Sugar!

staceytrlbrell
staceytrlbrell Posts: 21
in Food and Nutrition
I've gone over my sugar intake for the day... But its all been natural sugars from eating fruit i'm just wondering if this is just as bad as eating processed/refined sugars?

Replies

  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
    The fructose in most fruit is much less than in refined forms in candy, candy etc. Sugar in general isn't very good for the body but most people can tolerate small amounts found naturally in fruit. If your diet consistently has too much sugar/fructose/sucrose/etc, it may lead to fat gain and other health issues.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Sugar isn't going to hurt you, and technically different kinds of sugar are all turned into the same kind of sugar in the body anyway. If you maintain a caloric deficit, then it doesn't matter if you eat nothing but sugar, you'll still lose weight. It's scary how much misinformation there is out there about sugar. Fat used to be the villain, then it was carbs, now it's sugar. They're all equally wrong. If you want proof, besides the numerous studies out there, you can also google "twinkie diet." A professor lost 20+ pounds by eating nothing but junk food, but maintaining a deficit.

    7473478dd27d53e7615e72cd505341c0.jpg
  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
    No, not all kinds of sugar are processed the same in the body. Fructose goes directly to the liver to be metabolized. And no, the villain order wasn't fat, carbs and now sugar. Sugars are carbs and was always grouped together with regular refined carbs. The villain was fat then carbs. There's substantial evidence to show that carbs can lead to fat gain due to it elevating our insulin levels. Sugars are especially "villianized" because it is so abundant in processed foods and is cheaply available in many processed forms.
  • briansyuki
    briansyuki Posts: 11 Member
    Natural sugar can be bad is not taken in moderation, Sugar from fruits contains fructose which is not good for you. Most products with added sugar contain fructose as well, the problem is with the sugar not the source. In fact a glass of fruit juice and a glass of sweetened beverage like soda, contain almost the same amount of sugar.
    My suggestion would be; eat fruits that have high sugar levels in moderation.

    (Source- http://www.loseweightlegit.com/harmfuleffectsofaddedsugar/)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    As long as you are within your overall calorie goal then don't panic, you will still lose weight.

    Log it and enjoy it.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I've gone over my sugar intake for the day... But its all been natural sugars from eating fruit i'm just wondering if this is just as bad as eating processed/refined sugars?
    Sugar is sugar unless you stick your head in a bowl and suffocate it wont kill you as long as you are within your calories you'll still lose weight. I eat loads of fruit so am normally over MFPs silly low number and I still lose some weight
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    No, not all kinds of sugar are processed the same in the body. Fructose goes directly to the liver to be metabolized. And no, the villain order wasn't fat, carbs and now sugar. Sugars are carbs and was always grouped together with regular refined carbs. The villain was fat then carbs. There's substantial evidence to show that carbs can lead to fat gain due to it elevating our insulin levels. Sugars are especially "villianized" because it is so abundant in processed foods and is cheaply available in many processed forms.

    Sugar has certainly been demonized in isolated form (as opposed to carbs in general).

    I am also not sure you have the correct grasp of a) how fructose is metabolized and b) of how insulin effects our weight.

    Let me guess - a big Lustig fan? His claims about fructose are largely based on animal studies. The problem with that is that de novo lipogenesis(aka turning carbs to fat) in mice/rats is 10x higher than humans.
  • CharlyG42
    CharlyG42 Posts: 2 Member
    Eating fruit will spike your blood sugar quickly, fruit is a fast acting carbohydrate. Which means it essentially acts like a fizzy drink when you consume it. Try to eat something with fat and protein in it at the same time as fruit, this will lower the GI of the meal and bring the blood sugar spike down. This should also help you to feel fuller for longer and not require to have these cravings for sugar, which is what is sounds like you're having. I would suggest though that you only have 2-3 servings of fruit per day and have 5-9 servings of vegetables per day.
  • courtneyy232
    courtneyy232 Posts: 867 Member
    I've gone over my sugar intake for the day... But its all been natural sugars from eating fruit i'm just wondering if this is just as bad as eating processed/refined sugars?

    Thank you for posting this I'm having the same problem. I love having fruits for breakfast and as snacks, it's always putting me over my limit for the day! Thanks to everyone for your comments as well, so very helpful! :happy:
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    If you were just drinking fructose then that probably wouldn't be the healthiest sugar to consume, I guess, but fruit generally comes combined with masses of fiber which slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream (according to my doc), and has lots of other great stuff, like vitamins and a bit of protein, and it generally looks good on a plate IMO.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    As long as you are within your overall calorie goal then don't panic, you will still lose weight.

    Log it and enjoy it.

    ^this

    In terms of health, just make sure you're getting proper nutrients, unless you have a Medical condition, ignore sugar. I track fiber in its place.

    http://www.fitnessbaddies.com/your-problem-with-sugar-is-the-problem-with-sugar/ 
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    Unless you have diabetes or some medical condition. You shouldnt worry too much about sugar. Just calories in and calories out for now
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Eating fruit will spike your blood sugar quickly, fruit is a fast acting carbohydrate. Which means it essentially acts like a fizzy drink when you consume it.

    Fruit varies, but the GI and GL of fruit isn't that high, for the most part. Part of this is that there's lots of fiber in fruit. So this may be your personal experience, but it's not how everyone experiences fruit. IME, eating fruit usually fills me up. Lots of people probably like it as a snack for that reason.

    Also, I kind of think the GI/GL thing is overstated unless someone is diabetic, insulin resistant or the like. However, if someone finds that fruit makes them hungry soon after, that's something to pay attention to, just as one's reaction to any food is. Of course it's possible to overeat fruit as a portion of your diet, just like it's possible to overeat anything, but the OP said nothing to make me think that's going on.
    This should also help you to feel fuller for longer and not require to have these cravings for sugar, which is what is sounds like you're having.

    She said nothing about cravings, for sugar or otherwise. Most people eat fruit because it tastes good and they consider it healthy, not because they are craving sugar, I suspect.

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