"Natural" vs total SUGAR gram count

Options
ruthcooper
ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Food log says goal is less than 24 grams of sugar, but I seem to go over eating only the natural sugars in fruit, vegetables and skim milk. Is this recommendation for added sugar or all sugars? Can't find any nutrition site that says how many 'natural' sugars are OK. (I am generally not going over my 1200 calorie allocation).
«1

Replies

  • jdubs1201
    jdubs1201 Posts: 61
    Options
    That's a good question... I removed sugar from my display cause I was already over my max after breakfast. But it was from fruits mostly.
  • sandili
    sandili Posts: 15
    Options
    Yeah I do not think it delineates at all. I should take the sugar off of mine too. I also max out during breakfast with a banana and a teaspoon and a half of sugar in my coffee every morning.
  • serena22289
    serena22289 Posts: 36 Member
    Options
    I always seem to go over as well. Here's a website I found, it says basically that you don't need to worry about fresh fruit and veggies since it's natural sugar and it lists some food that are packed with added sugars. It also has a sample menu for a day.

    http://health.yahoo.net/experts/joybauernutrition/sugar-how-much-should-we-eat/
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    Options
    RDA guidelines are for 50g ADDED sugar, but there is no guideline for natural sguars from fruit, veggies, milk, etc. I don't know of a single calorie counter that differentiates between the 2.

    As far as adjusting sugar for calorie intake, I'm fairly certain it is virtually impossible to eat a healthy, well balanced diet and stay below 30g of sugar, much less 25g. A serving of low-fat/skim dairy, a single piece of fruit and a couple of servings of veggies are enough to reach that #. So, I don't worry about that too much.

    I do however, try to kee my total sugar intake to between 50-60g regardless of the source. I don't eat a lot of processed foods, and I try to minimize the presence of sugar when I am cooking, but it is still very easy to overdo it.

    And just as an FYI, even though they are "natural" sugars, honey and agave are considered to be "added" sugars too because they don't occur naturally in a food - you have to ADD them.
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    Thanks to everyone so far. I checked 'progress/nutrition' and for the last 90 days I have mostly been under 40g total sugar, never over 60 g. I don't add sugar, honey or agave...but sometimes have one dark chocolate (mini Dove). Perhaps checking total carbs (which should include natural sugars) would be better. If someone from Fitness Pal monitors this board, maybe you can comment.
  • STR0NGisSEXY
    STR0NGisSEXY Posts: 128 Member
    Options
    I only have dinner left, and still have 13 of my 24 sugars available...
    but i limit skim milk and fruits. i worry more about vegetables, and don't eat a ton of fruit.. and i try to only have 8oz of milk a day, because a glass is actually about 16oz...

    it's up to you, you can opt to have more. but it is totally possible to not go over that and still have a balanced diet. i know that if i eat too much sugar, even from fruit or dairy i gain weight or don't lose it as easily as i would had i watched my sugar intake.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,969 Member
    Options
    Thanks to everyone so far. I checked 'progress/nutrition' and for the last 90 days I have mostly been under 40g total sugar, never over 60 g. I don't add sugar, honey or agave...but sometimes have one dark chocolate (mini Dove). Perhaps checking total carbs (which should include natural sugars) would be better. If someone from Fitness Pal monitors this board, maybe you can comment.

    Your food diary does track carbs. I'm not sure I understand what you want the comment to be regarding.


    Agree that you want to look at added sugars, not natural sugars. You can't subtract out the different types, and it would be impossible to have a calorie database that did so. Relax, you are doing great, just watch your added sugars by looking at your sugar category like you've been doing.
    Check out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/79671-sugar-is-not-your-friend-part-2
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    Thank you cmriverside, I checked out your 'sugar is not your friend' thread but my question, and comment requested from Fitness Pal, remains. The sugar goal of 24 seems too low if it is total sugar. Even a moderate amount of no-added sugar dairy products, fresh vegetables and a small amount of fresh fruit would put most people over that limit. I would like the monitors to review to see if 24 grams of total sugars per day is correct. In the meantime, I will check sugar from time to time, but change the profile to check carbs (because I believe the sugar goal is incorrect). Perhaps this clarifies my issue.
  • dladrian
    dladrian Posts: 1
    Options
    RuthCooper, I have the same question about added sugar vs natural sugar. I have not been able to have that answered. I talked to my Doctor and he says don't count the natural sugar but I also find if I don't then I don't lose weight as fast. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated by me as well.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Options
    I only have dinner left, and still have 13 of my 24 sugars available...
    but i limit skim milk and fruits. i worry more about vegetables, and don't eat a ton of fruit.. and i try to only have 8oz of milk a day, because a glass is actually about 16oz...

    it's up to you, you can opt to have more. but it is totally possible to not go over that and still have a balanced diet. i know that if i eat too much sugar, even from fruit or dairy i gain weight or don't lose it as easily as i would had i watched my sugar intake.

    Co-sign this statement 10000%
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Options
    RuthCooper, I have the same question about added sugar vs natural sugar. I have not been able to have that answered. I talked to my Doctor and he says don't count the natural sugar but I also find if I don't then I don't lose weight as fast. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated by me as well.

    I don't understand why a doctor would say this.

    Sugar is sugar when it comes down to it.

    Now, I don't agree with the whole corn sugar commercials promoting HFCS.................however, they have a point when they say sugar is sugar no matter where it comes from.
  • fantm
    fantm Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    Keep fruit intake under control and watch the Glycemic Index - sugar is still sugar, but with fruit you do get some added nutrients. If you can cut out as much sugar as possible, it's better for you.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,550 Member
    Options
    From a diabetic standpoint, sugar is sugar, EXCEPT...when combined with fiber (such as in fruit), the affect on one's insulin levels is reduced/slowed. Insulin levels are part of one's whole endocrine system and involved in the ability to lose weight.

    http://www.tidesoflife.com/endocrineoverview.htm

    I try to avoid foods with any sort of added sugars, limiting my sugar intake to whole foods as much as I can. I do have a treat now and then, but they're rare.
    Foods that contain most of the added sugars in American diets are:
    •regular soft drinks
    •candy
    •cakes
    •cookies
    •pies
    •fruit drinks, such as fruitades and fruit punch
    •milk-based desserts and products, such as ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk
    •grain products such as sweet rolls and cinnamon toast
    Reading the ingredient label on processed foods can help to identify added sugars. Names for added sugars on food labels include:
    •brown sugar
    •corn sweetener
    •corn syrup
    •dextrose
    •fructose
    •fruit juice concentrates
    •glucose
    •high-fructose corn syrup
    •honey
    •invert sugar
    •lactose
    •maltose
    •malt syrup
    •molasses
    •raw sugar
    •sucrose
    •sugar
    •syrup

    From: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories_sugars.html
  • alist11
    alist11 Posts: 1
    Options
    I suppose it WOULD be possible to subtract them out of your calorie counter if you made your own custom nutritional entries for foods with natural sugars like fruits and milk and just put 0 for sugar. I've considered it for myself but I'm lazy and I'm more concerned with fat intake because of a neurological illness anyway.
  • mrs_gettingfit
    mrs_gettingfit Posts: 3
    Options
    Great info - thank you :)
  • origwvgirl
    origwvgirl Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    I was just talking to my dietician about this last night. She also said not to worry too much about going over since most of my sugars were from fruit. I wish there was a way to total it differently so we could track the "added" sugar (other than creating custom entries).
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    I would not concern yourself too much with sugar...

    overeating makes you gain weight, not sugar consumption..

    as long as you are in calorie deficit you can eat sugar..

    unless of course you have some underlying medical condition..
  • sj___
    sj___ Posts: 6
    Options
    I struggle with this too! The only thing I generally eat that contains any added sugar is yoghurt in the morning yet I'm I've every single day from eating fruit, milk, honey etc. it'd be awesome to know of there's a certain amount of grams of natural sugar you should draw the line at. I know even though it's natural it still is good in moderation but it's hard to know how much should be eaten because I'm sure you can eat more natural sugars than processed!
  • npullen
    npullen Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I don't know if this will be helpful but here is my situation. I had my thyroid removed in 2000 due to cancer which has made me hypothyroid and nearly impossible to lose weight. I recently read The Sugar Smart Diet and began limiting myself to a total of 24g of sugar each day. I can tell you it is possible to do it and it has been the only thing that has been working for me. I've noticed when I drink a glass of milk or a bowl of cereal, I do not lose weight since it has 13g (just the milk) bcuz I've used up the majority of my grams with just that. My suggestion is you can have these natural sugar items but lower the portion size so you can stay within your 24g (for women) or 36g (for men). This has been successful for me and I've started my family doing it too.

    Hope this helps in some way!
  • CopperB73
    CopperB73 Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    Thanks for this. I was also confused about seeing my "total sugar" high when I was avoiding foods that have added sugar. It's not a terribly useful statistic +if it is used without interpretation+: my sugar "goal of 49 can be reached by eating 3 medium apples, or 2 Mars Snickers bars, but I don't think those choices are otherwise the same.

    Actually it tends to be skimmed milk pushing me over the top - I tend to drink it as a non-freaky post-exercise drink.

Categories