Why is everyone so afraid of sugar?

From The Way To Cook, written by Julia Child and published in 1989.

"Because of media hype and woefully inadequate information, too many people nowadays are deathly afraid of their food, and what does fear of food do to the digestive system? ... I, for one, would much rather swoon over a few thin slices of prime beefsteak, or one small serving of chocolate mousse, or a sliver of foie gras than indulge to the full on such nonentities as fat-free gelatin puddings."

"The pleasures of the table — that lovely old-fashioned phrase — depict food as an art form, as a delightful part of civilized life. In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal."


and....

“Life itself is the proper binge.” ― Julia Child

I don't worry about the sugar in fruit. I don't like the added sugars. I started looking at sugar when I tried the Southbeach diet. I was amazed by the fact that everything seems to have added sugar or corn syrup. Try to find bread that doesn't have sugar in it. I pay $4-$5 per loaf for bread with no added sugar. Try to find salad dressing without sugar in it. Sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever and yet we are bombarded by sugar. I have stopped eating added sugar as much as possible. Now I don't crave it as bad and now fruits are so sweet to me. Once you start reading the labels and looking for added sugars, you will be amazed because you can't get away from it. If you aren't diabetic then you don't have to worry about fruits and complex carbohydrates so much. White table sugar and corn syrup are completely unnecessary, so why are companies putting it in everything? I got some fancy vanilla extract and when i looked at the ingredients, it had corn syrup added to it. WTH? Why? I just realized that bacon is generally cured with sugar. I love dried fruit and yet it usually has added sugar. I couldn't find any at Wal-mart without added sugar. Fruit doesn't need sugar added to it. Check out baby food, they add sugar to it. It is ridiculous.

"I don't worry about the sugar in fruit. I don't like the added sugars."

Right, cause they are so much different

Ah, this thread. What if we did this:

1. Share opinions, conclusions, etc. based on experience, reading and research (with refs if you are making broad claims so everyone can see where you are coming from)
2. Don't belittle people who have a different opinion or experience than you do
3. Dont make fun of people who base their conclusions on sources you find unreliable -- point them to other sources instead

Then we might actually be able to share ideas and learn from each other.

There have been many sensible posts in this thread but they are ignored in favor of squabbling/teasing.

On second thought, this radical idea could shut down the entire Internet...

I agree 100%.
Makes me tired of posting my personal opinion or my experience just to have someone tell you you aren't right about your own weight loss and your own body. It's kind of ignorant. Not everyone has the same experience, so I think if someone asks a question and gets 100 answers due to personal experiences then that leaves it open to decide what's best for them rather than all the bashing.

I concur as well...with both of the above posts, as they have both been my personal experience....though fear not, someone (and his minion) will come along & debate the validity of it. Shrug. :ohwell:

You know that calling someone "ignorant" or a "minion" could be justifiably considered bashing, right? This is a fitness and nutrition website and people are debating fitness and nutrition. If it is an area that you are curious about, then pay attention. If you have sometime to contribute, then by all means chime in, but to sit on the side lines and to complain about the very existence of a debate? Not so contributive.

I believe it is definately a misconception. It's not the sugar that made/makes us fat, it's the amount of which we take it in. If I ask someone for some kind of advice they say well if you cut this and that then you will lose. Umm nope, well maybe for a bit, but in my case before I started figuring this stuff out a little better I tried it all, and didn't get anywhere long term. I no longer cut anything from my diet, if it fits in my calories and my macros and I want it. I'll have it, and may have it the next day too. Maybe that's just me, but it's working and I'm still losing and a healthy rate.

I used to think this too...until for whatever reason, my insides went haywire :ohwell:

If everything is working correctly, then absolutely, the above statement is true.

However, a good deal of the time, folks don't know things have gone awry because it happens slowly, with T2D anyway. Couple that with the fact that due to fluctuations in blood sugar, one can be subclinical and on a speeding train headed towards horrendous complications looong before a diagnosis is reached...sometimes years....and by the time that happens, the criteria is so high, once one reaches that threshold, there's little one can do except back pedal as best as one can, provided the correct information is give (which is another problem altogether).:huh:

I think the misconception comes in where people think it's caused by eating too much, eating too much sugar or not taking care of oneself. Here's where the shame comes in....also, that it has a strong genetic component & it's what goes wrong inside you, coupled with whatever your diet or lifestyle is that can make it worse or complicate things.

Before I was diagnosed, I didn't realize starches equate to sugars & I recall telling the doctor that I only consume 26 g of sugar from fruits daily because I had been logging (and weighing my foods) with MFP for a couple of months prior.

He did all but roll his eyes. :huh:

I agree that if you have different health issues then of course sugar or anything that turns to sugar could cause issues. The doctors always told me since I was overweight with pcos that I was insulin resistant, until it was actually tested. Not much of a fluctuation at all and they were surprised. I just had my doctor tell me he was happy with my weight, (still clinicly 30 ish pounds overweight) because of how healthy I am. Idk everyone's body is just so different, even in studies that prove certain criteria. Ya know? I'm not a doctor, it's all opinion I guess.

I believe it is definately a misconception. It's not the sugar that made/makes us fat, it's the amount of which we take it in. If I ask someone for some kind of advice they say well if you cut this and that then you will lose. Umm nope, well maybe for a bit, but in my case before I started figuring this stuff out a little better I tried it all, and didn't get anywhere long term. I no longer cut anything from my diet, if it fits in my calories and my macros and I want it. I'll have it, and may have it the next day too. Maybe that's just me, but it's working and I'm still losing and a healthy rate.

Try that with finetti every day and you will never loose weight again. The human body does not burn fat between 48-72 hours after eating something in high sugars.

Links? Sources? Proof?

Who needs proof when you have wild claims based on bull****?

Honestly, I always hope they have some kind of blog/article/livestrong.com write up to back them up so I can read it and laugh. Does that make me a bad person?

Some people like comedy movies, people like you factless articles.
Not bad.

I like the way you put this. I always think of it as laughing at other people's gullibility and guilt follows. But you make it sound more like it's just my way of amusing myself, which isn't something to feel guilty about.


And, that said, still waiting for sources on how having high sugar days will stop me from losing weight for 3 days. Cause I may havea graph based on my diary data that shows my stupidly high sugar levels seem to have a slight positive correlation with my weight loss. Don't leave me hanging Flo.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/balance-your-blood-sugar-lose-weight

bahahahahahhahaha..dr oz as a source...oh damn I am tearing up over here I am laughing so hard....oh damn..breath....

Biology is not physics.

I don't understand what's supposed to be so bad, I know in extreme it can cause diabetes etc but in normal amounts of food whats so bad? I've never limited my sugar and I'm fine...

I don't understand what's supposed to be so bad, I know in extreme it can cause diabetes etc but in normal amounts of food whats so bad? I've never limited my sugar and I'm fine...

At only 16 and under 120, you shouldn't have to worry about sugar. But when you hit 50, or end up 100 pounds overweight one day, with high blood sugar, or insulin resistant, then you might understand why some of us have to be careful with it.

Enjoy the sugar freedom of your youth while you can!:drinker:

Why is 50 some magical number.

If you're trying to get or keep nice abs then sugar is something that you really have to watch. Most people have nice abs as their goal, so that may be why people talk so much about watching sugar intake. Actually, both sugar and sodium are ab killers, so they'll really watch those two things hard to keep nice abs.

just wow is all I got for this one..

Yeah...it's times like these when I wish I had a collection of gifs...