Sugar

the_prod1gy
the_prod1gy Posts: 3
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
Could anyone explain something to me?

My caloric intake of sugar should be around 30 grams according to my weight loss plan: however, everyday, i seem to go over and have noticed the number one culprit as to why i am doing so. Everyday, I eat two bananas and each of them contains 12 g of sugar which quickly puts me at 24 g for the day. I know and have heard that bananas are great for you, but my question that exists is this:
1) I know there can be good and bad carbohydrates...can the same be said for sugars? I know 12 grams of sugar from candy is worse than bananas, but how much worse? SHould i even concern myself with the 24 g of sugar i intake from the bananas?

Any help would be great!!

Thanks so much in advance!

Replies

  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
    Could anyone explain something to me?

    My caloric intake of sugar should be around 30 grams according to my weight loss plan: however, everyday, i seem to go over and have noticed the number one culprit as to why i am doing so. Everyday, I eat two bananas and each of them contains 12 g of sugar which quickly puts me at 24 g for the day. I know and have heard that bananas are great for you, but my question that exists is this:
    1) I know there can be good and bad carbohydrates...can the same be said for sugars? I know 12 grams of sugar from candy is worse than bananas, but how much worse? SHould i even concern myself with the 24 g of sugar i intake from the bananas?

    Any help would be great!!

    Thanks so much in advance!
    I know you will get some people on here who wil say sugar is bad, however I am of the group who consider that sugar from fruit (as long as not way over the top) is OK. If you are only getting sugar from fruit (or that is the major source) IMHO you should not worry. I altered my sugar number in MFP as I eat 3 to 4 items of fruit each day, but do not take in refined sugar.

    Fructose in fruit (that gives it the sweetness) has a low GI compared to sucrose (sugar) and also does not give the same insulin spike. So if you are healthy the fruit should not be an issue. It is better that eating cookies, cakes, candy, etc etc.
  • WhiteStar2351
    WhiteStar2351 Posts: 87
    There's different types of sugar - the sugar found in fruit is called Fructose, the sugar usually found in candy is Glucose. In simple terms - the body uses Glucose to power itself/the brain. The body uses Fructose for the Liver only. Once the Liver is at optimal capacity for Fructose it converts to body fat for storage and use at a later point. In this sense Glucose is actually better for you then Fructose as your body will more readily use it. However - the banana itself is more then just fructose, it contains a lot of fibres, vitamins and minerals (most notably a decent amount of Potassium) so the nutritional profile of the banana is far superior to that of candy which holds practically 0 nutritional value.

    I always advise people trying to lose weight to limit themselves to a single piece of fruit a day for this reason - at the end of the day it's still sugar!
  • beckielou8
    beckielou8 Posts: 10 Member
    You're right about their being good and bad sugars, bananas are very high in fruit sugar though full of other nutrients and vitamins so it's weighing it up really, 12 grams of processed sugar from candy is very different as it hits your blood stream differently and can effect how you feel i.e. more hungry later when you have a sugar crash.

    Going over your sugar will not effect your weight loss. It's been proven in recent srudies that the key to weight loss is keeping within your calories though of course keeping your diet low fat will have health benefits; lower cholesterol, triglycerides, reduces chance of certain cancers etc etc.

    If you really wanted to keep within your sugar level i would look at the glycemc index (GI) of your food. Bananas are in the medium category, things like apples, plums, berries, citrus friuts are in the lower category and would reduce your sugar but as i say it won't effect your weight loss. It's just personal preference.

    I hope my rambling has helped!!
  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
    There's different types of sugar - the sugar found in fruit is called Fructose, the sugar usually found in candy is Glucose. In simple terms - the body uses Glucose to power itself/the brain. The body uses Fructose for the Liver only. Once the Liver is at optimal capacity for Fructose it converts to body fat for storage and use at a later point. In this sense Glucose is actually better for you then Fructose as your body will more readily use it. However - the banana itself is more then just fructose, it contains a lot of fibres, vitamins and minerals (most notably a decent amount of Potassium) so the nutritional profile of the banana is far superior to that of candy which holds practically 0 nutritional value.

    I always advise people trying to lose weight to limit themselves to a single piece of fruit a day for this reason - at the end of the day it's still sugar!
    Fructose is one of the "sugars" in fruit. Fruit also contains glucose and sucrose (=fructose/glucose) in differing levels, which impacts their GI. Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver, firstly to replenish glycogen stores, and then into the metabolic pathway to produce fatty acids.

    Replenishment of glycogen, especially after exercise should be a good thing, as we constantly use glycogen, as it is the bodies way of managing glucose levels.

    Glucose can be used by all cells (especially the brain), for energy needs and if not needed for energy, then for storage. Glucose has a more direct impact on insulin than fructose, which is why it can cause an insulin spike.
  • janski2
    janski2 Posts: 70
    I eat fruit all day. I just exercise until it isn't in the number isn't in the red any more. Don't forget that there is 3 grams of fiber in each of those bananas, and I can't lose unless I get at least 20 grams of fiber a day.
  • HollyMac20
    HollyMac20 Posts: 259 Member
    I just started on a new meal plan this week, given to me from my trainer. I learned a lot this week about food, but the most important thing is the timing of when you eat what.

    So for say your bananas (which would be considered a complex carb), in the morning with breakfast is a great time to eat it. Or pre or post workout. Preworkout would be 1-1.5hr before and post is within 30 minutes.

    I have also cut my carbs before bed and what a difference I feel and see.
  • the_prod1gy
    the_prod1gy Posts: 3
    Wow! Thank you everyone for their helpful insight. Its a rarity to see people these days, actually take the time to answer questions and help others achieve their goals. I truly appreciate all of the kind words and helpful information! (i have a much better understanding of sugars)
    Thank you once more!
  • mariabee
    mariabee Posts: 212 Member
    Bump, for future reference. Thanks to all for their input!
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