end, it's still sugar, whether it comes from fruit or a candy bar.

If you want to cut out added sugars, go ahead and do it. Then you'll know that the sugars in your diary reflect only sugars from veggies and fruit. Problem solved. Or, you can create a meal category called "foods with added sugars", and then subtract them from your total to see how much you are consuming.

QuentinHardage

I am not diabetic, last A1C was 5. I am using mfp to monitor intake of food and watching sugar for Dad died of diabetes type 1 complications and Mom developed type 2 in old age living sedentary life and eating out too often.

I believe fruit is part of the problem with ADA and others that promote fruits in the meal plan exchange. I am an Ayurvedic counselor and my ayurvedic doctor says that we should not have any fruit with meals. An occasionaly low glycemic fruit like blueberries for snack is OK.

Recently I went on the Dr Oz/Dr Hyman Detox plan for 3 days to cleanse body of toxins and ran the 3 shakes on MFP finding out that it contained 89 g of sugars, which is more than twice the RDA by American Heart Association. It was surprising to me that Dr Hyman who wrote the book The Blood Sugar Solution advising those with pre diabetes or type 2 how to reverse or prevent type 2. He does recommend fiber PGX as part of the supplement plan to spread out slow down rapid absorption of sugars into bloodstream.

I am of old school with you and agree sugar is sugar.

Firefox7275

Anyone know how my fitness pal can distinguish between types of sugar? I believe National Heart Association Recommended Daily Allowance for sugars includes added sugars, not those from natural organic fruits. There is a large difference between the two and has been confusing to those trying to cut sugars out of the diet using my fitness pal.

The American Diabetes Association encourages fruits. I wonder how fruits in the diet affect insulin dosage rates.

If you read the ingredients lists and buy/ eat little to nothing that contains added sugars you don't need to track or worry about them. Otherwise run your eye over the sugar column at the end of the day and note where the sugars are, if it's fruit, veggies or or dairy don't worry too much.

Fruits don't all have the same effect on the blood sugar, depends if the sugar is fructose, glucose, sucrose etc, and to a lesser extent on the other components of the fruit. Serving size and number of servings is also highly relevant. Berries are low sugar, nutrient dense and low GI, research suggests grapefruit actually helps stabilise blood glucose levels. Perhaps the ADA is assuming people are aware of the official healthy eating guidelines, most countries recommend skewing produce intake heavily in favour of vegetables anyway.

Personally I have my nutrition clients combine carbs (including fruit) with protein and healthy fats, I believe humans evolved to successfully process the sugars and nutrients in fruit as part of a balanced diet. If I discouraged fruit intake I'd have even more clients with families not eating five a day let alone seven to nine, here in the UK we average two servings per person per day. The people who are open to eating less fruit are likely practicing healthy living anyway. I don't feel the need to make the healthy healthier as too many healthcare practitioners do, I'd rather invest more time making the sick and at risk healthier. There are not many people getting sick eating fruit, just the 'worried well'.

I would strongly recommend you don't rely on anything Dr Oz says, many of his claims cannot be backed up with science/ have been debunked. Try to use a body of published research (especially longitudinal population studies and meta analyses) and textbooks don't rely on commercial diet books.

QuentinHardage

thanks for your informative information.

caribougal

I am not diabetic, last A1C was 5. I am using mfp to monitor intake of food and watching sugar for Dad died of diabetes type 1 complications and Mom developed type 2 in old age living sedentary life and eating out too often.

I believe fruit is part of the problem with ADA and others that promote fruits in the meal plan exchange. I am an Ayurvedic counselor and my ayurvedic doctor says that we should not have any fruit with meals. An occasionaly low glycemic fruit like blueberries for snack is OK.

Recently I went on the Dr Oz/Dr Hyman Detox plan for 3 days to cleanse body of toxins and ran the 3 shakes on MFP finding out that it contained 89 g of sugars, which is more than twice the RDA by American Heart Association. It was surprising to me that Dr Hyman who wrote the book The Blood Sugar Solution advising those with pre diabetes or type 2 how to reverse or prevent type 2. He does recommend fiber PGX as part of the supplement plan to spread out slow down rapid absorption of sugars into bloodstream.

I am of old school with you and agree sugar is sugar.

I'm also at very high risk of diabetes, although not diabetic myself (yet). Dad was a very thin type 2, Mom is an obese type 2, brother is a thin type 2 triggered by med. I had gestational diabetes twice. With it on both sides of the family and during pregnancies... I'm a walking diabetes ticking clock. Every doctor says it's imperative to keep my weight down.

I wouldn't recommend eating a lot of fruit to anyone.. I personally eat maybe 1 serving a day and usually berries (although my favorite snack is apple with almond butter, so that's in my diary quite a bit). My point was that it's harder to overeat fruit than it is, say... bread or sweets, since fruit is more filling.

I've never done a cleanse or detox like that. But I teased my trainer who was planning on doing a 3 day fruit/veggie shake cleanse.

Me: Why would you torture yourself drinking your meals for three days? Why don't you just eat as much veggies as you can for 3 days. It will taste better, leave you fuller, be more natural, and fill you more. And... cost a fraction of the price.

Her: You're right, but this is so easy. I don't have to think about it. I just buy the drinks and drink them.

Me: Well, go for it. I'm going home to eat some eggs.

QuentinHardage

Now I understand why your carbs are low and good fats high.