Question about sugars and/or fruit sugars...

ibiaboochie
ibiaboochie Posts: 20
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
So I am trying to watch sugars and sodium like a hawk because I know they greatly affect your success in weight loss. Sodium I'm finding is easy as long as you stay away from the processed foods( I was eating Subway until I figure out how high the sodium was) and cook everything yourself. Sugars are killing me though. I love fruit. Yogurt also. But it seems to take much or all of my sugar count for the day to even consider eating these things. Milk is killing me also. I LOVE milk and never knew how high in sugar it was per serving.

Help me out here please. Can I eat fruit? Should I just eat the lower sugar fruits like strawberries and watermelon etc or can I actually have pineapple? Is it ok to go over on sugar at all? Is it ok to go over if it's mostly from fruit sugars? I'm confused because I would think I need some fruits in my diet but find it hard to squeeze them in when they take such large chunks out of my sugar intake. TIA!

Replies

  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    Many people here, myself included, don't count the sugar from fruit. We only count "added sugars" to our daily count. It's better to eat the fruit and get all the great nutrients it has to offer than to avoid it just because of the sugar!
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    Limit your fruit to a few servings per day, same as dairy. As long as the sugars are coming from natural sources such as those and you don't go overboard on servings you are just fine. Im typically over each day as well but all from these type of natural sources as well.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Milk is great for you, drink up. I drink 32oz or more a day. As far as fruit and yogurt, switch to plain Greek yogurt and mix in some fruit and you have just eliminated one sugar source. Flavored yogurts are MUCH higher in sugar, as a are many “light” labeled products. In general though (unless you are at the tail end of your fat loss goals and are fine tuning your diet) a calorie is a calorie, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
  • idream2bgwen
    idream2bgwen Posts: 424 Member
    Here is my thought...
    Fruit is a different kind of sugar, it is not processed more natural. I try to stay away from processed sugar. But I am always over on my sugar numbers because I tend to eat at least one apple a day...if not two and other fruits. I do not buy fruit that is sitting in syrup just fruit from the fruit stand. I don't drink milk, I drink almond milk. As long as the fruit you are eating is natural and whole I don't think it is a problem. I am one pound shy of 40lb weight loss and this has worked for me!!! Good luck!!! :bigsmile:
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
    It's one of those tricky ones... sugars are still sugars whether they come from fruit or refined white stuff.... of course fruit sugars come with fruit, which just happens to be great for you so you have to weigh up whether you think the goodness from fruit is worth going over your allowance!

    I tried to cut out on my two pieces of fruit a day to stay within my sugar limits but I have to admit I found myself craving fruit and don't think it did anything for my weight loss. So now, i'm over on sugar by about 50g a day, but really just don't mind as it's two yummy portions of fruit that I really enjoy and are good for me!
  • ibiaboochie
    ibiaboochie Posts: 20
    Milk is great for you, drink up. I drink 32oz or more a day. As far as fruit and yogurt, switch to plain Greek yogurt and mix in some fruit and you have just eliminated one sugar source. Flavored yogurts are MUCH higher in sugar, as a are many “light” labeled products. In general though (unless you are at the tail end of your fat loss goals and are fine tuning your diet) a calorie is a calorie, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

    So 4 8oz glasses of fat free skim milk would crush my sugar for the whole day. Even with that I can still eat fruits and go over on sugar?
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Milk is great for you, drink up. I drink 32oz or more a day. As far as fruit and yogurt, switch to plain Greek yogurt and mix in some fruit and you have just eliminated one sugar source. Flavored yogurts are MUCH higher in sugar, as a are many “light” labeled products. In general though (unless you are at the tail end of your fat loss goals and are fine tuning your diet) a calorie is a calorie, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

    So 4 8oz glasses of fat free skim milk would crush my sugar for the whole day. Even with that I can still eat fruits and go over on sugar?

    Like I said, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I focus on two things calories first, protein second. My main goal is to reach or stay just below my calorie restrictions, then I focus on getting 1g or protein per lb of body weight. The rest, I don’t worry about and it works for me.

    Also keep in mind that skim milk has more sugar than 2% or whole milk. This is true with most "light" labeled products. They will reduce the fat but increase the sugar.
  • ibiaboochie
    ibiaboochie Posts: 20
    Milk is great for you, drink up. I drink 32oz or more a day. As far as fruit and yogurt, switch to plain Greek yogurt and mix in some fruit and you have just eliminated one sugar source. Flavored yogurts are MUCH higher in sugar, as a are many “light” labeled products. In general though (unless you are at the tail end of your fat loss goals and are fine tuning your diet) a calorie is a calorie, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

    So 4 8oz glasses of fat free skim milk would crush my sugar for the whole day. Even with that I can still eat fruits and go over on sugar?

    Like I said, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I focus on two things calories first, protein second. My main goal is to reach or stay just below my calorie restrictions, then I focus on getting 1g or protein per lb of body weight. The rest, I don’t worry about and it works for me.

    Also keep in mind that skim milk has more sugar than 2% or whole milk. This is true with most "light" labeled products. They will reduce the fat but increase the sugar.

    Ok so I just looked up milks and it seems that Skim, 1% and 2% only vary in sugar by 1g. As for protein per pound...holy guacamole I would be eating only protein at 328lbs! Wow...I have been regularly over my protein each day however. Just trying to be conscious of my sugar and sodium since they can impact how well the body loses weight.
  • Steph_135
    Steph_135 Posts: 3,280 Member
    Help me out here please. Can I eat fruit? Should I just eat the lower sugar fruits like strawberries and watermelon etc or can I actually have pineapple? Is it ok to go over on sugar at all? Is it ok to go over if it's mostly from fruit sugars? I'm confused because I would think I need some fruits in my diet but find it hard to squeeze them in when they take such large chunks out of my sugar intake. TIA!
    Fruits are fine! I agree with other people, and say just have a couple a day. I never watch my sugar, cause I eat more than one fruit and I'm over! Nevermind milk, and other natural foods with natural sugars in them! EAT UP, and don't sweat it. :bigsmile:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/220416-sugar-in-fruit?page=1#posts-2904483
  • Natalie0506
    Natalie0506 Posts: 163
    Sugra from fruit should NOT count in your daily sugar intake. It's the processed sugar that can get you into trouble. As far as yogurt goes, get the plain non fat greek yogurt and add in some honey. That will keep you in line!
  • tiny_worm
    tiny_worm Posts: 11

    Ok so I just looked up milks and it seems that Skim, 1% and 2% only vary in sugar by 1g. As for protein per pound...holy guacamole I would be eating only protein at 328lbs! Wow...I have been regularly over my protein each day however. Just trying to be conscious of my sugar and sodium since they can impact how well the body loses weight.

    I think he meant 1 g of protein per KILOGRAM of body weight, instead of POUND, which would lower the amount of protein you need on a daily basis to a more manageable portion. This is the rule I follow as well.
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