How do you keep your sugars low?

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  • NoraisTreble
    NoraisTreble Posts: 25 Member
    I don't put real, or artificial sugar in anything, yet my sugar allotment is regularly over. I worry, since I am "prediabetic," but most of my sugar comes from fruit. This area is a 'sticky wicket.' For now, I am just eating as well as I possibly can. When I have my blood work done in May, I will see what the results are and go from there.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I use Stevia in my coffee and just stay away from sugar, other than 1-2 fruit servings. I don't eat grains, so that helps since I don't eat cakes, cookies, or donuts, etc. I do eat Atkins bars for breakfast, which have sugar alcohols in them, but they don't bother me. Yogurt is very high in sugar unless you eat the light varieties, and even then, the sugar can be a bit high. I have a high genetic risk for Diabetes, so for me, it has just been a shift in thinking. Sugar also causes a lot of inflammation in my body, so the increase in pain when I eat it is enough to keep me away from it.

    Have you tried using stevia? It is a natural sugar substitute that doesn't cause the probs some other ones can.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    MFP's recommendation is based on the AHA's recommendation for ADDED sugar. If you're worried about it cut out anything with high fructose corn syrup and limit your intake of processed foods that have a lot of added sugar. I get the bulk of my sugar from fruit...very little added sugar. Your body does metabolize sugars in fruits and veg slower because the sugar is wrapped in fiber...so you don't get the big spike you would get if you had a soda or some other food product with a bunch of added sugar. This is why my type II dad can have fruits in moderation but cannot have sodas or candies or anything like that.
  • pnubn1
    pnubn1 Posts: 339 Member
    On most days..maybe 5 days a week..I cut out anything with sugar. On those days I try not to go over 8 grams. I'm usually successful. Even on my "off" days though..I still find myself checking for sugar content on labels. I've been sugar free..for the most part now for 2 weeks. My skin is thanking me for it by being smooth and clear.
  • lobo_a_gogo
    lobo_a_gogo Posts: 265 Member
    Avoid pre-sweetened stuff i.e. instead of having flavored oatmeal, but plain steel-cut oats and after cooking add protein powder, a little bit of honey or a little bit of agave syrup
  • Pinkylee77
    Pinkylee77 Posts: 432 Member
    All carbohydrate and I mean all break down to glucose in the body. So if you don't want any sugar eat only meat and fat. Sugar is not the enemy eating too much of any food is not healthy. All things in moderation. Glucose feeds the brain so it is in moderation a very necessary item. Watching your macros is more important. Fruit breaks down to Fructose or fruit sugar. The body generally absorbs it slower than a simple sugar.
  • chefwrx
    chefwrx Posts: 59 Member
    Tracking will make you aware of all kinds of mistakes. Under and Over estimating were major mistakes I made before I started logging all of my intake.

    If you goal is to reduce bodyfat, you'd be best off eliminating sweeteners in general until you reach your goal. Once you get a taste for it, good coffee is excellent black. I love to get Americanos at the coffee chains for a treat.

    Also, Pinkylee77 is correct.

    What are your goals?
  • luvred51
    luvred51 Posts: 163 Member
    Bump.
  • cattleyaorchid
    cattleyaorchid Posts: 1 Member
    The problem I have with sugars is if they are high it indirectly makes my carbs go high which can be frustrating. I love fruit and it is good for you so I try to eat it around my workouts.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    What you say about yogurt is true, but only as far as commercial yogurt is concerned. I make my own whole milk Greek yogurt and one cup is not only less in calories, but also only a fraction of the sugar. This happens because greek style yogurt needs to sit out at least 48 hours ( I often do 72 ) to get thick. In the process sugar is used for fermentation. Of course that makes the yogurt much more tart, which I like and most people don't , especially in the US food culture, where it seems to me that almost everything that is processed has a hint of sweetness to it.
    If you can handle yogurt that is tart, making your own and leaving it out for a longer period of time is the route to go for less calories and less sugar.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    I agree with you. About a month ago ( before I joined MFP) I decided to eat no refined flour ( meaning all bakery goods) and also avoid all whole meal breads and replaced the calories with sweet potatoes and yams . I have Lupus and RA and even after barely a month I feel noticably better....even though the sugar in the yams uses up all my sugar allotment....lol.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    I have reactive hypoglycemia and have to watch my sugar intake. But more importantly, it's what I eat WITH the sugar that's the issue for me. If I'm eating something high in sugars, I have to eat protein with it to avoid a reaction. So I eat a hard boiled egg with the banana, or ham wrapped around pepper jack cheese with an apple.

    In general, it's what you're getting your sugar from that's more worriesome. For instance. If all your sugar comes from maple syrup, granulated sugar and the like, you might need to make some changes. If it's coming from apples and bananas, and you don't have blood sugar issues like I do, then don't sweat it. Most of us aren't on here because of our excessive banana intake. Wouldn't you agree? :)
  • beamteam4
    beamteam4 Posts: 19 Member
    I am new to mfp. And I am learning alot about portion sizes etc. My question is I have been under everyday on my calorie count. But over on my sugar. Will this slow my weight loss down, even though I am under in calories?
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
    Although, OP... looking at your diary, I see your coffee had 64 grams of sugar. Hmmmm.

    That would be like 18 teaspoons, or more than 1/4 cup of sugar. If that's true.... holy ****.

    And if it's true, your coffee did not have 154 calories. It had 256 calories from sugar alone, plus the calories from the coffee (maybe 10) plus the calories from the cream.

    24 grams of fat, 64 grams carbs, and 24 grams of fat would actually be 504 calories. Not 154.

    Ok.... I definitely need to get a new coffee in my tracker. Holy hell, there is no way I put 1/4 a cup of sugar in my coffee. I put about a teaspoon and a half to two teaspoons in a 8 ounce cup and use organic nonfat cream. I stop at dunkin donuts about twice a week and get coffee with cream and sugar... But still 1/4 a cup?! :noway:
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
    Also definitely making an oatmeal switch, but too frugal to throw the last few packs away. its close to expiration, so i am trying to eat it up, but a more typical breakfast is an egg, wheat toast and veggie sausage or turkey bacon. That paired with a small cup if coffee with cream and sugar still sends me plummeting by 9am. I usually eat sugars with protein. I will have fruit with cheese, or nuts. I need to focus on the refined sugars in the foods I am eating too. Never even thought about my yogurt as a problem because its supposed to be "light" and made with sugar substitute. These are all great suggestions. Need to start incorporating them!

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