Have you Quit Sugar?

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Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    The other day I could not find the WHO guidelines on sugar other than the invitation for contributions a couple years ago. But today I found their guidelines. They are recommending no more than 5% to 10% of total energy intake be from free sugars. 5% would be about six teaspoons daily.

    http://www.who.int/nutrition/en/

    The WHO is using the term "free sugars" to refer "monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates."

    It would be quite impossible right now to track this on MFP, as there is no distinguishing on the nutrition labels between "free sugars" and naturally occurring sugars and carbohydrates.

    I predict there will be new label requirements down the road, to distinguish "free sugars" from the rest.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    livhig82 wrote: »
    After watching a documentary about sugar I am really considering quitting altogether.
    Has anyone else done this and what was your experience??

    No, I haven't quit sugar but I don't wear tin foil hats either. I also know not to take any information from emotionally manipulative, fact poor documentaries as anything more than exactly that.

    Documentaries: The bane of rational thought and good decision making.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    breefoshee wrote: »
    Then... I found out that I'm insulin resistant this past week. And that I'll have to drastically cut carbs, sugar, and friggin dairy. I'm totally bitter about it.

    The diabetic life is all about balance. Watch the carbs but you don't have to cut them! What I did is pair my carb with protein always. And why cut dairy? I don't understand. Milk is about as close to a "complete" macro deal that you can find.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I have been LIMITING my added sugars for about 15 years now. I find that the more even I can keep my blood sugars (i.e. no mid morning crash) the easier it is to eat the way I want.

    I also very much limit heavily refined carbs (think: white bread) for the same reason. I aim for more whole or intact grains.

    I actually do this same thing, although for me it's been helpful to put the focus more on having a balance of macros at each meal -- even a whole grain like steel cut oats doesn't work for me for breakfast unless I include it in a meal with protein and fat (and I usually add veggies too, since I like having veggies at each meal--this was my breakfast today, in fact). For me the overall amounts of carbs and sugars seem less important than balancing them and not eating them on their own usually (when I have a sweet item it's generally close in time to a meal), but I generally do eat whole grains or other forms of starches (even more) rather than lots of heavily refined grains. (White pasta affects me no different than whole wheat, given the importance of the sauce, so although I generally have whole wheat at home I have no problem ordering white in a restaurant for a splurge.)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    No, because sugar is delicous and I've yet to hear a good reason to cut it out.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Your tastes will change if you cut it out long enough. These days fruits and vegetables are satisfyingly sweet and actual sweets are saved for holidays and special occasions -- and even then they need to be a higher quality, it's just too much sugar to be delicious otherwise. Like I said, it was a good decision for me. My diet is more nutritious, I'm healthier and life is good. :)

    I'm glad this worked for you.

    Not everyone will find that their tastes change (or want that), however. I've always liked many sweet foods (good homemade pie, ice cream, what I call fancy chocolates, cannoli, etc.), but I've also always enjoyed fruit and veggies. I haven't found that being more sparing about the calories (and sugary items) I eat has much changed my palate.

    I was probably less tolerant of some sweet things to start with, though, but not sweets in general.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    livhig82 wrote: »
    After watching a documentary about sugar I am really considering quitting altogether.
    Has anyone else done this and what was your experience??

    Yes - I have done it and I have more energy than before. I lost some serious weight just going totally off sugar altogether (and kept it off!). I only eat sugar that's in a whole food, like fruit, or veggie - anything that's naturally occurring can go into my mouth - anything that required processing to high fructose corn syrup or sucrose (table sugar) is a hell no!

    Hello cognitive dissonance

  • m0wz
    m0wz Posts: 1
    I stopped adding sugar to things like coffee and tea and slimmed down a little within a month
  • Lezavargas
    Lezavargas Posts: 223 Member
    Ive focussed on giving up the refined sugar and it has had an enormous impact on the way I feel! I was a hard core sugar-a-holic! The cravings for it diminish greatly once its out of your system, and foods taste better once youve desensitized yourself to the super sweet tastes of artificially isolated sugars and sweeteners
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    No I haven't. 73 pounds down, and successful insulin resistance reversal. I have found, through using IIFYM that my sugar intake is naturally low as I'm focused on making my calories count. And that my taste for super sweet stuff has changed. A lot.
  • JoKnowsJo
    JoKnowsJo Posts: 257 Member
    Nope haven't given it up, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my nightly dessert if I did. I also prefer to base my decisions on my research not based on the agenda they are pushing in a documentary.

    /\/\ This is a fantastic answer... and is exactly what I am doing... do more research we beg you...

  • 2muchfnsugar
    2muchfnsugar Posts: 866 Member
    Ummmmm. Negatory.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    LCloops wrote: »
    Nope haven't given it up, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my nightly dessert if I did. I also prefer to base my decisions on my research not based on the agenda they are pushing in a documentary.

    /\/\ This is a fantastic answer... and is exactly what I am doing... do more research we beg you...

    Do you think you have done more research than WHO, Harvard School of Public Health, The American Heart Associasion, and other health organizations that recommend limiting added sugars?
  • Acg67 wrote: »
    livhig82 wrote: »
    After watching a documentary about sugar I am really considering quitting altogether.
    Has anyone else done this and what was your experience??

    A zero carb diet seems pretty miserable

    I believe it is impossible to entirely "quit" sugar.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    I am not quitting sugar. I am quitting the majority of processed foods (which is where the majority of the sugar in our diet comes from). I will be creating a lot of my own meals and not pulling them out of a box and putting them in the oven or microwave. I like to cook so I'm looking forward to this experiement. I have started a video blog. I'm going to make it public at some point but for now it's just for me to view. I would never "quit sugar." Sugar is in so many fruits that are so good for your health. I prefer to say I'm phasing out added sugar.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    LCloops wrote: »
    Nope haven't given it up, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my nightly dessert if I did. I also prefer to base my decisions on my research not based on the agenda they are pushing in a documentary.

    /\/\ This is a fantastic answer... and is exactly what I am doing... do more research we beg you...

    Do you think you have done more research than WHO, Harvard School of Public Health, The American Heart Associasion, and other health organizations that recommend limiting added sugars?

    The main reason they recommend that is because it's a big factor in overeating calories. If you're watching those calories, that reason is irrelevant for your decision.
  • eseeton
    eseeton Posts: 80 Member
    edited March 2015
    I too, watched a documentary about the detrimental effects of refined sugar on our bodies, but this particular documentary was about taking anything from nature and manipulating it in such a way to make something completely unnatural. It went so far as to compare refined white sugar and flour to cocaine. For a while, I went cold turkey to anything with refined sugar and flour in it (even canned tomatoes with HFCS). That kick-started my weight loss and I actually felt like I had a lot MORE energy. I didn't feel sluggish all the time like I did after eating a whole plate of pasta or drinking a giant glass of sweet tea. I didn't have to rely on these things for energy anymore, and it was a huge relief. It has been 6 months since then, and I still have not added pasta/breads or sweet tea back to my diet. I have gradually added refined sugar and flour back to my diet, but definitely not in the amounts it was before. I believe moderation is the key, and try to find these items in the least refined form you can if that is what you are worried about. Since quitting refined sugar, I have added natural sugars into my diet more so than before, such as my daily apple and any other fruit. I still have that celebratory desert or that quick sandwich now and again, and I even sneaked a Reese's peanut butter egg the other day. YUM. Just try to be conscious about what you are fueling your body with.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    Take the documentaries with a grain of salt....I mean sugar.

    If there is a medical reason to limit sugar, have at it....otherwise.......where are the KitKats?
  • runner475
    runner475 Posts: 1,236 Member

    magairlin wrote: »
    Yes- pretty much. I know that sugar is in some foods that I eat and I like to drink beer and wine which also contain sugar but in general I don't eat sugary food- cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc. It works well for me. If I don't eat it I don't want it but if I eat it I crave more and I wanted to rid myself of cravings and I have done so. I don't eat much processed food but if I am buying it I check labels and if sugar comes within the first three ingredients listed I regard it as a sugar product and I don't buy it. Be careful with bread- you'd be surprised how many breads on the market have sugar in the first three ingredients. In my case it's what makes it "moreish" and hard to resist eating too much of it. Christmas, Easter etc can be a huge challenge. I usually indulge at Christmas and put on several pounds which I often regret. This Easter I plan on sticking to my no sugar. I will have treats but they will be wine, beer, and diet coke. I really feel so much better without sugary food. A slice of apple tart is about 350 calories and is eaten in a few seconds and I always want more! For 350 calories I could treat myself to some wine or beer or something that I really want and not experience cravings afterwards. Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Wine is pretty sugary.

    We don't tend to have sugar in bread in England, at least not the bread i buy. One of my friends went to the US and said the bread was really sweet.

    I agree with not having too much added sugar, but like anything it's ok in moderation.
    Not good wines. Moscato may be.

    + 1 Good wines are not sugary.

    They have natural sugars.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    LCloops wrote: »
    Nope haven't given it up, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my nightly dessert if I did. I also prefer to base my decisions on my research not based on the agenda they are pushing in a documentary.

    /\/\ This is a fantastic answer... and is exactly what I am doing... do more research we beg you...

    Do you think you have done more research than WHO, Harvard School of Public Health, The American Heart Associasion, and other health organizations that recommend limiting added sugars?

    "Have you Quit Sugar"

    Why did you add "added" into it? And their recommendations are based off crappy data sets, they should not be making recommendations at all.