Help with sugar intake.
sallymason88
Posts: 69 Member
I have lowered my sugar goal to 28 grammes of sugar to reflect the recent advice to keep sugar to 7 teaspoons a day. What puzzles me is the sugar in fruit/veg. can i subtract that figure from the 28, or should i count it. i think that the body will just treat it as it would refined sugar, but i am not sure. i eat a couple of apples a day so it would use up nearly the days quota. any advice is welcome.
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There's no need to limit sugar unless you have a medical condition requiring you to do so.0
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sallymason88 wrote: »I have lowered my sugar goal to 28 grammes of sugar to reflect the recent advice to keep sugar to 7 teaspoons a day. What puzzles me is the sugar in fruit/veg. can i subtract that figure from the 28, or should i count it. i think that the body will just treat it as it would refined sugar, but i am not sure. i eat a couple of apples a day so it would use up nearly the days quota. any advice is welcome.
Uhhhh... why...? For one, unless you have medical issues, there is no need to limit sugar. Secondly, the advice depends on your reply, but if you have a medical condition, you should really ask your doctor this question.0 -
i dont have a medical condition, but anything i have read recently points to sugar and not fat being a problem with weight issues. I am in the UK and the latest advice is to half the previous advice of equivalent 14 teaspoons to 7.0
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Added sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy (calorie intake) you get from food and drink each day. This is about 30g of sugar a day for those aged 11 and over.
I just found this on the NHS website, so I am thinking that the sugar in fruit doesnt count as it refers to "added sugar" ?
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Okay, weight fluxuation has a simple equation: calories in versus calories out. If you eat more than you burn, you gain weight; if you eat as much as you burn, you maintain; if you eat less than you burn, you lose weight. What you eat is of no importance to weight loss. Of course, a diet full of items with added sugar is not going to do you any favours nutritionally speaking, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with fruit and a few sugary snacks as long as you remain within your calorie deficit.0
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I understand the calorie in, calorie out equation, I was trying to be healthy within that.0
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sallymason88 wrote: »I understand the calorie in, calorie out equation, I was trying to be healthy within that.
Alright, then don't bother with fruit sugars. Only added sugars 'count'. MFP counts both so don;t go off of that reading too much.0 -
Ok let me elaborate a bit on sugar, as what Faithful says is completely true. I'm a health professional in education, studying to become a weight consultant. What i tell you is straight from the books.
Sugar is just plain calories, it contains 0 vitamins and minerals. The sugars that do have some, like fructose, have so little traces of micro nutritients, that it doesnt provide benefits at all. This makes sugar bad for you, because it adds up calories but you gain nothing else from it.
Now, when it comes to the source of calories, fructose (fruit), lactose (milk), glucose (grapes), sacharose (refined), have no difference at all. They are treated exactly the same in your body even though "fructose, natural fruit sugar" sounds more healthy, its not. Sugar adds 402kcal per 100 grams of sugar.
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Dont agree with part 2 of Faithful, as you can read in my previous message, fruit sugars count.0
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Dont agree with part 2 of Faithful, as you can read in my previous message, fruit sugars count.
Point is, though, that fruit sugars are wrapped up in this thing called 'fruit', which are little nutrient bombs.If you binge on a gazillion apples, you will go over your calorie goal and gain weight, but because there are a bunch of macro (and micro) nutrients in fruits, you won't really overindulge on those--not easily anyway. If you find yourself going over your sugar goal, turn your gaze to the added sugars, not the fruit sugars. They are not your problem.0 -
Correct.sallymason88 wrote: »Added sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy (calorie intake) you get from food and drink each day. This is about 30g of sugar a day for those aged 11 and over.
I just found this on the NHS website, so I am thinking that the sugar in fruit doesnt count as it refers to "added sugar" ?
It is about the hidden sugars in some processed foods, but also the ones in drinks so the sugar in your tea, coffee and of course the soda, but also the fruitjuices. Though the latter are mostly natural and added (though they can be if bought processed fruitjuice), the levels of sugar are quite high, a glass of orangejuice can contain as much as a glass of regular soda.
And to be honest the 5% makes sense to me if you look at CiCo as it means less calories dense foods. Of course if you are training/bulking excersising to an extend that you burn calories to say 2,000 a day than the 5% would translate to more than 30g as a maximum. But I think the 30g is a reasonable guideline for the general population. Just wish you could separate the added sugars from the naturals here at MFP
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Faithful_Chosen wrote: »Point is, though, that fruit sugars are wrapped up in this thing called 'fruit', which are little nutrient bombs.If you binge on a gazillion apples, you will go over your calorie goal and gain weight, but because there are a bunch of macro (and micro) nutrients in fruits, you won't really overindulge on those--not easily anyway. If you find yourself going over your sugar goal, turn your gaze to the added sugars, not the fruit sugars. They are not your problem.
If you are going over 28 grams of sugar just by eating fruits, you do have something to worry about, if you ask me ;-)
But yes, if you are going over the sugar limit that you set, there is usually something else wrong with your eating pattern and the fruit itself is the least of your problems.
As mentioned before, i was just elaborating on sugar as itself, as OP had some questions about how sugar works.
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The recommended amounts typically apply to added sugars. In the U.S.,I believe there is a plan to have labels differentiate between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. If you're concerned with your sugar goal-focus on added sugars.
That being said-it's really not a big deal in the context of overall diet. Ensure you are meeting all of your nutrition requirements. Eat adequate protein, adequate fat and fill in the rest with carbohydrates. Try to ensure a varied diet that includes enough fiber and meets some of your micronutrient requirements. Have calories left over? There is no harm in filling in those calories with products containing sugar.
Nutrition guidelines are meant to address the general public with broad suggestions that will help most people. Personally, I try to eat plenty of nutrient-dense foods and leave room in my diet for plenty of sugar-laden awesomeness.0 -
Faithful_Chosen wrote: »Point is, though, that fruit sugars are wrapped up in this thing called 'fruit', which are little nutrient bombs.If you binge on a gazillion apples, you will go over your calorie goal and gain weight, but because there are a bunch of macro (and micro) nutrients in fruits, you won't really overindulge on those--not easily anyway. If you find yourself going over your sugar goal, turn your gaze to the added sugars, not the fruit sugars. They are not your problem.
If you are going over 28 grams of sugar just by eating fruits, you do have something to worry about, if you ask me ;-)
But yes, if you are going over the sugar limit that you set, there is usually something else wrong with your eating pattern and the fruit itself is the least of your problems.
As mentioned before, i was just elaborating on sugar as itself, as OP had some questions about how sugar works.
Adding fruit sugars to a '28 grams of sugar'-count is unrealistic, anyway, if you eat fruit at all. A singe large apple has about 23 grams of sugar, a banana has 17, an orange has 23, etc.
Eating these sugars is well worth it for the rest of what you take in with that sugar if you comp down on an apple or enjoy a nice banana.
I remain of the opinion that (unless you solely eat fruit every single day) fruit sugars should not be counted towards such a tiny, tiny, tiny sugar goal.0 -
slaite1 +10
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I agree with RonRoff. Sugar in all its natural forms is not good for you. Quantities of fruit should be limited. 5 fruit and veg a day should be 5 vegetables a day with a few fruits once in a while. Fruit smoothies contain more sugar than a glass of coke. If you dont drink Coke because of the 7 teaspoons of sugar then you should also not drink fruit sugars. Fruit does have the added benefits of fiber but so do vegetables. Better to wean yourself off the sweet taste and have veg.0
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I agree with RonRoff. Sugar in all its natural forms is not good for you. Quantities of fruit should be limited. 5 fruit and veg a day should be 5 vegetables a day with a few fruits once in a while. Fruit smoothies contain more sugar than a glass of coke. If you dont drink Coke because of the 7 teaspoons of sugar then you should also not drink fruit sugars. Fruit does have the added benefits of fiber but so do vegetables. Better to wean yourself off the sweet taste and have veg.
sugar is not inherently bad for you. 0 -
Actually, it is easy to exceed 28 g of sugar by eating 2 apples a day because 1 medium apple has 25 carbs, 4.4 g fiber, and 19 g of sugar.
There was a study done a couple years back on excess sugar and weight gain, but they did conclude that sugar from fruit did not cause weight gain.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/20130114/sugar-excess-weight?page=1
After looking at the physiology of how your body handles sugar and my own personal experience, I do agree with those who recommend a low-carb diet for weight loss. A diet high in sugar increases triglyceride levels and can lead to insulin resistance, suppression of leptin, etc. Sugar is more than just empty calories--it has effects on hormones and your body's regulatory systems when it comes to hunger. I know many here will disagree with that and state that it is merely an "energy in, energy out" mechanism, but I do think what you put in matters. If you are eating sugar all day you are producing more insulin, which increases the storage of fat in fat cells.0 -
Your weight issue is calories, not sugar.0
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Sugar is bad for you because it has no nutritional value and
1 Is bad for your teeth
2 is bad for your liver causing fatty liver disease
3 causes insulin intolerance and ultimately Diabetes
But please do go right a head and eat it if you want these.
My weight loss issue is my health issue and Id rather not go down the route of illness just because I ate fewer calories without looking at what I was eating too.
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I, for one, am a sugar-holic. Fruit is a bad idea in my diet. I can't eat fruit at 6am and not be hungry by 8am. The people chanting CICO don't have anything to say for satiety. I prefer to eat foods that help me keep from thinking about food all day. But that's just me I guess. If you want to count all sugars. Do it. Sounds like a great Plan to me.
Veggies are where I load up on nutrients. Low glycemic veggies.
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sallymason88 wrote: »i dont have a medical condition, but anything i have read recently points to sugar and not fat being a problem with weight issues. I am in the UK and the latest advice is to half the previous advice of equivalent 14 teaspoons to 7.
I agree with this issue completely. There are a lot of hidden sugars in processed foods so I mostly stay away from any of them. No I don't have a medical condition YET from all the added sugars, but I believe I WILL at some point if I don't get control of it. My understanding is you are mostly looking at ADDED sugars, not the natural sugars that come in fruits. Good luck with this. You are going to get a lot of flack about this but don't let up. It's gonna be so much better for you.0 -
You are correct.sallymason88 wrote: »Added sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy (calorie intake) you get from food and drink each day. This is about 30g of sugar a day for those aged 11 and over.
I just found this on the NHS website, so I am thinking that the sugar in fruit doesnt count as it refers to "added sugar" ?
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sallymason88 wrote: »i dont have a medical condition, but anything i have read recently points to sugar and not fat being a problem with weight issues. I am in the UK and the latest advice is to half the previous advice of equivalent 14 teaspoons to 7.
That's what a report said, it a) hasn't been accepted and implemented and b) is for "free sugars" not the total sugars that MFP records.
So the sugars inherent in vegetables will appear on your MFP log but weren't in the "5% of calories population goal" of the SACN committee.0 -
Having done it myself for 18 months now I would support you wholeheartedly in giving up added sugars and limiting fruit intake.I do count my fruit sugars but have an apple a day or some blueberries or strawberries. In my own personal experience it has worked.I have lost weight,decreased food cravings,reduced cholesterol level( well within normal limitsfor the first time in 20 years),healthier skin,increased memory and concentration....My only sugar intake is thru fruit and veges as i dont eat processed foods.I dont go hungry and fill on healthy fresh foods.I did gain weight at one stage as I was eating WAY too many nuts!!I have reintroduced good fats like nuts,avocado,coconut oil etc.You are probably wondering how giving up sugar would affect cholesterol level.I was so suprised with this.Despite being a fish eating vegetarian and not consuming dairy I still had a high cholesterol level which dr suggested was genetic . I stuck to a low fat diet which maintained my weight but had no effect on my cholesterol diet,Within a few months of quitting all added suagr and reducing fruit sugar intake my cholesterol level dropped well within normal limits.There is some suggestion that sugar causes inflammation and cholesterol accumulates there for repair anyway I am not sure how it worked but its the first thing in 20 years that has!!SO I do believe sugar is bad for you and have felt the positive benefits of giving it up!!There are so many blogs and websites that have recipes etc and you would find you would be very well supported in those.Wish you all the best whatever you decide to do.0
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Faithful_Chosen wrote: »
Broccoli with added sugar would be more nutritious and contain less sugar than an orange, fruit is massively overrated really.
Fruit is a sugar solution soaked into fibre.
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Don't overthink this. First, change your diary to track fiber instead of sugar since getting enough of that is more important. Second, choose to make the majority of your daily foods meals made from whole, fresh (or frozen) foods instead of commercial mixes, boxed (or frozen) dinners, fast food, or other convenience foods. You will do just fine that way.
I am T2Dm and I don't track sugars (per my doctor's recommendation). I did have to reduce my total carbs to less than 180 g a day. I eat like I suggested to you and, for the fun of it, I just checked my MFP report for sugars and my total sugars are averaging around 50 g. daily over the last 90 days. MFP doesn't separate added sugars from naturally occurring ones but I know from my foods that the vast majority of my sugars come naturally in fruit, dairy, and veggies. Most of my added sugars come from buying commercially made bread and Quest protein bars since I very rarely eat commercially prepared foods (except some canned things like tomatoes, broth or soup base,etc)
ETA: sugar does NOT give you diabetes. You get it because you have one or more of the risk factors:- genetics
- obesity
- age
- long term use of certain medications (especially antidepressants and statins)
- stress
- potentially environmental factors ( correlation only so far)
In my case, being obese and long term use of antidepressants, combined with age, put me over the line.
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What is interesting in this discussion is the advice from the USA people is sugar does not cause diabetes and the advice from the UK people is saying it does. Maybe its the difference on Doctors advice in the 2 countries. Who knows which set of Doctors are right. The UK has targeted sugar in a big way in the last few years as the target to be combat against the rising obese/diabetic population.0
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What is interesting in this discussion is the advice from the USA people is sugar does not cause diabetes and the advice from the UK people is saying it does. Maybe its the difference on Doctors advice in the 2 countries. Who knows which set of Doctors are right. The UK has targeted sugar in a big way in the last few years as the target to be combat against the rising obese/diabetic population.
It is not the doctors, it is the scientists who study diabetes who are saying that sugar is not the cause, and never has been. Health officials on both sides of the Atlantic are saying that we need to cut sugar consumption in order to reduce obesity and the health risks that accompany it. Obesity is the #2 most common risk factor in diabetes (after genetics) but it is not the sugar consumed, it is the excess fat that puts you at risk.
Unfortunately, because diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system that causes a person to not process carbohydrates and the glucose they put into the bloodstream properly, most people put 2 and 2 together but only came up with 3. Not handling sugar properly is the symptom, not the cause. Scientists don't know what actually trips the switch. Obesity is on the rise, as is diabetes. BUT diabetes is on the rise at a slower rate than obesity is so gaining fat, and the diet that causes you to gain fat, isn't the ultimate trigger.
ETA: I lived through the 80's "eating fat will make you fat" deal and this whole "sugar is the cause of all our ills" is the same thing. In about 20 years it will probably be some amino acid in protein that will make us fat. We are fat because our diets are not balanced, we are eating larger portions, and we are not moving as much as we used to 100 years ago.
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There is scientific research enough to prove all viewpoints on healthy diet and weight loss. Pick a strategy (book, blog, whatever) and go for it. Oh, I forgot to mention the golden words... in my opinion.0
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