Sugar?

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ktdeangelis
ktdeangelis Posts: 19 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone,

I just had a quick question. I love eating fruit, and normally I have some with breakfast and lunch, and then also for a snack. Everyday I'm going over my sugarby close to 50 or 60 (today it was 70, yikes!). Do any of you have this same problem? Should I tone down the fruit eating?

Normally I have either a banana or apple for lunch, I have two tangarines for a morning snack, then a cup or grapes, or chopped strawberries for lunch, and then a pear or apple as part of my afternoon snack. I also eat greek yogurt, which I know contributes to going over, but I just wanted to see if anyone else kept running into this.

Thanks!!
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Replies

  • just_fur_luck
    just_fur_luck Posts: 141 Member
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    The easiest way I've found not to go over on sugar is not to track it. Since I started this method I've never once gone over.
  • laurelboynton
    laurelboynton Posts: 104 Member
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    I agree.

    I always seem to be going over my sugar too! Although I only have usually 1/2 pieces of a fruit a day. I seem to have a very low sugar macro allowance. I try not to worry to much. I guess I could change my fruit snacks to carrot sticks or celery I guess.

    I also eat cereal-special K and other fairly healthy ones and these take me well over my sugar.

    :(
  • ktdeangelis
    ktdeangelis Posts: 19 Member
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    Haha, perfect! I'll have to try this method :happy:
  • laurelboynton
    laurelboynton Posts: 104 Member
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    This is probably an ignorant question- but are everyone's sugar goals different?

    I am new to this macro checking...
  • just_fur_luck
    just_fur_luck Posts: 141 Member
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    Haha, perfect! I'll have to try this method :happy:

    But seriously, unless you have some issue where sugar itself is a problem for you, don't worry about it. It's just another carb. Hit your calorie goal and make sure you're getting enough fat and protein. Everything else SHOULD take care of itself.
  • ktdeangelis
    ktdeangelis Posts: 19 Member
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    I just looked, and my sugar goal is 33... which does seem kind of low, right?
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I don't even have sugar intake visible. I'd be over after a banana and a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    I don't even have sugar intake visible. I'd be over after a banana and a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.
    ^^ this. I'd be over eating SoDamnHungry's food too.
  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Sugar in fruit is the last thing I'd be worried about. As long as you're not eating something that has sugar printed on the label, you have other fish to fry.
  • megans360
    megans360 Posts: 1
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    Yeah I wouldn't worry about the sugar if you're going over because of the fruit. Especially if you exercise regularly, it kind of balances it all out. I have the same problem, but I just ignore the sugar all together. If you're really worried about it I would switch a fruit snack with a vegetable snack like baby carrots or grape tomatoes.
  • BuffedMan
    BuffedMan Posts: 6 Member
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    Eating fruit sounds like a good healthy choice, but we tend to be drawn to the sweet taste which means higher sugar values. From your list, you are choosing very high sugar fruits -- grapes are just little pockets of sugar water with a skin, tangerines, bananas and pear are also high in sugar. If you want to stick with fruits, go for the ones with lower sugar -- melons including cantaloupe and watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and nectarines. (Just do an internet search on "low sugar fruits".) You can also substitute half the snack fruits on your list with vegetables, which generally have far less sugar, thereby cutting your sugar intake in half. I was shocked when I first started keeping my diet log, and discovered I was taking in far more sugar than I ever imagined. I went through a bit of sugar withdrawal at first, but it really has helped me make better choices and now I am easily under the allotment each day.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    The sugar limit is stupid low. Like, Atkins low. Don't look at it at all.
  • ktdeangelis
    ktdeangelis Posts: 19 Member
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    Awesome, thanks for the feedback everyone!!
  • MadameOvaries
    MadameOvaries Posts: 3
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    I had this same problem. I am drinking a smoothie made from strawberries and bananas in the morning. That is almost all the sugar I have all day and I am practically over with that amount. I decided not to count the sugar from the fruit and only add up the sugar from anything else. I don't want to discourage myself from eating fruits. That seems dumb.
  • SaebraSpirit
    SaebraSpirit Posts: 150 Member
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    Don't worry about the sugar macros, I believe they are mainly directional to ADDED sugar or processed sugars, which no one should really be eating.
    The sugar in the fruit and vegetables are natural so don't worry about it, as long as your not consuming like 30 apples a day it's fine!
    It is because the sugar in fruits and vegetables have a low GM index meaning they will not raise your blood sugar levels in the same way as lets say an energy bar or a (dare I say it) cookie. Therefore your body will not have a sugar rush and there will be less or no insulin produced which means less to no fat is stored.
    I always think of carbs and sugars needing to be 'drip-fed' into the body so only a little at a time. If your still worried then you will be pleased to know that if you consume a lot of protein generally or with a carby/sugary meal (eg. rice/whole grain bread/oats) then you will be considerably less likely to gain weight. Protein causes the production of a hormone (forgive me I have forgotten the name!) that is the opposite of insulin so it burns fat not stores it.

    I usually have a portion of fruit once every day or two days.
  • Lind140
    Lind140 Posts: 140 Member
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    I wouldn't worry about it, I agree with the others that since your sugar is coming
    from fresh fruit, it's better than products with sugar. I had a meeting with a diet/ nutritionist
    and although she is very supportive of MFP she felt the levels were unrealistic.
    She said to look over your days log and see just where your fats etc come from,
    if your choices were good, don't worry about going over. Hope this helps!
  • econut2000
    econut2000 Posts: 395 Member
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    I'm over my sugar EVERY DAY and I'm diabetic BUT rarely does anything processed pass my lips - including bread. All my sugar comes from natural sources so I feel like it's ok. It's the added sugars your body doesn't like - those that are easily broken down. They are the ones that really affect your blood sugar. Oh I know some of you other diabetics out there are going to yell at me but think about this: when did heart disease and diabetes really start to become the epidemics they are? When people started eating processed crap. When did it get even worse? When people started eating processed no/low fat or no sugar crap. Think about it!
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    If my sugars run high it does affect my losses, so I try to stick to 30-40g. It was hard at first, but I've adjusted. If I'm having fruit it's usually berries, changed to coconut milk etc. Small changes have made a difference. If your losing fine don't worry about it! If your not then look at it!

    Zara
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Eating fruit sounds like a good healthy choice, but we tend to be drawn to the sweet taste which means higher sugar values. From your list, you are choosing very high sugar fruits -- grapes are just little pockets of sugar water with a skin, tangerines, bananas and pear are also high in sugar. If you want to stick with fruits, go for the ones with lower sugar -- melons including cantaloupe and watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and nectarines. (Just do an internet search on "low sugar fruits".) You can also substitute half the snack fruits on your list with vegetables, which generally have far less sugar, thereby cutting your sugar intake in half. I was shocked when I first started keeping my diet log, and discovered I was taking in far more sugar than I ever imagined. I went through a bit of sugar withdrawal at first, but it really has helped me make better choices and now I am easily under the allotment each day.

    Agree 100%
  • lee625
    lee625 Posts: 28 Member
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    I have the same problem.. At 1st I was really concerned becuase my family has history of diabetes and I didn't want to go that route myself so I watch my sugar inatke even before joing here.. I actually asked my DR about this and He advised - when ur sugar is coming from fruit/vegetables like majority seems to be for you and myself, it's ok. Natural sugar is not harming as processed is. I cut my fruit intake in half. Before I was eating 5-6 servings a day - now I do 2-3. Cutting out Fruit would be a mistake.

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