Help with sugar intake.

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.

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" ?

You are correct.

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.

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.

KateKyi wrote: »

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.

KateKyi wrote: »

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.

No. Sugar does not cause diabetes.

sallymason88 wrote: »

Faithful_Chosen wrote: »

RonRoff wrote: »

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.

That clears things up for me. I understand about not going over the calorie in v calorie out, I also understand that the body treats all sugar the same, but within the calorie count I wanted to stick to the 27 grammes per day, so I will count the hidden sugar, but if it is contained within an apple for example I wont count that. Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone.

If you do want to track and limit sugar, that is how I would do it, too ^_^ I also don't count dairy, by the way, but that's an entirely personal preference!
You are very welcome

umayster wrote: »

elphie754 wrote: »

KateKyi wrote: »

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.

No. Sugar does not cause diabetes.

You are right, but it is established that high carbohydrate (which includes sugars) increases the risk of developing diabetes.

Decreasing carbohydrate (which includes sugars) can reverse 'pre diabetes' and it can return high blood sugar levels to normal in both diabetics and pre diabetics.

Long term High blood sugar levels damages many different parts of the body.

You can only help yourself if you focus on a diet filled with good fats and proteins if you have any diabetic risks.

Carbohydrates are NOT an essential macrnutrient. It is totally OK to focus on eating fat and protein.

I say this as someone who loves carbs/sugars, but as a member of a family with history of diabetes it helps me to minimize the risk by building the nutritional foundation on fats & proteins and relegating carbs to a minimal role in dietary lifestyle.

No, this is wrong. Eating carbs does not cause diabetes. The extra fat from eating too many carbs (or too many calories from anything) is a risk factor. Again, people are looking at the treatment (reducing carbs) and the symptom (the body's lack of properly managing carbs) and coming to the wrong conclusion.

Good for you to get ahead of the game and start managing blood sugar issues before they manifest, especially because you have the most common risk factor (genetics).