Do you count fruit sugar?

mfpseven
mfpseven Posts: 421 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I limit my sugar intake but I hate that it limits my fresh fruit. Bananas, grapes, apples, they are all great for you but they through my sugar way off. I don't drink a lot of fruit juice because it doesn't have all of the same benefits but I don't want to feel bad about having a cookie or granola bar because I also had fruit. What do you guys do?
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Replies

  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    If we could exclude sugar from foods that we like i'd exclude snickers sugar

    Sorry but sugar is sugar, you gotta count it from wherever it comes from
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    yep, it counts, sorry
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    I do not worry about my sugar level on here at all. I do not eat foods with added sugar, or any processed foods. So all the sugars I get are from natural foods, which our bodies are made to process.
  • nataliexxxx
    nataliexxxx Posts: 262
    I don't pay attention to sugar just everything else, I always go over it because of fruit but I still lose weight
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    sugar from fruits is a different type than added sugar but still causes insulin spikes which lead to fat storage. I don't eat bananas for this reason, very high sugar content, relatively speaking.
  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    No.

    Full disclosure: I don't count ice cream sugar either.
  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    sugar from fruits is a different type than added sugar but still causes insulin spikes which lead to fat storage. I don't eat bananas for this reason, very high sugar content, relatively speaking.

    by that logic, you should avoid protein too
  • manueljw
    manueljw Posts: 15
    I limit my sugar intake but I hate that it limits my fresh fruit. Bananas, grapes, apples, they are all great for you but they through my sugar way off. I don't drink a lot of fruit juice because it doesn't have all of the same benefits but I don't want to feel bad about having a cookie or granola bar because I also had fruit. What do you guys do?

    I include fruit sugars. That is a must because sugars turn to fat when not used.
  • Skych123
    Skych123 Posts: 96
    was wondering about this too. I started blending up some strawberries/banana/skim milk smoothies for breakfast and it pretty much kills the sugar for the day :grumble:
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Why even worry about this? Sugar is a carb. Manage your overall carbs and eat whole foods like fruit and you'll be just fine.
  • drwgal
    drwgal Posts: 66
    I too love my fresh fruit, and I too go over my sugar limits. I don't worry to much about it as a previous poster said, it's all natural sugar, it isn't sugar that has been added for flavor or sweetness. You can count it if you want, but I sure don't. Although I do limit my fruit intake so it isn't absurdly high, I only ever do 2 servings of fruit a day.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Sugar = carb and if your carbs are moderate, then your fine.
  • SmileyFaceGuy
    SmileyFaceGuy Posts: 201
    I don't count sugar period.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    I just count my fruit as carbs.
  • kcdough
    kcdough Posts: 8
    Yes , limit fruit sugar and carb intake.. things will workout... It's all about discipline... Oh boy...:smile:
  • gabi_ele
    gabi_ele Posts: 460 Member
    I don't worry about them, it's natural and I have already cut out most of the other refined carbs. I'm low on carbs anyway, I go over protein most of the time...
  • kcdough
    kcdough Posts: 8
    I agree.
  • UnleashingLovely
    UnleashingLovely Posts: 205
    I don't count my fruit sugar. Sugar is sugar is probably true. But I don't have any problems with my blood sugar so I won't worry about it too much. I think all the nutrients of fruits are worth that extra sugar if you're not a diabetic.
  • Huskeryogi
    Huskeryogi Posts: 578 Member
    I'll admit that I'm not big on tracking macros. I mainly look at calories, but I usually chuckle because I blow all my sugar for the day at lunch eating grapes (frozen). I eat them every day, they are yummy and have not impeded my weight loss.
  • Captain_Spatchcock
    Captain_Spatchcock Posts: 136
    don't count sugar. count carbs. better yet, count protein and fat, and let carbs end up where they may.
  • Stephanie_Autry
    Stephanie_Autry Posts: 228 Member
    Does your body even notice the difference between what kinds of sugars? I thought sugar was sugar period. You have to eat it in small amounts- fruit. I think junk food (sweets) are empty calories we don't need for our bodies. Try freezing your fruit & eating in small portions. Frozen grapes are quite delicious & taste sort of like frozen yogurt. :smile:

    But then again I'm not the best person to say anything about sugar... I always have fruit every day & end up going over my sugar intake. It hasn't bother my blood sugar levels nor has it retained me from losing weight...
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
    I eat a lot of fruit, I don't count it anymore because I know the sugar from fruit isn't bad. Now if it were sugar from a donut or chocolate :huh:
  • angeseabridge
    angeseabridge Posts: 13 Member
    Although I do limit my fruit intake so it isn't absurdly high, I only ever do 2 servings of fruit a day.

    I used to eat loads of fruit through the day, because with slimming world you can, but now I limit it to 2-3 servings a day, and much smaller portions than before. I doubt it's the only reason for my weight loss but it has helped!
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    sugar from fruits is a different type than added sugar but still causes insulin spikes which lead to fat storage. I don't eat bananas for this reason, very high sugar content, relatively speaking.

    by that logic, you should avoid protein too

    protein does cause insulin to be released, but not near as much as sugar. And physiologically speaking it is more difficult for the body to convert protein into fat than sugar into fat.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I eat a lot of fruit, I don't count it anymore because I know the sugar from fruit isn't bad. Now if it were sugar from a donut or chocolate :huh:

    It all get's converted to glucose. No different. Your body doesn't distinguish what the source is and not store the calories from fruit. Sugar is neither bad nor good in any form. Sugar calories are calories. Eat too many of them and you'll gain weight whether they are from fruit or not. You can't just say they don't count! Unless you want to lie to yourself.
  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
    If you eat a lot of fruit, try to stick to ones with more fiber (if you can eat the skin, it has more fiber.) I believe the fiber causes the sugar to be absorbed less rapidly, thus not causing a serve insulin spike and fat storage. I don't count my sugar from fruit, but I may start at some point if my weight loss plateaus.
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    bumping for the info...thanks
  • sarahmichelle876
    sarahmichelle876 Posts: 94
    It does not all get converted to glucose. There are different kinds of sugar and your body does process them differently. They teach this in any basic microbiology class.

    ** adding to this, sugars are used to make ATP which is the energy that your cells use. Glucose just happens to be the first one that is utilized. Once glucose is used up, your body is like a machine and it changes to metabolize another sugar in the ATP production process. The processed sugars are the last to be used, so they have more potential to sit around. I'm not saying you should intake alot of sugar by eating a crap ton of fruit all day, but we are taught in school that your body needs sugar. Just not a lot of it because your body can't process it into what it needs fast enough for you to scarf a box full of cakes and not face the fatty consequences.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    I don't track sugar. I track carbohydrates and don't worry about being just a bit over occasionally. More often I'm over on protein, which I don't worry about. I do worry about eating enough fiber -- and I don't think MFP says to eat enough so I'm trying for a higher number than they give -- mostly in fruit and vegetables.

    If you have a diagnosed problem with sugar or have a special reason to track it, then please do. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.
  • sarahmichelle876
    sarahmichelle876 Posts: 94
    I don't track sugar. I track carbohydrates and don't worry about being just a bit over occasionally. More often I'm over on protein, which I don't worry about. I do worry about eating enough fiber -- and I don't think MFP says to eat enough so I'm trying for a higher number than they give -- mostly in fruit and vegetables.

    If you have a diagnosed problem with sugar or have a special reason to track it, then please do. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

    I agree. Unless you're downing a gallon of ice cream, don't worry about the sugar from an apple. And my protein is usually too low.

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