scared of sugar now

HealthyChanges2010

You are free to think what you want and I am free to think what I want.

:flowerforyou:

smae1980

July, It's late and I don't want to get into a physiological argument with you, but some of the things you stated in your own argument were "extreme" cases. People with fructose intolerance(not common), people with hypertension or cholesterol problems, over consumption of fructose. I am simply stating that for a healthy individual eating the daily recommendation of 2-3 serving o f fruit a day is healthy and necessary to getting all the essential vitamins and minerals. Healthy people don't need to monitor fruit sugar as long as their entire diet doesn't consist of fruit.

I am not saying that we shouldn't eat fruit, but it should be limited.

The article stated that excessive consumption of fructose (the sugar found in fruit) causes hypertension and cholesterol problems, not people that already have it.

The mainstay of a person's diet should be vegetables and fruit should be used as treats or dessert. Most people eat fruit in place of vegetables and that is not healthy.

That is all I am saying.

You are free to think what you want and I am free to think what I want.

That means I can still share my information with anyone on this board as freely as you can.

July. I know this will sound weird after all that has transpired, but I agree with you as I am a vegetarian. I think that the majority of vitamins and minerals can be obtained from vegetables. And to play the peacekeeper, to each her own. I respect your right to you tried and true beliefs

nyprdiva

I think the "eating too much fruit thing" is dependent on the person. After recently moving to a more vegetarian lifestyle and talking with a nutritionist and a doctor, both strongly recommended me eating lots of fruits and vegetables of varied kinds and not focus on things like tofu only. Our body processes natural sugars properly (unless you are diabetic). But each person is different and if it is really something you are concerned about, you should consult your physician.

smae1980

I think the "eating too much fruit thing" is dependent on the person. After recently moving to a more vegetarian lifestyle and talking with a nutritionist and a doctor, both strongly recommended me eating lots of fruits and vegetables of varied kinds and not focus on things like tofu only. Our body processes natural sugars properly (unless you are diabetic). But each person is different and if it is really something you are concerned about, you should consult your physician.

I agree. The only differentation i will make is that Soy(aka tofu) is the only plant based food that provides us with a complete protein other than meat or dairy products. Not the same topic, but variably an importanrt topic,

tattereds

Thanks Becca, I am already feeling like my habits are improving. I love the accountability this site gives me!

Personally, I have also taken the sugars section off my 'watch list', and am focussing on the calories, fats and carbs sections more. I figure I will see how this goes for a month then revise if necessary.

That said, I'm not much of a dairy or fruits fan, so both of these types of food are kind of a moot point for me when adding up my daily sugars!

I agree with nyprdiva, finding and maintaining what will be a healthy diet for you is a very personal thing. Not everyone has the same needs so I guess it's all about how you feel and the results you see.

We're all here to lose weight, get healthy and find a happier life - how we choose to do that is up to us, the idea of the community is to share ideas and support each other. If you don't agree with what someone thinks you are entirely welcome to say so, but it is highly unlikely that someone with strong beliefs is going to change these simply because you don't approve, especially if it's working for them!

Good luck to everyone

-Kita

Ryhenblue

This is an article from the Mayo Clinic. Bottom line, fruit is great for you and will not make you fat. Eating too many calories is what stops you from losing the weight. There are people with medical conditions that have to watch their sugar intake, but if you are not one of them there is no reason to cut fruit from your diet.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/HQ01396


Snacks: How they fit into your weight-loss plan
Well-planned, healthy snacks can complement your weight-loss plan. Here are creative and healthy ways to satisfy your hunger.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Your stomach is growling, but lunch is hours away. You could indulge yourself with a snack, but you think it's best to grit your teeth and wait for lunch. Not so, if weight loss is your goal.

Although you may feel guilty about snacking, snacks aren't necessarily bad. In fact, well-planned weight-loss diets, such as The Mayo Clinic Diet, allow for snacks to help manage hunger and reduce bingeing. Eating a healthy snack of a piece of fruit or some raw veggies can tame your hunger without ruining your appetite for your next meal.

The key to incorporating snacks into your weight-loss plan is to keep moderation and balance in mind.
Choose healthy snacks

Select foods that satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Opt for snacks of 100 calories or less to stay within your daily calorie goal. You can eat more of foods with low energy density, such as carrots, grapes and air-popped popcorn, for your 100 calories. Choose snacks from these food groups:

* Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small number of calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.
* Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy with staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.
* Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, so you will feel fuller longer. They can be high in fat, but it's mostly monounsaturated, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.
* Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus many other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have extra added sugar, so look for low-calorie or "light" varieties.

What does a 100-calorie snack look like?

Although snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if you aren't careful. For example, a small handful of almonds (about 14 nuts) is 100 calories. But eat a cup of almonds, and the calorie count jumps to over 800 calories.

So what are some smart choices? Here are several suggestions for 100-calorie snacks:

* 1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries
* 2 cups of carrots
* 3 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn
* 5 melba toast crackers, rye or pumpernickel
* 2 tablespoons of peanuts
* 2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
* 1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup

When a snack fills in for a meal

With today's busy world, healthy meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack could be the difference between some nourishment and none at all. You'll find it easier to choose good-for-you snacks if you stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast — not fussy. These ideas for healthy snacks minimize fat and calories and maximize whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They're all around 200 calories.

* Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice Canadian bacon, a tomato slice and one slice low-fat American cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts.
* Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.
* Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
* Layer a 6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts. Slice into bite-sized pie shapes. Dip into some salsa if desired.
* Mix 1/4 cup cold leftover chicken or convenience-type chunk chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.

Heed your hunger pangs, but forget the guilt. With planning and a little preparation, you can have healthy foods on hand so that you're ready when temptation strikes.

Rhonnie

I'm also always way over on sugars. While I now don't worry to much about my total sugars, I do pay close attention to sugar in sauces and such... you'd be surprised how much is in a lot of things! But now that I'm aware of that and try to chose brands/etc that have the lower sugar and I leave it at that. I've drastically reduced the amount of sugar I add to things (cereal, tea, etc) and I figure that combined with the drastically better diet with the correct amount of calories will be a big enough change to have my wight drop off. If in the future I start slowing down, or even stopping my weight loss, I'll revisit the sugars.

Barneystinson

I think the easy answer here is that most of us have few issues eating a couple servings of fruit daily. If you are concerned about sugar levels in the fruit you eat, aim for lower GI / high fiber fruits - blueberries, strawberries, canteloupe, raspberries, kiwi, grapefruit, etc...Try combining fruit with a beneficial fat - yogurt, nut butters, nuts, cheese (laughing cow, babybel, etc).

With specific health concerns (T1/T2 diabetes, high cholesterol, etc) you may have to pay closer attention to the amount of fruit sugar consumed and how it affects your blood sugar levels. If you fall into this camp, try different fruits, test your blood sugar and consume the fruits (in moderate portions) that do not cause spikes.

kwardklinck

I stopped counting my sugar when I realized I was going over every day because of dairy and fruit. I just try to eat things without added sugar, but fructose and lactose are not the same. I wish there was a way for MFP to break it down but they don't.

HealthyChanges2010

Thank you Ryhenblue :drinker: Some good ideas from the Mayo article you shared!

Becca:flowerforyou:

aippolito1

FDA recommended doses of sugar is no more than 40g of ADDED sugar. If you're getting 24g of sugar from oatmeal and sugar, don't worry about it. Worry more about the processed sugars and fake sugars - such as splenda, aspartame, sugar alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

I try to eat 2-3 fruits per day and always go over on sugar. I don't worry about it, so long as the majority are from natural sources.