Grams of sugar per day?

tshirtartist
tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
edited November 14 in Social Groups
after watching the video I posted about sugar I started to question if I might be having too much naturally occurring sugar a day. I average between 30 to 35 grams a day. Which seems ok to me. I do have a couple of teaspoons of manuka honey in my tea (included in my average sugar intake) which I really enjoy and would prefer not to give up but will if needed. I usually only have one fruit a day if that and don't usually have a root vegetable. So what is everyone else averaging?

Replies

  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    I try to be well under 15 grams per day. Sometimes I'm WAY under (yay) and sometimes I'm a bit over. Keep in mind that one teaspoon is 4 grams so 36 grams is about 9 teaspoons. That seems a lot to me, but I have health issues that make keeping sugar low absolutely critical. Perhaps you do not.

    If you do get concerned, reduce the honey before the other food imo. I love honey too, but it's a condiment for occasional use, including medicinal, but not for every day. Unless you are having no problems, then just keep on doing what you are doing.
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    Thanks! Will take all that into consideration. ☺️
    Do you use stevia? I don't but was just wondering your view? I know the goal is to eliminate the love for the sweet taste. I used to have over 100 grams of sugar when I was vegan. I know INSANE!!!! It was all fruit. Used to be addicted to bananas and dates. NOT GOOD! At least one addiction under control.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    No I don't use stevia. I destroyed a coffee with stevia drops only once. Gag. I'm not anti-stevia (in it's unprocessed leaf form which is pretty hard to put into coffee) but I doubt it's very beneficial especially when used to give the impression of "sweet". It's best just to get rid of the need for "sweet" imo.

    Lots of Paleo people still have insanely high sugar consumption. What kills me is that many of those people are struggling too. For some extremely active people who are not struggling higher sugar may be fine; that's not the average person obviously. It's not the fault of "Paleo" but the lack of understanding that ancestrally for most of us, access to sweet things was rare/seasonal. With Paleo foods some things like fruit, nuts, honey, etc should only be "sometimes" foods.
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    I agree! Threw away 2 cups of tea trying to find a stevia I liked. I just gave up.
  • steffiejoe
    steffiejoe Posts: 313 Member
    I normally have 25 grams or less a day
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    Thanks Steffie! Today I was at 29 so trying to work my number down. ;)
  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
    I think I am usually around 15 or less if I am on my game. I do use Stevia (Sweet Leaf) but only once in a while. I find it better to wean off the taste of sweet. I do also sparingly use raw honey and coconut sugar but not for everyday things, for recipes.
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    So what I am hearing is that I am too high. Ok, working on that! Thanks for all your input!!!! What do you guys use for salad dressing? I usually just use some balsamic (which for 1TB already has 4 grams of sugar) along with some avocado in my salad. I know the 1 to 2 tsp of manuka honey in my tea is obviously the first thing I need to eliminate but just wondering. Eliminating the honey cuts my total sugar down to 15 grams which would be in half. So hard to let go of that sugar addiction!!!
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    So what I am hearing is that I am too high. Ok, working on that! Thanks for all your input!!!! What do you guys use for salad dressing? I usually just use some balsamic (which for 1TB already has 4 grams of sugar) along with some avocado in my salad. I know the 1 to 2 tsp of manuka honey in my tea is obviously the first thing I need to eliminate but just wondering. Eliminating the honey cuts my total sugar down to 15 grams which would be in half. So hard to let go of that sugar addiction!!!

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    So what I am hearing is that I am too high. Ok, working on that! Thanks for all your input!!!! What do you guys use for salad dressing? I usually just use some balsamic (which for 1TB already has 4 grams of sugar) along with some avocado in my salad. I know the 1 to 2 tsp of manuka honey in my tea is obviously the first thing I need to eliminate but just wondering. Eliminating the honey cuts my total sugar down to 15 grams which would be in half. So hard to let go of that sugar addiction!!!

    Red wine vinegar (which has less than 1g carbs per tablespoon) and oil is an option. Mayo is another option (go with home made, or the new one from Primal Kitchen, though, to avoid the seed oils). Ranch is a decent option regarding carbs in a pinch (or if you make your own), but commercial Ranch dressings (all dressings, really) use soybean and/or canola oil.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    My salad dressings are now so simple. I used to mix up concoctions of all kinds which were hit and miss and now it's just whatever vinegar/juice (red wine, white wine, balsamic, coconut vinegar, lemon, lime...) with whatever oils (avocado, olive, macadamia...). Nothing fancy, all tasty, and no waste.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    My salad dressings are now so simple. I used to mix up concoctions of all kinds which were hit and miss and now it's just whatever vinegar/juice (red wine, white wine, balsamic, coconut vinegar, lemon, lime...) with whatever oils (avocado, olive, macadamia...). Nothing fancy, all tasty, and no waste.

    This too. Oh, also, raw ACV would probably make a good dressing, too. It has more of an apply flavor to it than pasteurized.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    I can't believe I forgot the ACV in my list!
  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    What is ACV?
    I keep it simple as well. I use either balsamic, or balsamic and Dijon, or balsamic and olive oil, or salsa or I make guacamole by adding avocado to Salsa. I always have avocado on my salad.
  • coloradogrrrl21
    coloradogrrrl21 Posts: 9 Member
    I don't have a specific goal for sugar consumption, but I am trying to cut out added sugars altogether apart from rare treats. If I have sugar I want it to come from whole fruit so it is also coming with fiber and nutrients. And I also have the goal of <100 total carbs/day period, and trying to keep it <50g on days I don't workout. (I do CrossFit 3-4 times/week and run usually once a week on top of that). That said, I know diabetes runs through my family like the NYC Marathon, so I know I need to be better about cutting out carbs in general and sugar in particular.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Apple Cider Vinegar.
  • Guber3mom
    Guber3mom Posts: 60 Member
    Like the info here! Thanks
  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
    My go to Salad dressings are flavored oils and vinegars I got from a specialty store, raw ACV and olive oil with spices and salt and pepper, homemade Paleo Ranch (mayo, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, milk of choice. Thousand Island is also easy to make homemade (mayo, ketchup, chopped pickles or relish, chopped pickles and salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne to taste).
  • GrokRockStar
    GrokRockStar Posts: 2,938 Member
    I consume about 4 tsp per do which is doable on a lower carb Primal. Any fruit introduced equals problems for me. I agree about the Stevia, bleh! I've tried to find the right brand and even opted to using the leaves to no avail. I just came to terms with not having to use sugar, period.
  • Rebamae
    Rebamae Posts: 741 Member
    I certainly have learned a lesson about my eating. I fixed the coconut bars, with pure maple syrup. I learned I can't do that as I started eating everything in large quantities. I did not realize how "sugar" would start my bingeing again. I will pass on all of the sugary food.
  • homesweeths
    homesweeths Posts: 792 Member
    after watching the video I posted about sugar I started to question if I might be having too much naturally occurring sugar a day. I average between 30 to 35 grams a day. Which seems ok to me. I do have a couple of teaspoons of manuka honey in my tea (included in my average sugar intake) which I really enjoy and would prefer not to give up but will if needed. I usually only have one fruit a day if that and don't usually have a root vegetable. So what is everyone else averaging?
    What was the video link again, please?

  • tshirtartist
    tshirtartist Posts: 109 Member
    Go to the discussion in this forum on "bulletproof coffee guy and jj virgin". The video is there.
  • KombuchaCat
    KombuchaCat Posts: 834 Member
    edited March 2015
    In general I try to keep my sugar on the lower side, especially fructose. I eat 1-2 servings of fruit/day but not every day. If I have some sort of dessert with maple syrup or honey I would likely not have any fruit that day (unless the dessert was a fruit dessert). I don't worry too much about lactose from my raw dairy but in general try to keep my dairy servings to 1-2/day, again, not every day. I think you definately can eat too much fruit but if you focus on not more than 1-2 servings/day and try to make most of your fruit lower fructose fruit (berries, kiwi are both low fructose) you should be fine. If I'm having a higher fructose fruit, like today I have a small pear to have with my lunch, I would not have another serving of fruit that day.
  • monkeydharma
    monkeydharma Posts: 599 Member
    edited March 2015
    I don't watch sugar per se - I just watch carbs. I have one simple rule regarding sugars: "do not eat sugars unless there is a plant around it". That's it.

    As others have mentioned, eating fruit (or even veggies) combines the inherent sugar with fiber and nutrients, slowing absorption rates and making it a normal part of ones diet. Any other created sugar, whether it is cane, agave, palm, fructose or whatever is just that - manufactured (extracted and concentrated). The only natural 'sugar' is honey.

    I know we're all attracted to sweet things, but if you wean yourself from added sugars, you'll starting noticing an inherent sweetness in many foods that you never thought were sweet before. Kinda like how bright city lights drown out moon/star light.
  • homesweeths
    homesweeths Posts: 792 Member
    Go to the discussion in this forum on "bulletproof coffee guy and jj virgin". The video is there.
    Thanks!
  • KETOGENICGURL
    KETOGENICGURL Posts: 687 Member
    A sugar free and AMAZING dressing is to copy the Marie Callendar's restarunt HOT BACON dressing..I use stevia, and crumbled bacon with some bacon fat, heated, add vinegar and stir, pour over salad veggies it is wonderful…way back when this was first introduced in 80s it was the most popular item at salad bar and they always ran out. ( or dump in the spinach, etc and stir around for a minute, then eat.)

    I keep a tiny fry pan I call my Magic Bacon Grease pan, and when I make this dressing I will wash after, and start over when I fry up some bacon again, nice way not to waste.
  • homesweeths
    homesweeths Posts: 792 Member
    Something about bacon-vinegar dressing hits one of my buttons, setting off cravings. I haven't eaten it in years. Now I'm wondering if it was the white sugar in my old recipe. ..?
This discussion has been closed.