Sugar Sugar Sugar!!!!

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littlel1983
littlel1983 Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
HELP!

I have been doing My Fitness Pal for about a month now, and it is helping me dramatically.

However.... I never realised just how much ' hidden' sugar is in well, pratically everything!! I decided to have beans on toast the other day only to find in horror that half a tin contains 10g of sugar?! I am only allowed 24 in a day!

I am finding most days that I complete the log for the day with around 400 calories left, about half my RDA of fat, but over by about 5 on sugar! yet I am not having sweet foods, its things like fruit, certain veg, and salad cream, etc.

Can anyone recommend any low sugar meals which can help me avoid going over or give me any advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Lisa.

Replies

  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    MFPs sugar recommendations are based on recommendations for added sugar, not natural sugar. There is currently no recognized standard for natural sugar. However, MFP's diary does not distinguish between the two, so it is extremely easy to go over your limit by eating healthy. Unless you have a medical need to watch your sugar intake, you should probably just ignore it. Many of us have removed it from our diaries for exactly this reason. As long as you are getting the right number of calories and enough dietary fat and protein, the sugar shouldn't be a problem.
  • ngyoung
    ngyoung Posts: 311 Member
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    MFPs sugar recommendations are based on recommendations for added sugar, not natural sugar. There is currently no recognized standard for natural sugar. However, MFP's diary does not distinguish between the two, so it is extremely easy to go over your limit by eating healthy. Unless you have a medical need to watch your sugar intake, you should probably just ignore it. Many of us have removed it from our diaries for exactly this reason. As long as you are getting the right number of calories and enough dietary fat and protein, the sugar shouldn't be a problem.

    The example the OP is giving is from added sugar. Yes there is added sugar in a majority of processed foods, I think I've heard about 80% of the food in a typical grocery store.

    You don't need to freak out though about sugar from fruits as long as they are still consumed with the fiber that they were naturally bound with. Yes MFP cannot distinguish between added and natural sources, that is something that you will have to do yourself. I would pay closer attention to total net carbohydrates.

    http://youngforlife.com/blog/how-to-eat-fruit/
  • littlel1983
    littlel1983 Posts: 2
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    That is starting to make much more sense now! thanks you guys x
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Also eat more fat and hit your fat goals...and you don't nee to shoot under your calorie GOAL....your calorie GOAL already has the weight loss deficit built in for you, you don't need to make it bigger; doing so can be counter productive.
  • DeirdreGoals
    DeirdreGoals Posts: 30
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    This is a challenge for me as well. I think aiming for less sugar overall is really helpful. I do feel better when I have higher protein. Try Quest bars as a treat. It is a work in progress for me and I try to only go over if it from fruit.
  • Silvara_11
    Silvara_11 Posts: 133 Member
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    Totally know what you mean about hidden sugar! Can't get soy sauce without it being full of sugar these days!

    Not sure where you live but I find that a good number of Sainsbury's (UK grocery store) products have no added sugar even the processed stuff. I love M&S too but their roast chicken breast has brown sugar, I don't use sugar when I roast a chicken!?!!
  • pchesnut
    pchesnut Posts: 347 Member
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    I hated seeing my sugar in the red every day so I took it off my macros and started watching my fiber instead. If you just try and avoid processed foods as much as possible I don't think your sugar intake should bother you. I just try to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegies and I don't even think about the sugar content in them because the good fiber outweighs any sugar.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    That is starting to make much more sense now! thanks you guys x

    ANY TIME! KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    HELP!

    I have been doing My Fitness Pal for about a month now, and it is helping me dramatically.

    However.... I never realised just how much ' hidden' sugar is in well, pratically everything!! I decided to have beans on toast the other day only to find in horror that half a tin contains 10g of sugar?! I am only allowed 24 in a day!

    I am finding most days that I complete the log for the day with around 400 calories left, about half my RDA of fat, but over by about 5 on sugar! yet I am not having sweet foods, its things like fruit, certain veg, and salad cream, etc.

    Can anyone recommend any low sugar meals which can help me avoid going over or give me any advice?

    Many thanks in advance,

    Lisa.

    Shots of olive oil
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,269 Member
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    I don't even log sugar anymore. It is simply not worth it with the way MFP doesn't separate natural and added.

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