Help with staying low on sugar

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KittiesSong
KittiesSong Posts: 33
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Hey all, I am trying to eat really well but I'd like some clean simple meals that are low in sugar. I'm trying to avoid unnatural sugar or high levels of sugar because of a history of diabetes in my family as well as a personal history of pre-diabetes.

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  • wallacehk
    wallacehk Posts: 29
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    Hi,
    I'm not eating sugar at the moment. I make all my meals from scratch, and most savoury meals you make are sugar free. You can just scan recipe first to check. You just need to be more careful when buying ready made meals- as many of these have lots of sugar. Avoid stirfry sauces. In fact, avoid most sauces! But apart from that it's not too hard to find meals to cook for dinner.
  • nanner5811
    nanner5811 Posts: 7
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    ^ what she said ^

    Good advice. I'm also going low-sugar - I feel better, calmer/more even-tempered, can concentrate better, and more energetic by avoiding sugar. It's surprising where sugar is hiding in foods. Had a multi-grain bagel last week. 10 grams of sugar! I was not expecting that.

    Ditto on avoiding sauces & highly processed foods. I use the database here sometimes to check foods & ingredients if I'm not sure. The jury in my head is still up on whether fruit (fructose) "counts". I'm sure it does, but aren't most fruits healthy?! Or at least better than a cupcake....I would hope...

    Good luck :)
  • pajamamama5
    pajamamama5 Posts: 1
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    I have the same problem, I am not eating any processed foods. All of my sugars are coming from the fruits and vegetables I am consuming and always go over the recommended sugar limit
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
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    Hey all, I am trying to eat really well but I'd like some clean simple meals that are low in sugar. I'm trying to avoid unnatural sugar or high levels of sugar because of a history of diabetes in my family as well as a personal history of pre-diabetes.

    You may wish to join the sugar free September challenge: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/16239-sugar-free-september-challenge-group
    I have no doubt that it will be rolled over into October.
    kind regards,

    Ben
  • polluxy
    polluxy Posts: 31
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    Honest question here, I'm not trying to be snarky or pushy:

    Are you also trying to avoid or limit grains/starches/fruit sugars? They all get digested into glucose and cause a pretty significant insulin spike, which, given your family history, might be problematic. I mention this because my grandpa was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and his doctor put him on a grain-free, sugar-free, low-carb high-fat diet. He's lost a ton of weight and is no longer diabetic.

    I know not everyone is willing to take those measures, but it might be worth looking into if you're really concerned!
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Low carb / high fat diet. Exercise.

    Controlling carb intake is critical for diabetics.
  • BIRDIEBL8
    BIRDIEBL8 Posts: 155 Member
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    Low carb / high fat diet. Exercise.

    Controlling carb intake is critical for diabetics.
  • foolsforsarah
    foolsforsarah Posts: 34
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    PAAAALEEEEOOOO!!!!!
    yes!
  • Tala_
    Tala_ Posts: 8 Member
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    You should probably ask your doctor or a nutritionist what would be right for you. Diabetes runs in my family as well so I'm very careful of my sugar intake. Both my doctor and nutritionist agree that for me, I should avoid starchy carbs (bananas and potatoes, etc), but I should get approximately 45 carbs per meal (speaking breakfast, lunch and dinner) to keep my sugar regulated throughout the day. Good choices in fruit are apples, pears and plums.

    Check labels!! Sugar hides everywhere. And watch out for "light" or "low fat", that may increase the sugar content. A good guideline is try to stay 5g of sugar or under per serving.
  • BIRDIEBL8
    BIRDIEBL8 Posts: 155 Member
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    Also would like to mention that there is a mfp group Type 2 diabetes support group. Lots of great info for pre diabetics as well.
  • Melmade
    Melmade Posts: 349 Member
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    Check out SkinnyTaste.com for lots of categories. Also, I suggest reading Sugarbusters! to learn about the glycemic index. Just as a previous poster suggested, lots of simple carbs have the same effect as simple sugars on the body. You can get away with having higher sugars in some foods if the fiber (soluble/insoluble) is higher... It gets fairly complicated, but I found Sugarbusters! to be very helpful in sorting some of that out for me.

    Exercise helps your body to even out the highs/lows of sugar levels. My friend was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just over 50 years old. He was able to still have a few beers if he walked a mile or so daily--but not when he didn't walk. I'm not condoning/denying drinking, but just noting the effects of exercise on your body's ability to handle sugar loads with vs. without exercise.
  • helena_jj
    helena_jj Posts: 200 Member
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    Hi! if you make food yourself, just don't put any sugar in it. I drink tea and coffee without sugar too. It is just the matter of habit. I used to put sugar in tea and coffee, but when I was a student we decided to go sugar free for some time. I adhere to it for 1 week, then I decided to stop. But I realized, tea and coffee are more tasty without sugar, and I drink them since sugar-free. And you have motivation, so you need it, and it should be easier for you. At least try to do it for some time.

    If you are really afraid of diabetes and would like to do more now, then don't eat really sweet fruits, especially grape, melon and banana. They are very high in glycemic index and are not recommended for people who have diabetes (my mother has). Rice, potatoes and other high-glycemic index carbs are also not recommended.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Google for paleo and/or primal recipes. All sorts of good stuff out there.
  • KittiesSong
    KittiesSong Posts: 33
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    Yes actually, I avoid most grains and processed foods naturally because I have Celiac disease and I can't have wheat, rye, barley, or contaminated oats. I do try to have some slow burn carbs in my system since I am picking up running and my muscles need that energy store. I also limit myself in the fruit department only because most fruits are high in natural sugars but I do treat myself once in a while. I've actually been ok with staying below the sugar limit but I do sometimes go over by maybe 5 grams max? I have found the best thing for me is to allow myself to have a small treat maybe once a week as long as it is A) small and B) rare. I'm hoping for tasty ways to enjoy my food without bumping up the sugar too much.
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Low carb / high fat diet. Exercise.

    Controlling carb intake is critical for diabetics.

    This. The link to Type 2 diabetes and sugar is a bit of a myth. Controlling carbs is way more important that specifically limiting sugar intake. And if you're controlling your carbs well, sugar itself is not usually a problem unless you are getting most or all of your carbs directly from sugar. I would recommend checking out the Type 2 group here and American Diabetes Association website to get some more facts on diabetes and prediabetes. ADA and Diabetic Living also both have a ton of great recipes.
  • angelic843
    angelic843 Posts: 252 Member
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    Low sugar fruits include berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc) and Citris fruits (oranges, lemons, limes)

    I've been trying to stick to these fruits when it comes to natural sugars.
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