Too many carbs coming from fruit?

TheNavet
TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been struggling for quite a while now with carbs and by observing my journal, I spotted that most of them come from my fruit and vegetable consumptions. I mean.... I definitely went overboard today (blame cantine cooks only serving edible vegetables and absolutely sticky, uneatable pasta. And no meat available today strangely :huh: )
What I usually eat in terms of fruits and vegetables is similar to this (not taking in grains as I don't eat tons as my body doesn't seem... to be comfortable with them :grumble: ) :

Breakfast:
~ 15 raspberries
~ 25-30g blueberries
- a kiwi
- orange juice yielded from 2 oranges, 1 big, one small

Lunch:
- Vegetables served, usually carrots, green beans, broccoli, turnips etc... or a shredded mix of all
~ 100g ananas, so a slice I believe
- SOMETIMES a clementine

Snack:
- one medium apple
~ 2-3 dried apricot halves

Dinner:
- salad such as spinach or arugula

Today (again interms of fruits and vegetables only) looked similar to this:

Breakfast:
~ 15 raspberries
~ 25-30g blueberries
- a kiwi
- orange juice yielded from 2 oranges, 1 big, one small

Lunch (that's actually all I ate...) :
~ 90g salsify
- 70g vegetable pie
~ 50g ananas
- one medium apple
- one clementine

Snack:
- one medium apple
- 2.5 dried apricot halves

Dinner:
- pumpkin soup
- one medium pear

TOTAL CARBS: 272 g

(YES, I did get vaguely carried away :tongue: )

I always am able to hit my 1700 calories a day (I'm not searching to lose anymore, only am trying to get my calorie intake higher) but carbs just seem to be an issue every single time (trying to stick to my macros 45%, 30%, 25%)

So my question is:
Are too many carbs coming from fruit and vegetable bad? And in general?
Should I reduce my intake in any way? (again, today's consumption was exceptional)

Replies

  • dixiech1ck
    dixiech1ck Posts: 769 Member
    Where's your protein? You aren't eating anything that balances that out to reduce your carb intake.
  • mallen404
    mallen404 Posts: 266 Member
    I would look at your sugar intake...

    and based off that it doesn't look like you are getting much protein either.
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    Ah, protein indeed. I usually am able to hit my goals there, by eating some kind of meat during lunch and balancing it out with ham during the evening. I also try to find dairy products having a higher percentage. I can't seem to be able to find protein powder around here (living in France, in a very VERY lost place)...

    Just took a look at my sugar. Oh boy, am I eating too much of it :embarassed:
  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
    I used to eat a ton of fruit and always felt hungry. I have since upped my protein and watched my sugar intake and have noticed I don't really get hungry like I used to.
  • ladyrider55
    ladyrider55 Posts: 316 Member
    Doesn't sound like good menu planning to me. You need to add in some protein...what about making a protein shake now and then? Or some veggie burgers, or turkey burgers or chicken? Fruits and Veggies are great but you really need something substantial otherwise hunger will be your best friend for life, jus sayin.... :smile:
  • sarakenna1
    sarakenna1 Posts: 261
    The carbs from fruit mainly come from its sugar content. These are simple rather than complex carbs, so they won't keep you feeling energized or satiated. Fruits are a great sorce of nutrients and fiber, so you should definatly have them in your diet, but based on the info provided I think your vege intake should increase and your fruit intake should decrease by about two servings per day. If all or most of your daily carbs are coming from fruit then your diet probably lacks complex carbs (from whole grains), and you may end up feeling sliggish and hungry as a result.
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    Okay, so my protein and sugar amounts seem to need to be rebalanced. Agh, that's going to be quite difficult. I will try my best though!

    Another question: can I keep my breakfast consumption the same? And maintain my apple as a snack?

    Dairy however isn't a real issue, I usually consume 2 to 3 portions a day~ Thank you in any case :flowerforyou:
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Mix some fage greek yougurt with that fruit lotsa protein and fats I enjoy the 2percent.
  • tigermom12
    tigermom12 Posts: 39
    I used to eat a ton of fruit until I started using MFP. I also was hungry all the time eating so much fruit but then you hear folks saying...."you don't get fat by eating fruit." Well, some of us do. My body cannot handle that much sugar. I have 1 maybe 2 servings of fruit per day and if I do I make sure they are on the lower glycemic end.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    Ah, protein indeed. I usually am able to hit my goals there, by eating some kind of meat during lunch and balancing it out with ham during the evening. I also try to find dairy products having a higher percentage. I can't seem to be able to find protein powder around here (living in France, in a very VERY lost place)...

    Just took a look at my sugar. Oh boy, am I eating too much of it :embarassed:


    You can get protein powders delivered to you via Amazon or Ebay! That's what I do. A lot easier to get it delivered to your doorstep than to search every store looking for it.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Are you vegan or trying to be a raw foodist or something? Do you have any food restrictions/allergies? If not, definitely throw in more dairy and eggs and leaner meats such as fish and chicken. Otherwise, eat more beans and nuts.

    There is nothing wrong with eating a lot of carbs from the sources you listed, but to have a balanced diet, you cannot eat only vegetables [edit: and fruit].
  • lgblack
    lgblack Posts: 73 Member
    Can you get gluten free products there? Many people find that usual bread or pasta items, even if whole wheat, leave them feeling bloated. However, the gluten free products do not. Perhaps give it a try to give you your grains.
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    Thanks for the general advice! I've been pondering my diet and macros and have just reset them in terms of goals. I'll be trying to hit 55/25/20 now, which LARGELY differs of what I was consuming (t'was something like... 65/??/?? maybe? And high blown sugar intakes, ugh).
    I'll search for the protein powder shipping issue and will take a look at gluten free options. The only problem remains that I have no control over my eating time at lunch; I guess I'll stick with my side of meat, chicken or fish if possible, a quarter or a bit more of a plate of grains and the rest will be a regular serving of vegetables and a slice of ananas (thank god, it's in season).
    I've also decided to change the yogurt I'm usually taking with my muesli in the morning (activia vanilla - high in sugar, low in protein) and give 'fromage blanc', so something similar to greek yogurt I guess, which is better balanced, a try.
    And I'll throw in a couple of nuts here and there (having some allergies so I'll have to be careful on that point) and maybe add some eggs in the evening instead of my lousy slice of ham.
    ... Well... Quite a bit of work alongside upping my calories then.
    Thanks to all of you :blushing: !
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    To be blunt, your diet is terrible and so unhealthy. You NEED fats. You NEED protein. Yeah, eating fruit is fine in moderation but carbs are a non essential nutrient. You will quite literally perish if you continue to eat this way.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Where's your protein? You aren't eating anything that balances that out to reduce your carb intake.

    For that matter, where's your fat? Fruit is great, and so is veg...but you really need a balanced approach to your diet for good health. You need proteins and fat.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    depends on what your exercise is. If you run every day, you need the carbs...i don't need the carbs so I only eat minimal fruit and tons of vegetables. My body hates carbs, so i up my protein and watch my fruit intake
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    I typically exercice for an hour and a half per day if that is of any use.
    I do get my protein and fats etc, don't worry! Not all but still... But nonetheless here is what I ate yesterday (the 375 calories at dinner stand for asparagus mushroom risotto):


    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
    Blueberries - Frozen, unsweetened, 35 g 18 4 0 0 0 3
    Raspberries - Raw, 20 raspberries 20 5 0 0 0 2
    Orange juice - Raw, 1.75 fruit yields 68 16 0 1 2 13
    Seitenbacher - Muesli 191 - Aktiv Mischung, 21 g 73 13 1 2 0 0
    Dannon Activia - Yogurt (Vanilla), 124.3 g 121 22 2 4 66 19
    Waitrose - Dried Banana Slices, 4 g 13 3 0 0 0 2
    Kiwistar - Medium Kiwi, 1 Kiwi Fruits 50 12 1 1 0 8
    Add Food Quick Tools 363 75 4 8 68 47

    Lunch
    Selection - Legumes Mixtes - A La Jardiniere, 1 1/2 tasse 75 18 0 3 60 3
    Steak Hache - Steak Hache , 75 g 155 0 11 14 0 0
    Quick Added Calories, 35 calories 35 0 0 0 0 0
    Barilla - Mini-Farfalle, 1 oz 100 21 1 4 0 0
    Pineapple - Raw, all varieties, 100 g 48 13 0 1 1 9
    Maille - Moutarde De Dijon, 1 c. à thé 10 0 1 0 115 0
    Quick Added Calories, 30 calories 30 0 0 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 453 52 13 22 176 12

    Dinner
    Quick Added Calories, 375 calories 375 0 0 0 0 0
    Caprice De Dieux - Caprice Des Dieux, 10 g 35 0 3 2 0 0
    Danone Taillefine - Yaourt Aux Fruits, Fraise, 1 pot 64 9 0 6 100 9
    Danone - Taillefine Mure Yogurt, 1.1 pot 67 0 0 6 0 9
    Vegetable - Radiches, 0.25 cup 5 1 0 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 546 10 3 14 100 18

    Snacks
    Cora - Tuiles - Chocolat Lait, 2 Tuiles 38 0 0 0 0 0
    Delish (Duane Reade) - Apricots, Dried; 6 Pieces 40g, 24 g 60 15 0 1 2 13
    Bread - Whole-wheat, toasted, 2 slice 139 26 2 5 296 11
    Primevère - Tartine Doux - Margarine, 5 g 25 0 3 0 8 0
    Smucker's - Red Raspberry Jam, 0.6 tbsp 30 8 0 0 0 7
    Fruit - Apple -, 1.2 apple (medium) 96 26 0 0 0 19
    Quick Added Calories, 18 calories 18 0 0 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 406 75 5 6 306 50

    Totals 1,768 212 25 50 650 127
    Your Daily Goal 1,800 248 40 113 2,500 35
    Remaining 32 36 15 63 1,850 -92
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar



    Was able to stick to my carbs seemingly.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    To be blunt, your diet is terrible and so unhealthy. You NEED fats. You NEED protein. Yeah, eating fruit is fine in moderation but carbs are a non essential nutrient. You will quite literally perish if you continue to eat this way.

    I don't think the OP gave us a full list of everything s/he eats on a regular basis, judging from the other post (right above yours). But yes, OP--you do need both protein and fat to maintain lean body mass and for essential brain function and other basic metabolic needs.

    ETA: I wouldn't call it "unhealthy", but it is not balanced in terms of macronutrients.
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    To be blunt, your diet is terrible and so unhealthy. You NEED fats. You NEED protein. Yeah, eating fruit is fine in moderation but carbs are a non essential nutrient. You will quite literally perish if you continue to eat this way.

    I don't think the OP gave us a full list of everything s/he eats on a regular basis, judging from the other post (right above yours). But yes, OP--you do need both protein and fat to maintain lean body mass and for essential brain function and other basic metabolic needs.

    ETA: I wouldn't call it "unhealthy", but it is not balanced in terms of macronutrients.

    Spot on :)!
    I've already made a couple of changes during the day, and was able to finish
    197 29 81 469 86
    Your Daily Goal 248 40 113 2,500 35
    Remaining 51 11 32 2,031 -51
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar

    STill over on the sugar, but albeit having more protein and fats :smile:
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    Where's your protein and fats........nothing left but carbs.

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