Cutting sugar in diet

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  • shelleygold
    shelleygold Posts: 178 Member
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    I was informed today by my General Practitioner who has a speciality in health medicine that I have an intolerance to Carbohydrates due to the "roller-coaster" ride my body has been on as a result of excessively high blood sugar levels over time. Although rather simplistic, the explanation I was offered was that my cells have become resistant to insulin due to the constantly high levels of sugar in my blood-stream. High sugar levelled stimulate the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. Since the primary function of insulin is to facilitate the production and storage of fat from sugar...guess what happens if I eat too many carbs and even worse, when I eat even small quantities of sugar (remember that almost all foods eventually breakdown into sugar) . It seems to me that the issue isn't added vs "natural" sugars as much as the quantity of sugar baring in mind our pre-existing insulin levels as shaped by our physiology and body chemistry and how our cells have been impacted by blood sugar fluctuations over time. I wonder how many of us "obese" individuals realise that we are on the fasttrack road to diabetis 2 if we are not careful of sugar (and excessive carbohydrate intake)? It's food for though both literally and figuratively.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I swapped it out and track fibre instead

    far more useful
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I was wondering about this too. Don't Atkins treats have sugar? I thought they were sweetened with fruit sugar.

    artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
  • RegentPrimrose
    RegentPrimrose Posts: 8
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    Avoid granola and low-fat yogurt. These products usually have heaps of added sugar. Natural sugar and refined added sugar are two completely different things. I don't worry about natural sugar in fruit.
    You need to cut out products with added sugar - which encompasses most processed foods. Stick to natural, raw, unprocessed foods - like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats etc.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    RegentPrimrose wrote: »
    Avoid granola and low-fat yogurt. These products usually have heaps of added sugar. Natural sugar and refined added sugar are two completely different things. I don't worry about natural sugar in fruit.
    You need to cut out products with added sugar - which encompasses most processed foods. Stick to natural, raw, unprocessed foods - like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats etc.

    LOL no …

    yogurt is bad now, really???

    an apple has as much sugar as a serving of yogurt….oh wait the apple sugar is better, because natural, right?
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
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    I would like to reduce my added sugars eventually but right now, not going to happen. It is winter and I like my coffee with cream and sugar.
  • RegentPrimrose
    RegentPrimrose Posts: 8
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    RegentPrimrose wrote: »
    Avoid granola and low-fat yogurt. These products usually have heaps of added sugar. Natural sugar and refined added sugar are two completely different things. I don't worry about natural sugar in fruit.
    You need to cut out products with added sugar - which encompasses most processed foods. Stick to natural, raw, unprocessed foods - like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats etc.

    LOL no …

    yogurt is bad now, really???

    an apple has as much sugar as a serving of yogurt….oh wait the apple sugar is better, because natural, right?

    It depends on what type of yogurt. Typically these so-called low fat yogurts contain added sugar to add flavour to compensate for the fat taken out. I never said yogurt is bad for you. It can be good for you - as long as it is natural and not flavoured or otherwise tampered with unnecessarily. Good luck.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Interestingly Stonyfield Farms Low fat French Vanilla Yogurt has better macro value than the whole milk version. Might be higher in sugar but oddly has better numbers for calcium and potassium. I don't do plain yogurt and nobody is going to make me.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,968 Member
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    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Interestingly Stonyfield Farms Low fat French Vanilla Yogurt has better macro value than the whole milk version. Might be higher in sugar but oddly has better numbers for calcium and potassium. I don't do plain yogurt and nobody is going to make me.
    When fat is reduced the actual amount of yogurt goes up on a calorie for calorie basis hence the increase in nutrients. Saying that, fat is an important nutrient for transporting vitamins and also tastes better in my opinion than any low fat version......I get the 9% fat version.

  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    The low fat has 40 less calories than the whole milk. I usually get enough fat elsewhere. I personally prefer to save the calories. My breakfast is already almost 400 calories as it is.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I am wrong. 60 calorie difference between low fat and whole milk. Low fat has 1 g less sugar too...more protein, more calcium, more potassium.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    RegentPrimrose wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    RegentPrimrose wrote: »
    Avoid granola and low-fat yogurt. These products usually have heaps of added sugar. Natural sugar and refined added sugar are two completely different things. I don't worry about natural sugar in fruit.
    You need to cut out products with added sugar - which encompasses most processed foods. Stick to natural, raw, unprocessed foods - like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats etc.

    LOL no …

    yogurt is bad now, really???

    an apple has as much sugar as a serving of yogurt….oh wait the apple sugar is better, because natural, right?

    It depends on what type of yogurt. Typically these so-called low fat yogurts contain added sugar to add flavour to compensate for the fat taken out. I never said yogurt is bad for you. It can be good for you - as long as it is natural and not flavoured or otherwise tampered with unnecessarily. Good luck.

    Ummm yea no ...
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Do you have a medical condition? If no, proceed with your daily sugar consumption. Stay in a deficit. Lose weight.

    Natural sugar or added sugar (whatever the heck is meant by that) does not matter when looked at alone. It's all sugar.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I don't pay attention to the sugar (matter of fact took that column out and replaced it with fiber).
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited February 2015
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    schafer_stacy wrote: »
    I cut out fruit almost completely and have replaced any treats with Atkins treats... they still make me feel like I'm getting something sweet without all the added sugar and carbs... So far I haven't had any trouble keeping my sugars at almost zero. Hope this helps you...

    You cut out something natural with vitamins and fiber and replaced it with something full of sugar alcohols? The mind boggles.

    By all means, have an Atkins treat if that's what you want, but fruit is delicious and there's no need to eliminate it from a well-balanced diet.

    To the OP, the sugar recommendation on MFP is notoriously low. I eat added sugars very rarely, and some of the most sugar-dense items recently on my diary have been vegetables like sweet red peppers and cauliflower ... not even fruits have packed such a big punch in my allowance as those two offenders have!

    I track because I find my intake interests me, but if you find it bothering you, just track fiber instead.

  • airborne18th
    airborne18th Posts: 57 Member
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    Instead of asking random people on an internet forum about your diet.. especially something like sugar, sodium, or fat.. maybe you should ask your doctor. someone who knows your risk factors.. maybe you should worrying more about sodium than sugar.. who knows.. but if you are going to eat healthier and diet.. you might as well focus on mitigating your own personal long term health issues as well..
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    shelleygold wrote: »
    I was informed today by my General Practitioner who has a speciality in health medicine that I have an intolerance to Carbohydrates due to the "roller-coaster" ride my body has been on as a result of excessively high blood sugar levels over time. Although rather simplistic, the explanation I was offered was that my cells have become resistant to insulin due to the constantly high levels of sugar in my blood-stream. High sugar levelled stimulate the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. Since the primary function of insulin is to facilitate the production and storage of fat from sugar...guess what happens if I eat too many carbs and even worse, when I eat even small quantities of sugar (remember that almost all foods eventually breakdown into sugar) . It seems to me that the issue isn't added vs "natural" sugars as much as the quantity of sugar baring in mind our pre-existing insulin levels as shaped by our physiology and body chemistry and how our cells have been impacted by blood sugar fluctuations over time. I wonder how many of us "obese" individuals realise that we are on the fasttrack road to diabetis 2 if we are not careful of sugar (and excessive carbohydrate intake)? It's food for though both literally and figuratively.

    I don't know enough about this to argue against your doctor fully, but yesterday, I learned that protein spikes insulin more than carbohydrates do. Insulin isn't the problem.

    I will leave the science to someone with more knowledge than I to explain.

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    shelleygold wrote: »
    I was informed today by my General Practitioner who has a speciality in health medicine that I have an intolerance to Carbohydrates due to the "roller-coaster" ride my body has been on as a result of excessively high blood sugar levels over time. Although rather simplistic, the explanation I was offered was that my cells have become resistant to insulin due to the constantly high levels of sugar in my blood-stream. High sugar levelled stimulate the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. Since the primary function of insulin is to facilitate the production and storage of fat from sugar...guess what happens if I eat too many carbs and even worse, when I eat even small quantities of sugar (remember that almost all foods eventually breakdown into sugar) . It seems to me that the issue isn't added vs "natural" sugars as much as the quantity of sugar baring in mind our pre-existing insulin levels as shaped by our physiology and body chemistry and how our cells have been impacted by blood sugar fluctuations over time. I wonder how many of us "obese" individuals realise that we are on the fasttrack road to diabetis 2 if we are not careful of sugar (and excessive carbohydrate intake)? It's food for though both literally and figuratively.

    I would argue that insulin resistance, diabetes, and other blood sugar conditions are not caused by sugar, but that eating too much sugar is what makes these conditions worse.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    yarwell wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I was wondering about this too. Don't Atkins treats have sugar? I thought they were sweetened with fruit sugar.

    artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
    But, sugar alcohol is still sugar, even if the calorie content is less and is supposed to cause a smaller rise in blood glucose.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    RegentPrimrose wrote: »
    Avoid granola and low-fat yogurt. These products usually have heaps of added sugar. Natural sugar and refined added sugar are two completely different things. I don't worry about natural sugar in fruit.
    You need to cut out products with added sugar - which encompasses most processed foods. Stick to natural, raw, unprocessed foods - like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats etc.

    This is incorrect.

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