sugar intake - don't understand

13

Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    a4phantom wrote: »
    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?

    You've run into one of the great limitations of MFP: It can't distinguish sugar the way you're supposed to eat it (wrapped in a whole fruit with lots of fiber) from high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice stripped of fiber, or other processed crap.

    In simple terms, the fiber in whole fruit prevents your body from processing the sugar instantly and spiking your insulin level. So it shouldn't count against your sugar total (neither should lactose in milk which is chemically speaking sugar but isn't metabolized in the same harmful way). Fruit is good as long as it's whole.

    My source is the book Dr Lustig's book Fat Chance: The Bitter Truth about Sugar. Here's his youtube lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

    LOL yes, because natural sugar is so much better than added sugar….oh wait, sugar, regardless of where it comes from, is the same at the molecular level …

    right, so fruit sugar is not processed but added sugar is..totally legit...
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 850 Member
    edited November 2014
    Thank you! I will switch the creamer to the fat free to reduce some calorie and fat, ...
    I am under my calorie intake, so I guess I won't worry so much.
    Thank you!

    Nah, enjoy the real cream if you can stay under your calories. It's the total calorie count that makes the most difference. Fat is also important for good health.

    For example, we fry eggs in real butter. It tastes better and does not stick to the pan like the lecithin from a spray can.

    (I think the best way to have espresso is with a bit of anisette liqueur.)

  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Get calcium off your tracked items list and replace it with something useful like calcium. Cuz bones and heartbeats.
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  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited November 2014
    I'm an Aussie and have no idea what creamer is, can someone explain please. We just have normal plain ol milk here lol

    "Creamer" is the term for anything that is used to whiten coffee or tea that is non dairy (to be distinguished from actual cream) and was originally sugar free and low fat (but the fat in it was transfats). The first were just powdered fake milk-like products, then they started to make them liquid, then flavor and sweeten them. Now you can get all kinds of flavors to mimic the different flavored coffees you can get in a coffeehouse like amaretto, pumpkin spice, French Vanilla, etc. My personal favorite was Italian Sweet Cream but I also liked the eggnog that comes out in the fall for the holidays. A few years ago, they started to come out with flavored, sweetened creamers that are actually made with dairy.

    I prefer half and half in my coffee and that is still the most common dairy coffee additive in the US (half cream and half milk). I substitute milk if it is not available and I prefer milk in my tea. Cream or half and half are too rich and overpower the tea flavors.





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  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    socalkay wrote: »
    __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.


    Good job

    Good job with what?

    I won't ruin it for you. I'll let u read about it.

    Troll on troll

    Awww, If you can't be correct, can't u at least say something funny? Like ur buddy?

    this from the person that is wrong 100% of the time ....
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited November 2014
    EWJLang wrote: »
    Honestly? Those "creamer" products are expensive liquid plastic. Gross. Try flavored coffee (or sprinkle spices over regular coffee grounds) and use a proper milk or nut-milk for dilution. There is nothing good about sweetened liquid plastic.
    This.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »

    this from the person that is wrong 100% of the time ....



    Awww, If you can't be correct, can't u at least say something funny? Like ur buddy?

    Copy and Paste. Science at its finest.

    Are you two done with your pissing match yet so we can get back to discussing the subject?

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited November 2014
    earlnabby wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »

    this from the person that is wrong 100% of the time ....



    Awww, If you can't be correct, can't u at least say something funny? Like ur buddy?

    Copy and Paste. Science at its finest.

    Are you two done with your pissing match yet so we can get back to discussing the subject?

    you TWO??? This was a 1 on 3!!!!! How dare you belittle a standoff of such epic proportions. When they talk about making this into a movie you'll be sorry you did this.

    Why are they remaking Heaven's Gate? :stuck_out_tongue:
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Marianna, my daughter gets similar symptoms as yours and when she switched to eating like a diabetic/hypoglycemic, her shakiness went away. Her blood tests came back normal though. So who knows? You might be borderline, sensitive to sugar. You are just now discovering that sugar is anywhere. Natural sugars in fruit absorb slower because they are wrapped up in a fiber sandwich.

    Here's a trick. Increase your protein intake and include a little protein with every snack, even if it is a few nuts. That will even out the sugar spikes and lower your sugar intake in proportion. Yes, skim milk has more sugar in proportion to whole milk, because the fat calories are removed. If you want milk with less sugar and less fat, try 0% greek yogurt, because it has more protein in proportion.

    My hypoglycemic buddy kept a huge jar of hiker's mix with nuts, raisins and smarties on his desk. If I ran short of an afternoon snack, I visited him.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Oh, another new habit my daughter started is doing a round of stairs right after lunch. That eliminated the sleepiness she used to get right after.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited November 2014
    earlnabby wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »

    this from the person that is wrong 100% of the time ....



    Awww, If you can't be correct, can't u at least say something funny? Like ur buddy?

    Copy and Paste. Science at its finest.

    Are you two done with your pissing match yet so we can get back to discussing the subject?

    you TWO??? This was a 1 on 3!!!!! How dare you belittle a standoff of such epic proportions. When they talk about making this into a movie you'll be sorry you did this.

    Why are they remaking Heaven's Gate? :stuck_out_tongue:

    Bc it's the aliens that know the real answers. Obviously.

    No, not those nuts, the movie.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    MFP is just crazy restrictive on sugars for some reason. I just ignore it.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Marianna, my daughter gets similar symptoms as yours and when she switched to eating like a diabetic/hypoglycemic, her shakiness went away. Her blood tests came back normal though. So who knows? You might be borderline, sensitive to sugar. You are just now discovering that sugar is anywhere. Natural sugars in fruit absorb slower because they are wrapped up in a fiber sandwich.

    Here's a trick. Increase your protein intake and include a little protein with every snack, even if it is a few nuts. That will even out the sugar spikes and lower your sugar intake in proportion. Yes, skim milk has more sugar in proportion to whole milk, because the fat calories are removed. If you want milk with less sugar and less fat, try 0% greek yogurt, because it has more protein in proportion.

    My hypoglycemic buddy kept a huge jar of hiker's mix with nuts, raisins and smarties on his desk. If I ran short of an afternoon snack, I visited him.

    Thank you!
    Well, today I bought half and half creamer and stevia :)
    Today was interesting. After lunch by that time i also had snacks. I'm not sure if you can see my diary, I think it's public), my sugar intake was in total of what should have been for the whole day. I'm still amazed how much sugar was in everything, it didn't seem like it. I started feeling slight shakes and slight clammy skin, not what I usually have, but a lighter version. I drank a cup of Clamato juice (I love it), and it had 10 grams of sugar in it (never knew). 10 minutes after that I was knocked out, took a 3 hour nap, just woke up.

    I have no idea what's going on.

    btw: I'm trying to increase my protein intake, I didn't know I ate so little protein.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    gothchiq wrote: »
    MFP is just crazy restrictive on sugars for some reason. I just ignore it.

    I'm starting to agree with that. I don't even eat things like sugary cereal, pop tarts, or actual sweets and I'm still way over the limit. What will happen tomorrow, on Thanksgiving day when I will have cranberry sauce with my turkey, and a slice of pumpkin pie along with all the vegetables, soup and a little mashed potato? Will my phone blow up because the app will be mad? :smiley:
  • 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.

    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

    Agreed, its processed sugar, the worst poison you can put in your body
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  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »

    So what do you attribute those symptoms to exactly? Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia?

    Honestly, I have no idea. :(
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  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Taajsgpm wrote: »

    Agreed, its processed sugar, the worst poison you can put in your body

    For the last time. Sugar is not poison. Processed sugar is no worse for you than sugar that occurs naturally in food, because it IS sugar that occurs naturally in food. it has just been removed from the beets or cane or corn that contains it. In some cases it can be worse. Agave nectar has more fructose by weight than HFCS but is touted as a healthy alternative.

  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Taajsgpm 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.

    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

    Agreed, its processed sugar, the worst poison you can put in your body

    Ah, MFP, where processed sugar is a worse poison than anthrax, cyanide, and hemlock.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    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?

    I know what you mean. I am now off of fruit for the same reason you found. When I get more time I will work on getting part of an apple added back in. Banana is the no no food I read for these watching sugar/carbs intake. It is not negative per say but one good reason to count calories. The carbs are the sneaky critters. :(

  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    I bought Stevia. And half and half creamer. Since then I drink much less coffee, which is probably a good thing anyways. Now my coffee is about 80-120 calories instead of 250-300. I'm not loving the taste, but it's a small sacrifice to shave off calories and sugar.

    Stevia also came in handy during the Thanksgiving cooking, so I'm glad you guys suggested that. I always knew about Stevia, used that, as well as Truvia but since I never thought about my sugar intake (and never realized how much sugar is in everything already) I never even thought about using it.

    I can't say no to fruits though :)
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Taajsgpm wrote: »

    Agreed, its processed sugar, the worst poison you can put in your body

    For the last time. Sugar is not poison. Processed sugar is no worse for you than sugar that occurs naturally in food, because it IS sugar that occurs naturally in food. it has just been removed from the beets or cane or corn that contains it. In some cases it can be worse. Agave nectar has more fructose by weight than HFCS but is touted as a healthy alternative.


    I strongly disagree!







    That was NOT the last time! :wink:

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Marianna, making small changes and observing the results is the way to go. You will be sure to get positive results from that.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    I bought Stevia. And half and half creamer. Since then I drink much less coffee, which is probably a good thing anyways. Now my coffee is about 80-120 calories instead of 250-300. I'm not loving the taste, but it's a small sacrifice to shave off calories and sugar.

    Stevia also came in handy during the Thanksgiving cooking, so I'm glad you guys suggested that. I always knew about Stevia, used that, as well as Truvia but since I never thought about my sugar intake (and never realized how much sugar is in everything already) I never even thought about using it.

    I can't say no to fruits though :)

    Coffee was one of my big calorie sources as well. I cut down from 450 to 150 or less and that really helped.
  • aylajane
    aylajane Posts: 979 Member
    edited November 2014
    Be careful with stevia if you really think you might be hypoglycemic. Stevia is highly recommended for diabetics because it not only doesnt spike their blood sugar, it can actually lower it in some people. If you are low to start with, stevia can really tank your blood sugar and cause you to have a hypoglycemic episode even if you never had one before.

    If you do use stevia, always put it in something that has other carbs to counteract the effect somewhat, and pay strict attention to how you feel within the first few hours after consuming it. Be especially careful using it in your coffee, if it has no other carbs. If you get lightheaded, dizzy, see stars, etc in the hour or two after, dont use it there again!

    **This is all in my experience, take it for what it is... just a caution, not science.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    aylajane wrote: »
    Be careful with stevia if you really think you might be hypoglycemic. Stevia is highly recommended for diabetics because it not only doesnt spike their blood sugar, it can actually lower it in some people. If you are low to start with, stevia can really tank your blood sugar and cause you to have a hypoglycemic episode even if you never had one before.

    If you do use stevia, always put it in something that has other carbs to counteract the effect somewhat, and pay strict attention to how you feel within the first few hours after consuming it. Be especially careful using it in your coffee, if it has no other carbs. If you get lightheaded, dizzy, see stars, etc in the hour or two after, dont use it there again!

    **This is all in my experience, take it for what it is... just a caution, not science.

    Thank you! I'll definitely keep an eye out. I'm a teacher, so we have off until Monday (we had 9 days total, yeay) so I my schedule is different: have not much to do. So far I haven't noticed anything negative.
    Usually I take one big huge cup of coffee to school (2 double espressos) with creamer and milk, which I'm sure was at least 350 calories. But I drank it up to lunchtime, and sometimes even after that. I always felt that it actually kept my blood sugar at a constant and never crashed. The negative was that I wasn't hungry, so I didn't have breakfast or a snack (it was hard to sneak food in during the school day, but found a way in the past 2 weeks) and lunch wasn't until 12:30.

    Now I will try this 'new coffee' at school as well, but I am taking snacks with me for just in case, and anyways I am trying to eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner from now on.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    OP unless you have some underlying medical condition that would make you sensitive to sugar then I would not be worried about it….

    sugar is not the devil….

    Lol - The greatest trick sugar ever pulled was convincing the world it doesn't exist. And like that… is't gone.

    I'm not sure anyone is claiming that sugar is the Devil - although in pretty much every post you seem to think its the title of the thread!


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