Sugar as a food group

PoesyP
PoesyP Posts: 37 Member
edited February 16 in Food and Nutrition
I've been reading various threads about sugar here and I get the impression people consider it to be a really bad idea to not eat sugar, and I'm trying to understand why that is.

I've seen people saying that you shouldn't eliminate a whole "food group" like that - but I would have thought that sugar is just a part of the carbohydrate group, so I'm finding the advice quite puzzling!

If, for instance, you simply don't have a sweet tooth and so you don't want to eat cakes, desserts or even fruit - would you actually be harming you body with that? I'm assuming you eat plenty of vegetables.

Can anyone just explain clearly what the problems would be with that type of eating - ideally without the arguing that seems to always happen in sugar threads!

Replies

  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    There is no harm - especially if you are eating lots of veggies and getting enough protein.

    It normally just boils down to personal choice.

    If you are eating high carbs in other areas it is advisable to keep your fats lower and vice versa.

    But in regards to health no problems.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    It isn't harmful to elimate carbohydrate. It is only harmful if you like something and try to remove it, that will lead to a binge in most cases and at the worst case scenario a bad relationship with food.
  • PoesyP
    PoesyP Posts: 37 Member
    Thanks both...

    "if you like something and try to remove it, that will lead to a binge in most cases" - sounds like a pretty good argument for just never trying to diet! :wink: :laugh:
  • Scribophile
    Scribophile Posts: 7 Member
    So true. I've tried to lose weight in the past. I've been vegetarian, vegan, paleo, no carb, low carb, etc. etc. For me, cutting out anything is not sustainable. When the initial stamina wears off it's a crash and binge. This time around I've done better than ever before going strong, and feeling great and NOTHING is off limits, not even my beloved Coca Cola (which I've reduced from a 2 liter a day to a mini can).

    If you don't like something, especially sugar, by all means don't add it. Consider yourself blessed by nature and find your carbs in places suited to your tastes.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    So true. I've tried to lose weight in the past. I've been vegetarian, vegan, paleo, no carb, low carb, etc. etc. For me, cutting out anything is not sustainable. When the initial stamina wears off it's a crash and binge. This time around I've done better than ever before going strong, and feeling great and NOTHING is off limits, not even my beloved Coca Cola (which I've reduced from a 2 liter a day to a mini can).

    If you don't like something, especially sugar, by all means don't add it. Consider yourself blessed by nature and find your carbs in places suited to your tastes.

    ^^^ This [Iimg]http://i.imgur.com/YKWHpNv.gif[/img]
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    So true. I've tried to lose weight in the past. I've been vegetarian, vegan, paleo, no carb, low carb, etc. etc. For me, cutting out anything is not sustainable. When the initial stamina wears off it's a crash and binge. This time around I've done better than ever before going strong, and feeling great and NOTHING is off limits, not even my beloved Coca Cola (which I've reduced from a 2 liter a day to a mini can).

    If you don't like something, especially sugar, by all means don't add it. Consider yourself blessed by nature and find your carbs in places suited to your tastes.

    ^^^ This [limg]http://i.imgur.com/YKWHpNv.gif[/img]

    It's all about sacrifice - You've just got to find a style of eating that has a sacrifice to either what you eat or when you stop eating that feels the least uncomfortable to make.

    It could be a bit of trial an error.

    Good luck
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Thanks both...

    "if you like something and try to remove it, that will lead to a binge in most cases" - sounds like a pretty good argument for just never trying to diet! :wink: :laugh:

    the point is you can go on a diet without restricting whole food groups…

    a lot of people feel the need to punish themselves and say i am going to eliminate all pasta, breads, ice creme, cookies, insert whatever food here …when in reality, if they just ate in a calorie deficit they could still eat the foods that they like and not feel like they are torturing themselves….
  • EllieB_5
    EllieB_5 Posts: 247 Member
    Go to YouTube and watch the documentaries "Globesity:The Fat Frontier" and "Way Beyond Weight". It'll give you a clearer understanding of sugar. The gist is, as little as 50 years ago we were eating breads, pastas, ice cream and sweets and ppl were healthy. The difference between then and now is that then it was a compliment to whole foods (stuff with no ingredients list) whereas now it is the main diet with whole foods as a compliment... or not at all. The bf still has his sugary coke in the morning as well as eats bread for lunch, but the rest of his diet is based around whole foods vs the processed food products we use to consume. Just that one change has seen weight loss in him. I have cut out sugar only because it makes me sick.

    On another note, when *most* ppl say "cut out all sugar" they mean the processed, refined *kitten* not carbs in general. "Sugar" is not a food group. "Sugar" is a refined product that humans add to crappy tasting foods to make it taste better. Yes, there are whole foods that naturally contain fructose or glucose or what have you, but again that is not a refined sugar and thus can not be lumped into the non-existent "sugar food group". If you're confused by the ppl saying to cut out everything in the sugar food group vs those that say to not cut out the sugar food group it's because the ppl you're listening to don't have a very good understanding of refined sugar vs natural sugars vs carbs vs foods being metabolized into glucose. I'd say start reading the scientific articles that are constantly being put out by various universities world-wide instead of listening to us mere mortals :p
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,150 Member
    Go to YouTube and watch the documentaries "Globesity:The Fat Frontier" and "Way Beyond Weight". It'll give you a clearer understanding of sugar. The gist is, as little as 50 years ago we were eating breads, pastas, ice cream and sweets and ppl were healthy. The difference between then and now is that then it was a compliment to whole foods (stuff with no ingredients list) whereas now it is the main diet with whole foods as a compliment... or not at all. The bf still has his sugary coke in the morning as well as eats bread for lunch, but the rest of his diet is based around whole foods vs the processed food products we use to consume. Just that one change has seen weight loss in him. I have cut out sugar only because it makes me sick.

    On another note, when *most* ppl say "cut out all sugar" they mean the processed, refined **** not carbs in general. "Sugar" is not a food group. "Sugar" is a refined product that humans add to crappy tasting foods to make it taste better. Yes, there are whole foods that naturally contain fructose or glucose or what have you, but again that is not a refined sugar and thus can not be lumped into the non-existent "sugar food group". If you're confused by the ppl saying to cut out everything in the sugar food group vs those that say to not cut out the sugar food group it's because the ppl you're listening to don't have a very good understanding of refined sugar vs natural sugars vs carbs vs foods being metabolized into glucose. I'd say start reading the scientific articles that are constantly being put out by various universities world-wide instead of listening to us mere mortals :p

    And with that post, I'm in.
    tumblr_mty7dwjmkA1sj3oxho1_400.gif
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Go to YouTube and watch the documentaries "Globesity:The Fat Frontier" and "Way Beyond Weight". It'll give you a clearer understanding of sugar.
    Obviously not
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    . It'll give you a clearer understanding of sugar.

    it's because the ppl you're listening to don't have a very good understanding of refined sugar vs natural sugars vs carbs vs foods being metabolized into glucose

    these two statements oppose each other.

    Refined sugar comes from sugar cane and other natural sources, and is only 16 calories per teaspoon. It's no more harmful to the body than honey, agave syrup, or the natural sugars found in fruit and other foods.

    The problem with sugar, carbs, fats, and any other foods comes when they are eaten in excess. Learn to eat them in moderation and you won't have any problems.
  • PoesyP
    PoesyP Posts: 37 Member
    Cool, so it's all just a question of psychology and what works for you.
This discussion has been closed.

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