sugar intake - don't understand

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Marianna93637
Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I don't get it. I don't eat sweets, not now and not before because I just don't crave it.
My only sugar intake comes from fresh fruit (banana, strawberry, etc), and the creamer from my coffee (I don't use sugar).
Today I've eaten 1 banana, coffee with creamer, egg whites with a little butternut squash and onion, tuna salad, steamed red cabbage and water. I'm already over my allowed sugar intake and it's only 3:30 !!!!
This doesn't make sense. Granted most of it came from my creamer, but I can't do sugar free, it tastes nasty. But a large portion came from the banana - why is that a negative?
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Replies

  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
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    MFP doesn't differentiate between natural sugar and added sugar. But don't worry about it. Just keep eating like you usually do. :)
  • redfisher1974
    redfisher1974 Posts: 614 Member
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    If your still under your cals for the day worry not. You're good.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Lasmartchika wrote: »
    MFP doesn't differentiate between natural sugar and added sugar. But don't worry about it. Just keep eating like you usually do. :)

    This^^ MFP doesn't differentiate. If you like fruit, and you're healthy eat fruit. :smile: I'd worry more about the creamer (assuming it's a "creamer" and not cream). cheers
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    There are a lot of forum posts on this topic if you do a search. I actually took sugar off my standard macro display. I would make a fruit smoothie for breakfast and be immediately over my allotted limit. If you're diabetic or pre-diabetic, it may be something you want to watch, but given a lot of sugar is coming from fruit (a generally good source; squash probably has a decent amount too), I wouldn't sweat it. I focus on carbs, protein (being over is a great day), and low sodium for my macros. Good luck.
  • LazyCatPame
    LazyCatPame Posts: 112 Member
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    Like people above said, if you have no medical issues related to sugar, don't mind it, switch it to something you might be more interested on tracking (fiber? iron? calcium? vitamins?).
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited November 2014
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    It's not - sugar from fruits with fiber is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream (because of the fiber) which causes a slow rise in insulin to turn the sugar into energy for the body. The problem comes when you eat excess amounts of added/processed sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream causing a rapid spike in insulin. These large surges of insulin eventually cause you to be tired and hungry. Over time, they can cause fat deposits and diseases like Diabetes Type II and heart disease.

    I try to keep my added/processed sugars under 25 - 30 grams a day. I don't worry about sugar from fruit.

    Some links that explain it better than I can:

    Glycemic Index Table for Fruit & Vegetables

    Glycemic Index FAQs

    Why [added corn syrup] Fructose is Bad For You
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    Thank you! I will switch the creamer to the fat free to reduce some calorie and fat, although I think that will mean drinking more of it. (maybe I'll need some willpower). But sugar free, I can't do. And I must have my coffee, lol.

    I have a Nutribullet and I love the smoothies. I always use fruit, some vegetables, soymilk, coconut oil, some nuts, chia seeds, etc - I'm sure a lot of sugar will come from it lol.

    I am under my calorie intake, so I guess I won't worry so much.
    Thank you!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I have seen so many people freak out about going over their sugar "allowance" recently. Funny enough, these are not the diabetics among us. The sugar goal on MFP. like the sodium goal, is a suggestion, not a rule and you will not hinder your weight loss if you go over it. Even diabetics (at least T2) these days are not told to watch their sugar intake, just carbs in general.

    If you are at or under goal in calories and in carbs, don't worry about it.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Lasmartchika wrote: »
    MFP doesn't differentiate between natural sugar and added sugar. But don't worry about it. Just keep eating like you usually do. :)

    This^^ I'd worry more about the creamer (assuming it's a "creamer" and not cream). cheers

    This. Maybe it's time to rethink your creamer...

  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    forgot to mention: I'm hypoglycemic. Not diagnosed because it never came up on tests, but I know I am. I have all the symptoms, and I usually know how to eat, and what to eat. The symptoms are actually unpredictable at times, but it's never life threatening, just uncomfortable (shakes, sweating, all of it is very sudden).
    So i try to stay away from processed sweets (and hardly ever have actual sweets), but I know some sugar is in a lot of food.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Marianna93637 wrote: »
    Thank you! I will switch the creamer to the fat free to reduce some calorie and fat, although I think that will mean drinking more of it. (maybe I'll need some willpower). But sugar free, I can't do. And I must have my coffee, lol.

    Can you switch to regular cream or half and half? I used to use flavored creamer but now I prefer my coffee with the half and half.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    earlnabby wrote: »
    Can you switch to regular cream or half and half? I used to use flavored creamer but now I prefer my coffee with the half and half.

    But I LOVE the flavored creamer :(
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Marianna93637 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Can you switch to regular cream or half and half? I used to use flavored creamer but now I prefer my coffee with the half and half.

    But I LOVE the flavored creamer :(

    What's in it?
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited November 2014
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    __drmerc__ wrote: »
    socalkay wrote: »
    It's not - sugar from fruits with fiber is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream (because of the fiber) which causes a slow rise in insulin to turn the sugar into energy for the body. The problem comes when you eat excess amounts of added/processed sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream causing a rapid spike in insulin. These large surges of insulin eventually cause you to be tired and hungry. Over time, they can cause fat deposits and diseases like Diabetes Type II and heart disease.

    I try to keep my added/processed sugars under 25 - 30 grams a day. I don't worry about sugar from fruit.

    Glycemic Index Table for Fruit & Vegetables

    Glycemic Index FAQs

    In equal portions how can these different types of sugars cause different amounts of fat?
    If that's true then calories in calories out doesnt work


    Strictly speaking, calories in calories out works pretty well for weight loss but nutrition-wise, health-wise, it may be an over-simplification. The fat deposits I'm speaking of is in the liver itself -- the liver's response to deal with more sugar in the bloodstream than it can metabolize. Just because you don't have diabetes now doesn't mean you won't get it if you eat a lot of added sugars that eventually cause insulin resistance. That's what I get out of reading, anyway.

    Why added sugar is not so good for you.


  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    I buy the Nestle brand, usually French Vanilla, Hazelnut, but they have a lot of other great flavors, like Belgium Chocolate, Coconut, etc. Most of these don't come in fat free or sugar free.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    If I didn't use creamer, and just used milk, regular creamer or drink it black, I'd have to add a little sugar, so then we're back at too much sugar :(
    Up until now I was worried about my sodium, I thought I was way over the limit, because I like salty, savory and sour, but my sodium intake is under.
    Who knew?
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    socalkay wrote: »
    It's not - sugar from fruits with fiber is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream (because of the fiber) which causes a slow rise in insulin to turn the sugar into energy for the body. The problem comes when you eat excess amounts of added/processed sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream causing a rapid spike in insulin. These large surges of insulin eventually cause you to be tired and hungry. Over time, they can cause fat deposits and diseases like Diabetes Type II and heart disease.

    It is not the rapid spike in insulin that makes you tired and hungry, it is the rapid drop after the spike. Carbs with fiber raise your blood sugar slower, keeps it at that elevated rate longer, then drops slower. In the end, you do feel better with the slow rise and fall instead of the peaks and valleys, but it doesn't affect your overall blood sugar levels. This is why T2 diabetics are tested every 3 months with an A1C test which checks your average blood sugar level over a 3 month period. Gives a better picture.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    __drmerc__ wrote: »
    socalkay wrote: »
    It's not - sugar from fruits with fiber is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream (because of the fiber) which causes a slow rise in insulin to turn the sugar into energy for the body. The problem comes when you eat excess amounts of added/processed sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream causing a rapid spike in insulin. These large surges of insulin eventually cause you to be tired and hungry. Over time, they can cause fat deposits and diseases like Diabetes Type II and heart disease.

    I try to keep my added/processed sugars under 25 - 30 grams a day. I don't worry about sugar from fruit.

    Glycemic Index Table for Fruit & Vegetables

    Glycemic Index FAQs

    In equal portions how can these different types of sugars cause different amounts of fat?
    If that's true then calories in calories out doesnt work

    because …added sugar

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