I keep going over my sugar!!!

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MissyK222
MissyK222 Posts: 204 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have decreased my sugar intake quite a bit. I do add sugar to my coffee and sometimes I will eat a protein bar that may contain sugar but that's about it (on occasion have a fudge bar). I eat fruit which I know has natural sugar. I guess what my question is, how do you separate good sugars vs bad sugars on here? for instance I ate an apple that has 13 g sugar, since its natural sugar should I disregard that or still count that when I go over? I also eat honey which is also natural but its still sugar... I just don't know if I should be worried or not. Don't know if going over even with natural sugar can cause me to backslide in my goals. Need advice! Thanks :smile:

Replies

  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
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    Unless you have some sort of health issue, like diabetes where you need to control your sugar intake, you don't need to worry about the number all that much.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    For what it's worth, MFP's default sugar goal is based on the recommendation for the amount of added sugars in a diet, but the site itself doesn't differentiate between added sugars and naturally occurring ones.

    Personally, I don't have a medical reason to track sugar so I've never worried about it. I mostly ignore it on the app and I swapped out fiber for sugar in my diary here on the website.
  • MissyK222
    MissyK222 Posts: 204 Member
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    Thanks for the advice!!! :smile:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I don't even track them... I'm probably over most days.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
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    I've read on a couple med advice sites that women should have no more than 30g of processed/added sugar a day. I do not count sugar in fruit. Because you get fiber eating fruit which slows the release of sugar in fruit into the bloodstream, it doesn't have the detrimental effects of processed sugar (that's my understanding anyway). So, while I often go over my sugar goal, I look through the numbers and break out the processed sugar. If that's around 30g, I've maintained my personal goal.

    I found this site helpful:
    http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
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    There is no bad sugar or good sugar. There is only sugar.
    No need to track it if there's no medical condition to. I'm always over and it doesn't faze me at all.
  • pjs2780
    pjs2780 Posts: 41 Member
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    I needed to read this! I am usually over, too -- but if I look at just processed/added sugars -- I am fine. Yay.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I don't track sugar - I switched it to fiber. Unless you have a medical issue I wouldn't worry about it - any fruit and you're going to be over.
  • charcharrenee
    charcharrenee Posts: 21
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    I never pay any attention to sugar. I eat a lot of it and even did during the months I was losing weight.

    I eat a banana and apple, I'm over my sugar goal.

    I eat a cowl of boo berry cereal with milk and I'm over.

    Like other people have said, unless you have to, pay no mind to sugar.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,112 Member
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    Good sugar , bad sugar is what ever you decide it is for you. Control it by either putting it in your mouth or not.
  • Runcakes
    Runcakes Posts: 92 Member
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    I always do, especially because I eat a lot of fruit. As long as you aren't eating a lot of products with added sugars I wouldn't worry.
  • eej2004
    eej2004 Posts: 4 Member
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    Sugar is sugar in your body. All produce an insulin response, regardless of whether it's natural or not. If you're looking to reduce your sugar, certainly stay away from most protein bars. If you're still having issues, replace some of that fruit with veggies instead.
  • susanyounkin
    susanyounkin Posts: 30 Member
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    I've stopped tracking the sugar because MFP doesn't differentiate between the sugar in my fruits and the added sugars. I track fiber now.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,112 Member
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    I've stopped tracking the sugar because MFP doesn't differentiate between the sugar in my fruits and the added sugars. I track fiber now.

    MFP still tracks all your micros, you just elected to not display sugar but you can still look at your daily #
  • MissyK222
    MissyK222 Posts: 204 Member
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    Thank you everyone for the helpful responses!! :)
  • LeslieTSUK
    LeslieTSUK Posts: 215 Member
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    I know a lot will disagree with me, and thats cool, but IMO all sugar is bad, added sugar and natural sugar still go into blood stream, still has to be burned up as fuel or turn into fat, the body doesnt go oooo hello natural sugar, your ok am only having a problem with added sugar...

    But as long as your exercising and doing enough to burn all that combined sugar up, and you don't have any health problems like diabetes/PCOS, then eat as much sugar as you can burn.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
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    Food for thought:
    The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.

    Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of the overall diet. In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommended that people in industrialised countries base their diets on low-GI foods in order to prevent the most common diseases of affluence, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

    http://www.glycemicindex.com/

    The website is updated and maintained by the University's GI Group which includes research scientists and dietitians working in the area of glycemic index, health and nutrition including research into diet and weight loss, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and PCOS.


    Low GI Fruits

    Many fruits have a low GI value, which makes them good choices for keeping your blood sugar levels under control and maintaining optimal health. For example, cherries, apples, pears, peaches, grapefruit, plums, grapes, kiwifruits, oranges, strawberries and prunes all have a GI below 55, which makes them good options for a low glycemic index diet.

    Medium GI Fruits

    Mangoes, bananas, raisins, papaya, figs and pineapple have a medium GI value, which ranges between 56 and 69. Although these fruits do not produce a sharp rise in your blood sugar levels like a high GI food would, their influence over your blood sugar levels is significantly higher compared to low GI fruits.

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