Sugar vs. Fat

melfitnesspal13

I read over 50 posts on MFP on yesterday on sugar. I am always over on the sugar when logging but under my caloric intake. I read that often lowfat is substitued with sugar. Today I went to buy my regular organic plain yogurt and indeed, the lowfat has 6 gms of sugar more per serving than the full fat. The full fat has 160 calories per cup and the lowfat has 110 for the same amount. So today I bought the plain, which of course is much more delicious. I felt guilty having my yogurt but it was sooo good. So, is it better to have the lower calories with higher sugar or the higher calories with lower sugar?

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Just do these three things:
1. Eat enough protein (it's fine to go over your protein target)
2. Eat enough fat (it's fine to go over your fat target)
3. Stay under your calorie goal

If you haven't set your macros yet, check out this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911011-calculating-calorie-macronutrient-needs?page=1#posts-13821336

rebeccamayreeves3

I try to not buy reduced fat items because normally that is replaced with all sorts of other stuff, sugar and more. I'd say, The change in calories isn't big enough to stress it.

m4ttcheek

Full fat is healthier but contains more calories.

EmmaKarney

Cutting out low fat and low calorie food was the best thing I ever did!

selina884

Just do these three things:
1. Eat enough protein (it's fine to go over your protein target)
2. Eat enough fat (it's fine to go over your fat target)
3. Stay under your calorie goal

If you haven't set your macros yet, check out this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911011-calculating-calorie-macronutrient-needs?page=1#posts-13821336

This x100000

stargazer008

Limit sugar.

Full fat is better.

BeachIron

Focus on calories, but do that with portion control. Full fat is the better way to go. And if you do eat low/non- fat dairy make sure you add back the fat is some way. Example: I eat non fat Greek yogurt but I usually add almonds and/or flax seeds for the good fats, along with fresh or frozen fruit for the flavor and vitamins (rather than the pre-prepared versions with loads of unnecessary sugar)

carolynhart01

I am a strict believer in the South Beach diet and keeping your insulin in check. I don't eat yougert often, but if I do I stick with the greek yougert with better protein. I say low sugar is the way to go but you need to be sure that the fats you are allowing yourself are the "Good" fats. monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats vs. the "Bad" fats, saturated and trans. Your body needs the good fats to function. Also keeping in mind that good fats such as a tbsp of natural peanut butter will slow down the absorbtion of sugar in an apple while eaten together to keep your insulin from spiking and maybe causing a sugar crash later (no too bad with only and apple because the fiber helps that to but you get my point)

Sugar makes you want sugar. It can cause a sugar crash later making you seek out any snack to "perk" you up and can be a precursor of bad diet choices.

Just my two cents, but I am here for support so if anyone else has an opinion on this I welcome it. I lost 30 lbs with south beach after my son was born but after having twins 2 years ago - 4 attempts on south beach only lost 15 lbs. I started here on Monday and found out that even though I am eating all the "right foods" in (I thought) decent quantities, I was short my daily calorie goal by 200+. Hoepfully more good calories will fix that.

mumof5

cut the sugar...it will not only make you fat, it will kill you. sugar causes more problems in our society then cocaine. this is a fact. there is so much research out there about this, the public just needs to be re- educated about it. No more then 10% of your calories should be made up of sugar - and that includes 'natural' sugar found in milk, fruit and veg.

delvesdg

I'm actually attempting to gain weight, but I don't want to get fat. I had 160z of orange juice and 8oz of milk at breakfast and went over my sugar reserves. What do I do now? Should I worry? Will excercise negate this?

Acg67

cut the sugar...it will not only make you fat, it will kill you. sugar causes more problems in our society then cocaine. this is a fact. there is so much research out there about this, the public just needs to be re- educated about it. No more then 10% of your calories should be made up of sugar - and that includes 'natural' sugar found in milk, fruit and veg.

LMAO. Can you post this abundant research?

Acg67

I am a strict believer in the South Beach diet and keeping your insulin in check. I don't eat yougert often, but if I do I stick with the greek yougert with better protein.

I'd stay away from yogurt

Östman et al. Inconsistency between glycemic and insulinemic responses to regular and fermented milk products. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 74, No. 1, 96-100, July 2001

http://www.ajcn.org/content/74/1/96.full

shannashannabobana

I felt guilty having my yogurt but it was sooo good. So, is it better to have the lower calories with higher sugar or the higher calories with lower sugar?

I don't know why you would feel guilty.

Whether it is better to have lower calories + more sugar or the opposite is mostly based on your dietary philosophy (or how much you care about macros) and how it affects you. I would go for higher fat with less sugar personally. I find that more satiating. You might want to experiment and see how it affects you for the rest of the day. Do you eat less or more?

magerum

Neither is better or worse, eat which you prefer. Fat doesn't make you fat & sugar doesn't make you fat. Excess energy consumption makes you fat.

magerum

cut the sugar...it will not only make you fat, it will kill you. sugar causes more problems in our society then cocaine. this is a fact. there is so much research out there about this, the public just needs to be re- educated about it. No more then 10% of your calories should be made up of sugar - and that includes 'natural' sugar found in milk, fruit and veg.

LOLWUT?!

:noway:

Whatever you do, don't listen to this nonsense. Fearmongering, demonizing of food and outright wrong/dangerous "information" to be spreading.

pastryari

cut the sugar...it will not only make you fat, it will kill you. sugar causes more problems in our society then cocaine. this is a fact. there is so much research out there about this, the public just needs to be re- educated about it. No more then 10% of your calories should be made up of sugar - and that includes 'natural' sugar found in milk, fruit and veg.

tmpecus78

cut the sugar...it will not only make you fat, it will kill you. sugar causes more problems in our society then cocaine. this is a fact. there is so much research out there about this, the public just needs to be re- educated about it. No more then 10% of your calories should be made up of sugar - and that includes 'natural' sugar found in milk, fruit and veg.

wow, look at this nonsense! lol

CA_Emily

I personally don't mind full fat food stuffs (yogurt is a great example). I feel no guilt eating plain, full fat greek yogurt. I can't remember the last time I bought low fat or no fat packaged food at the store. I try to always eat "real" food.

I feel (from looking at labels- I am no sort of professional at all) that fat free and low fat food is not healthy. If you read the ingredients in a low fat item and compare it to the ingredients in high fat item you will usually see a lot more "stuff" added- fillers and sugars to make the food more palatable. I know the fillers have been approved for human consumption by the FDA, but I still don't want to put that stuff in my body. Personal choice.

Other things to keep in mind:
Full fat food keeps me full longer.
Not all fats are bad.
Your body needs plenty of good fats to survive and thrive.
Full fat food tastes better to me.

Months ago I read an article (can't find it now- maybe it was in the health section of the NYTimes.com site) about how our body processes dairy products. The study found that the fat in full fat or 2% dairy products slowed the absorption of sugar in your body. It was an interesting article. Wish I could find it to share. There are always shortcomings with any sort of study, but it was interesting food for thought.

paleojoe

I myself go with the full fat version. When I eat yogurt, I want to enjoy it and full fat just tastes better. Less chemicals too since, when they remove the fat, they add a bunch of other **** to make it taste good.