what do you do to lower your sugar intake?
Replies
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There is none that I have been able to find
If you bring the concept that there is then prove it. Because it is not a belief held by diabetes UK or the NHS or any other official body
And the Mayo clinic link says
"What's the best way to lower triglycerides?
Healthy lifestyle choices are key:
Lose weight. If you're overweight, losing 5 to 10 pounds can help lower your triglycerides. Motivate yourself by focusing on the benefits of losing weight, such as more energy and improved health.
Cut back on calories. Remember that extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat. Reducing your calories will reduce triglycerides.
Avoid sugary and refined foods. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour, can increase triglycerides."
You infer a direct causation that should be available from the core body of research. I infer that sugary and refined foods are high calorific items which feeds into the second point and then in turn the first point
Anyway I have to go out in the current gale to the gym which I don't wanna do
But calories count
I have nothing to prove. I provided a link. Believe it, don't believe it. Makes no difference to me. Be careful and have fun with your workout.0 -
longlostsea wrote: »Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?
I've had to severely limit my sugar intake due to being pre-diabetic. I'm not sure about sugars effect on high cholesterol but I can help with lowering sugar.
There's a few good videos on youtube about what sugar/glucose does to your body (I'm at work or I'd link it) so I'd start with looking those up and watching them. All carbs break down into glucose in your body. If you're eating a lot of carbs plus adding sugar to those carbs (ex: toast with jam), PLUS eating fruit, then having a glass of OJ with it you'd be eating more sugar than you realize. For most people it's completely fine to have an apple or an orange for a snack, but if your eating a sandwich with PB+jam, potatoes, rice, glasses of juice or pop, plus a bunch of fruit it really adds up. Log everything you're eating into MFP, even condiments like ketchup or relish and you'll see how much you're eating every day.
If you're not eating low carb, choose the healthiest carbs possible with lots of fiber, like oatmeal, to keep you full and you can top it with a handful of berries. Be careful about selecting bread because even bread has hidden sugar/HFCS. Choose one that's high in fiber, for ex I had some that was "sprouted" bread that was under 18g of carbs (example: http://www.foodforlife.com/product/breads/7-sprouted-grains-bread). You'll quickly learn to read labels.
As far as what I'd eat instead I'd load up on more veggies and save fruit/honey as a topping, snack or a treat. Strip out all the high fructose corn syrups and any added sugars from your meals. For veggies I eat cauliflower (baked or whipped into mock "potatoes"), broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, green beans, zucchini (spiraled as "noodles"), romaine lettuce etc. If I want chocolate I choose the darkest chocolate I can find so I don't overeat it. Lindt makes one that's 90%.0 -
longlostsea wrote: »Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?
I've had to severely limit my sugar intake due to being pre-diabetic. I'm not sure about sugars effect on high cholesterol but I can help with lowering sugar.
There's a few good videos on youtube about what sugar/glucose does to your body (I'm at work or I'd link it) so I'd start with looking those up and watching them.
I'd STRONGLY urge sticking with reputable sites like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Nutrition, American Heart Association, MyPlate, and the NHS, none of which suggest that it's important to go low carb or cut back on fruit or intrinsic sugars/starches. They will encourage various healthy changes, such as subbing higher fiber versions of some carbs (which is a separate issue from the sugar question, which seems more related to the various cautions about excessive added sugar).All carbs break down into glucose in your body.
This isn't a bad thing.If you're eating a lot of carbs plus adding sugar to those carbs (ex: toast with jam), PLUS eating fruit, then having a glass of OJ with it you'd be eating more sugar than you realize.
This suggests that the "sugar limits" recommended include intrinsic sugar and starches, and they don't. I'd urge OP to talk to her doctor about what a good diet is and what she should be aiming for, if she has concerns that she needs to lower sugar beyond the usual or watch carbs. Typically low carb or worrying about intrinsic sugar isn't recommended to people for cholesterol issues.
On that note, here's a piece by Dr. David Katz of Yale's nutrition center (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/cholesterol-unscrambled_b_6692940.html). I don't consider Huff Post a great source, but I do consider Katz one. It's mostly about dietary cholesterol and the vindication (to a point) of eggs, but he adds:In my opinion, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is right about the absence of harm from cholesterol for the average American (although not the average hen).
But to my knowledge, they are not suggesting there is evidence of specific demonstrable benefit from eating more eggs. In contrast, we have exactly such evidence -- lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, cancer, and so on -- associated with higher intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and fish. Why aspire to lack of harm when we have evidence that wholesome foods in sensible combinations can help us slash our lifetime risk of heart disease by some 80 percent?
Now, I'm very much pro egg (not the topic) and usually prefer them for my own purposes to steel cut oats with berries (easier to eat more protein and vegetables with the eggs, for me), but the point I'm making is that I don't see anything credible supporting the idea that people with high cholesterol should be concerned about sugar grams in general (let alone carb percentage). A healthy diet, of course, but typically whole grains, legumes, fruit, etc., are considered among foods that add to a healthy diet. (Katz would agree about the benefits of limiting added sugar and losing weight, of course, so following a diet that helps you lose.)0 -
Lent:
For lent I'm giving up all food with additional sweeteners be they "real" or "artificial". So fruit is still fine. It'll be an interesting 40 days.0 -
Hubby and I did one month low-fat, no added salt. At the end of it we had a major crave and ordered in KFC. Oops. We had become more sensitive to the taste of foods once the extra fats and salts were removed. The KFC ended up tasting DISGUSTING afterwards.0
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Yeah I wanted a real challenge this year. Last year I just gave up chocolate and that was fairly difficult all on it's own. You best bet that I'll be going into a sugar coma on Easter Sunday though.0
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I avoid presweetened foods; when I eat something like yogurt I'll sweeten it myself with stevia. Or Splenda, if stevia isn't available. I use a little flavoring in my water, which has artificial sweetener in it (some are available with stevia on Amazon, have tried one and it works just fine). I use stevia in my coffee and tea. I'll have a cup of sugar free Jello as a snack with lunch, and if I have the calories left I'll have a smoothie after dinner with fruit in it, and a bit of stevia to sweeten it. Other than that, no caloric sweeteners at all. I tend to run 25g to 50g per day, but includes the sugar in fruits, dairy, and vegetables (though I don't do all that much dairy these days).
What I've found is that if I gradually reduce sugar, I lose my taste for it to a certain degree. It was the same with salt. Things with a lot of sugar in them seem a lot sweeter than they used to.0 -
As a vegetarian, I've found that when i'm craving sugar, it's really just my body needing protein. Having quick, pre-made protein snacks readily available really helps.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Conclusion of above article from American Heart Association:
The studies above, taken in total, indicate that high sugar intake should be avoided. Sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide calories. To improve the overall nutrient density of the diet and to help reduce the intake of excess calories, individuals should be sure foods high in added sugar are not displacing foods with essential nutrients or increasing calorie intake.
Exactly it's about excess calories and overweight
Now fair enough if cutting down on sugar means you are hitting your calorie goals and nutritional requirements
But sugar does not cause high blood cholesterol
Unless somebody has info that proves otherwise I'm sticking with the advice to lower trans and sat fats and lose weight
Lowering sugar can lower triglyceride levels, which is part of our total blood cholesterols levels.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/triglycerides/art-20048186?pg=2
Avoid sugary and refined foods. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour, can increase triglycerides.
Direct causation or through obesity? I think that's an "empty calories" argument and whilst I clearly have no issue with people reducing sugar in order to eat more nutritious diet within a decent calorie goal I do think we shouldn't muddy the water by inferring direct causation from one food to an end result without considering the weight impact
It risks focusing on individual foods rather than overall diet
I'm all for overall diet balance and against specific food demonisation because it is partly the demonisation of food groups / foods in my own personal experience that kept me fat for decades
I think it's likely a direct cause. Thin people with poor diets often have high cholesterol.
Being aware of how certain foods affect our health is not about "demonizing" foods. It's about learning how to eat for health.
Yes thin people can have high cholesterol and science has provided a link with sat fats and trans fat to high blood cholesterol, also of course the genetic predisposition and other factors. I'm just saying I haven't seen similar research on sugar to blood cholesterol ...so please provide the peer reviewed research so that we can all learn. I would happily read and change my current thinking.
I agree on the importance learning about how to eat for overall nutritional balance, but believe it important to differentiate that from unproven links. There is enough that has valued research and future investment in research
I truly believe that people should go with the best science has to offer us at the present time, keep an eye on how the research is moving ...and avoid all the fads and media exposes for our maximum health
The more we can destroy the multi million health and fitness industry of woo and derp (oh yes I used those words) the better
Saturated fat has been 'demonized' for decades, why is that ok for you to repeat this without actual real science?
What is already known on this topic
Contrary to prevailing dietary advice, authors of a recent systematic review and meta-analyses claim that there is no excess cardiovascular risk associated with intake of saturated fat, and the US has recently taken policy action to remove partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from its food supply
Population health guidelines require a careful review and assessment of the evidence of harms of these nutrients, with a focus on replacement nutrients
What this study adds
This study reviewed prospective observational studies and assessed the certainty of the associations with GRADE methods
There was no association between saturated fats and health outcomes in studies where saturated fat generally replaced refined carbohydrates, but there was a positive association between total trans fatty acids and health outcomes
Dietary guidelines for saturated and trans fatty acids must carefully consider the effect of replacement nutrients
http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h39780 -
From American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars-Add-to-Your-Risk-of-Dying-from-Heart-Disease_UCM_460319_Article.jsp#.VrkA9oQ-CT8
Getting too much added sugar in your diet could significantly increase your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in April 2014.
According to the study published in JAMA: Internal Medicine, those who got 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed 8 percent of their calories from added sugar. The study factored in some sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics such as age, ethnicity, level of schooling, smoking, medication use, and others. The relative risk was more than double for those who consumed 21 percent or more of their calories from added sugar.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they’re processed or prepared.
Please go to http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573 for more info of the study that was published in the Journal American Medicine Association, An international peer-reviewed general medical journal.
To clarify article not about healthy carbs such as fruits, beans, starchy vegetables.0 -
From American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars-Add-to-Your-Risk-of-Dying-from-Heart-Disease_UCM_460319_Article.jsp#.VrkA9oQ-CT8
Getting too much added sugar in your diet could significantly increase your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in April 2014.
According to the study published in JAMA: Internal Medicine, those who got 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed 8 percent of their calories from added sugar. The study factored in some sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics such as age, ethnicity, level of schooling, smoking, medication use, and others. The relative risk was more than double for those who consumed 21 percent or more of their calories from added sugar.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they’re processed or prepared.
Please go to http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573 for more info of the study that was published in the Journal American Medicine Association, An international peer-reviewed general medical journal.
To clarify article not about healthy carbs such as fruits, beans, starchy vegetables.
The problem is that excess added sugar is, of course, associated with excess weight and excess weight is associated with cardiovascular disease. This doesn't answer the question of whether excess added sugar would be associated with cardiovascular disease when controlling for weight. (I'm open to the idea it is, and try not to eat excess added sugar myself, on average, for a variety of reasons, but this does not answer that question.)
Edit: actually I see they tried to control for that, but there remain some lingering issues worthy of further study, including the fact that they have to rely on the NHANES, which isn't all that accurate (and the study acknowledges the shortcomings).
Another interesting bit is that the higher added sugar levels are found in those with lots of other risk factors (like low activity, poor overall diet) and, interestingly, non-white persons. Why that's interesting is (a) of course there are other factors relating to what is already known to be a higher tendency to CVD, AND (b) some other studies suggest that African Americans may be more honest in these types of studies (for example, it appears that the assessments of obesity rate by state are off because African Americans are less apt to lie about their weights, on average). As a result, the midwest may actually be fatter than the south, despite prior reporting to the contrary. So if AA's are more inclined to CVD and also admit to sugar intake more readily than other groups, that would distort the study. These things are always so hard to figure out, although I certainly see no reason not to just focus on what we know is a nutrient-rich, sensible diet anyway, which would mean limiting added sugar.
Also, sat fat of course has the same association. See also: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/study-saturated-fat-as-ba_b_5507184.html and http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2014/03/19/dietary-fat-and-heart-disease-study-is-seriously-misleading/ and http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-fats/
Walter Willett:Saturated fat is less healthy, since it raises “bad” cholesterol in the blood. We can’t completely eliminate saturated fat from our diets, though, because foods that are rich in healthy fats also contain a little bit of saturated fat. The best strategy is to limit foods that are very high in saturated fat, such as butter, cheese, and red meat, and replace them with foods that are high in healthy fats, such as plant oils, nuts, and fish. An alternative approach is to just use a very small amount of full-fat cheese, butter, cream, or red meat in dishes that emphasize plant foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.0 -
As a vegetarian, I've found that when i'm craving sugar, it's really just my body needing protein. Having quick, pre-made protein snacks readily available really helps.
You hit the nail on the head. We rarely ate meat at our house for many years and I had HUGE sugar cravings. Making sure I get enough protein every day (I aim for 20% of calories) has wiped out those cravings.
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longlostsea wrote: »Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?
As an ovo-lacto vegetarian, I found I routinely went above MFP's default goal for sugar - usually substantially over - just via the inherent sugar in no-sugar-added dairy and fruit (at non-ridiculous fruit consumption, like around 3 servings a day, none of them juice). The only added sugar I was eating then was a tablespoon of all-fruit spread to sweeten my oatmeal (it has a bit of apple juice concentrate in it, which is added sugar). (Yes folks, this is accurate. I'm very aware of food ingredients, and eat mostly one-ingredient foods I prepare myself.)
What did I do about going over MFP's default sugar goal? I stopped including sugar on my diary display, and replaced it with a column for tracking fiber.
In your case, if the problem is an attachment to sweets that aren't very nutrient dense (cookies, candy, cake, etc.), this is something I had adjusted in my own eating well before losing weight. Everyone's different, but what helped me was consciously trying to increase my whole-fruit consumption to about 3 servings per day. That helped me reduce my cravings for less-nutrient-dense sweets. I may eat less fruit than that on average now, but it got me over the habit/cravings hump at a point in time. Now, heading into maintenance weight, I still eat very little added sugar.
I had high cholesterol, too: In late 2014, my cholesterol was 230, and my triglycerides were 193. In late 2015, 54 pounds down, my cholesterol was 176 and my triglycerides 82 - solidly in the normal range. HDL was up from 45 to 65, ratio down from 5.1 to 2.7, LDL down from 146 to 95, VLDL down from 39 to 16.
I had brought my levels down a bit by changing what I ate without losing weight (in early 213, they were cholesterol 253 / triglycerides 402!). But weight loss was what really brought the blood-test results . . . and lots of other improvements, too.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Conclusion of above article from American Heart Association:
The studies above, taken in total, indicate that high sugar intake should be avoided. Sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide calories. To improve the overall nutrient density of the diet and to help reduce the intake of excess calories, individuals should be sure foods high in added sugar are not displacing foods with essential nutrients or increasing calorie intake.
Exactly it's about excess calories and overweight
Now fair enough if cutting down on sugar means you are hitting your calorie goals and nutritional requirements
But sugar does not cause high blood cholesterol
Unless somebody has info that proves otherwise I'm sticking with the advice to lower trans and sat fats and lose weight
Lowering sugar can lower triglyceride levels, which is part of our total blood cholesterols levels.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/triglycerides/art-20048186?pg=2
Avoid sugary and refined foods. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour, can increase triglycerides.
Direct causation or through obesity? I think that's an "empty calories" argument and whilst I clearly have no issue with people reducing sugar in order to eat more nutritious diet within a decent calorie goal I do think we shouldn't muddy the water by inferring direct causation from one food to an end result without considering the weight impact
It risks focusing on individual foods rather than overall diet
I'm all for overall diet balance and against specific food demonisation because it is partly the demonisation of food groups / foods in my own personal experience that kept me fat for decades
I think it's likely a direct cause. Thin people with poor diets often have high cholesterol.
Being aware of how certain foods affect our health is not about "demonizing" foods. It's about learning how to eat for health.
Yes thin people can have high cholesterol and science has provided a link with sat fats and trans fat to high blood cholesterol, also of course the genetic predisposition and other factors. I'm just saying I haven't seen similar research on sugar to blood cholesterol ...so please provide the peer reviewed research so that we can all learn. I would happily read and change my current thinking.
I agree on the importance learning about how to eat for overall nutritional balance, but believe it important to differentiate that from unproven links. There is enough that has valued research and future investment in research
I truly believe that people should go with the best science has to offer us at the present time, keep an eye on how the research is moving ...and avoid all the fads and media exposes for our maximum health
The more we can destroy the multi million health and fitness industry of woo and derp (oh yes I used those words) the better
Saturated fat has been 'demonized' for decades, why is that ok for you to repeat this without actual real science?
What is already known on this topic
Contrary to prevailing dietary advice, authors of a recent systematic review and meta-analyses claim that there is no excess cardiovascular risk associated with intake of saturated fat, and the US has recently taken policy action to remove partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from its food supply
Population health guidelines require a careful review and assessment of the evidence of harms of these nutrients, with a focus on replacement nutrients
What this study adds
This study reviewed prospective observational studies and assessed the certainty of the associations with GRADE methods
There was no association between saturated fats and health outcomes in studies where saturated fat generally replaced refined carbohydrates, but there was a positive association between total trans fatty acids and health outcomes
Dietary guidelines for saturated and trans fatty acids must carefully consider the effect of replacement nutrients
http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h3978
That's an interesting meta analysis...thanks for the link I look forward to delving in
I think you misread the conclusion though it says the evidence re sat fats is not uniform
"Conclusions Saturated fats are not associated with all cause mortality, CVD, CHD, ischemic stroke, or type 2 diabetes, but the evidence is heterogeneous with methodological limitations. Trans fats are associated with all cause mortality, total CHD, and CHD mortality, probably because of higher levels of intake of industrial trans fats than ruminant trans fats. Dietary guidelines must carefully consider the health effects of recommendations for alternative macronutrients to replace trans fats and saturated fats."0 -
I am sugar agnostic. I just don't love it personally. I eat 3-4 veggies to every single serving of fruit. My favorite fruits are tomatoes & avocados. I make my own salad dressings, pasta sauces, enchilada sauces, sloppy joe base, etc from scratch because lots of stupid sugars lurk in commercially prepared versions. If I want a dessert I generally go for very dark chocolate. Just those little things alone keep my sugars low without really trying. Yes, I do eat birthday cake, holiday pie and an occasional scoop of ice cream. But most days I don't even think about them. Oh, I love a diet soda now and again. But even my favorite diet soda, Coke Zero, is known for being less sweet than average.
ALL of this. I especially like the veggie: fruit rule. 10-a-day does not mean 9 fruits and one veggie...really, we should be aiming for something closer to the opposite.
It's really not too challenging if you cook from scratch. In years of tracking, I think that I've only gone over the sugar recommendation once.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »To answer the original question, what I did was eat less and be more mindful of high cal sweets I was eating. By my fattest I was just eating whatever sweet (or other extra food) showed up at my office, with the idea that I was stressed and deserved it or even "if it's there, I should eat it." (Sugar wasn't really my main issue, but I was still eating too much stuff without thinking about how it added up.) I still eat stuff like ice cream, but now only in a planned way -- a sensible amount after dinner or instead, maybe a bit of high quality chocolate (or some cheese instead) -- and don't eat food I don't even care much about just because it's there. When food shows up at work, I eat it only if I judge it worth the calories and as a trade-off with something else (like the ice cream after dinner).
I am not concerned about sugar from fruit, veg, or dairy. I'd only stress about fruit if I was eating so much I was going over calories or not getting enough protein or vegetables.
Beyond that, I looked at my sugar total and what it came from. Mine is usually fine (based on what I'm looking for), but if it were surprisingly high on a regular basis I'd look at what it was from and lower my consumption of those foods, if I thought the sugar/cals were too high. I usually don't get much so-called hidden sugar, but I know granola bars and the like can have a bunch and sometimes people don't realize it (although they are sweet, so it seems unsurprising).
On the whole, for the question "how to lower X" I think MFP provides an easy way -- see where it's coming from and what you are willing to eat less of or substitute for something else, what's not really worth it or just an unthinking choice.
Thanks for the response! I have the same problem with too much goodies at work.. and a vending machine
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Your wrong about this. Sugar is implicated in heart disease. If we lower our roaming glucose we reduce damage to our arteries which cause inflammation. Then cholesterol passes cleanly through the arteries. Look into LCHF or ketogenic diet. Cut all sugar and most carbs. After the initial addiction withdrawal period the sweet cravings disappear. I have been ketogenic for aprox 2 months. I was 189. Now 168. I am diabetic but no longer taking meds because my blood sugars are always level. No ups ups and downs=no sugar/carb crashes=no sugar/carb cravings=reduced hunger and appetite.0 -
Your wrong about this. Sugar is implicated in heart disease. If we lower our roaming glucose we reduce damage to our arteries which cause inflammation. Then cholesterol passes cleanly through the arteries. Look into LCHF or ketogenic diet. Cut all sugar and most carbs. After the initial addiction withdrawal period the sweet cravings disappear. I have been ketogenic for aprox 2 months. I was 189. Now 168. I am diabetic but no longer taking meds because my blood sugars are always level. No ups ups and downs=no sugar/carb crashes=no sugar/carb cravings=reduced hunger and appetite.
Interesting. I googled, and found "New Evidence Of How High Glucose Damages Blood Vessels Could Lead To New Treatments" in Science Daily, but this refers only to diabetics (whose blood glucose levels are no longer being promptly reduced by insulin). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511140951.htm
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longlostsea wrote: »Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?
Now that I eat more protein, fruit, and fiber, and less baked goods, my sweet tooth is under control. I budget for one or two Ghiradelli chocolate squares after dinner.0 -
lexylondon wrote: »What's given me the drive to help REDUCE my sugar intake is knowing what it does for ageing. Particularly the skin. See: glycation. That is my biggest driver.
Ew it evens sounds gross
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I agree that as long as you are eating healthy and exercising and not storing fat, obese, not having high blood glucose levels or triglycerides then you are good. There are a lot of "articles" out there about glycation and aging and there is a lot of research from biochemists and physicians about glycation that you could look at too.
Thanks for the info. I did not know anything about that! I'll look more into it0 -
I make my own yogurt with no added sweeteners. Store-bought yogurts usually are filled with sugar, unless you buy plain.
I drink my coffee and my tea black. No sweeteners. And no milk, because there are quite a lot of natural sugars in milk. It was hard at first, but after 2 weeks of forcing myself to drink it black, now I just love it that way. I love having a "treat" that is zero calorie and completely guilt free. Brewing and drinking my black coffee is a sacred ritual to me that I crave now instead of sugar.
I have had a massive sweet tooth all my life and was/am majorly addicted to sugar. Whole30 changed that for me. Google it. Do it. It is soooo worth it and the only thing I've ever done that slayed the sugar monster for me.
When I crave something sweet I either have a cinnamon tea (no sweetener), a Larabar, or a piece of fruit.
Artificial and zero calorie sweeteners and even natural sweeteners like stevia or agave or honey just feed your sugar addiction. It's super hard at first to get over the cravings, but Whole30 will change your life and your relationship with food and your body and your health. Learning to eat sufficient protein and healthy fats and only natural carbs found in fruits and vegetables will cure you of your sugar addiction without feeling deprived. But be prepared for lots of prep and cooking. It's definitely an adjustment. But I can't recommend it enough.0 -
chrissymfred wrote: »I have been gradually reducing my sugar over a number of years. It began with reducing pre packaged foods, although my goal had zero to do with sugar! Next I cut way back on fast foods and eating out. This was helped because I moved somewhere that is very small town, only fast food is a dq. Then about two years ago I quit drinking Mountain Dew, but I switched it out for sunny d. The sunny d was better than the Mountain Dew, and I drank less of it.
During this time, over the years I cut back big time on candy and sweets. I wasn't trying to, I just think the pop was handling it fine. I drank a lot of pop, it was my biggest source of calories.
Then I quit smoking last spring, and my sugar cravings went through the roof! I gained 25 pounds in two months, the same twenty five I had slowly lost over the past two years! Ugh! But even worse, I started feeling sick, and disconnected from my body, it is hard to explain. So then I began researching sugar, and started paying attention to how it made me feel.
Then I got mfp and it tracks the sugar....this was a great help for me! Something about that just clicked for me and now foods are judged to be worthy or not of my goals for daily sugar.
I drink a little lemonade, and still drink my coffee with sugar(though I am reducing it slowly) and have sweet desserts sometimes. The pop and the sunny d are gone. I do eat fruit, and some have more sugar than others.
I have found that for me I feel so much better with a lower sugar diet. I set my goal for 45 grams a day, but I usually get in the 50s and that is ok. This past weekend I had more sugar, and I don't feel so good today. But this is just my own experience! Once I got below about 60 grams a day I quit needing aspirin or Benadryl. I am chronically ill, and have taken aspirin for years and now I don't even think about it. I never set out to quit taking aspirin, I just don't need it anymore.
For me, awareness is key. Once I started paying close attention the rest fell into place. Also I am in for the long haul to getting better so I don't pressure myself or get too extreme. Just going in the right direction as much as I can.
A few weeks ago I measured out the sugar in a bottle of Mountain Dew, I think it was five tablespoons or 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon. I used to drink at least two of those a day! I measured it out onto a plate, one bottle then two. Wow! That really gave me a hands on understanding of the amount of sugar I used to consume. That was just the pop! It was an eye opener and a motivator.
If I want the sweet I just allot the calories and have it, but I do try to stay within my goal range for the most part. Fruit has replaced sugary drinks, but overall it is less sugar.
Aw man that is insane how much sugar they put in those drinks! My main thirst quencher is coffee..... hah
I hear you on the struggle with quitting smoking! I quit 3 years ago and that is when I gained most of the weight pretty quickly! I quit cold turkey.
Congratulations on how far you've come and best wishes on your health!0 -
abysmalbeauty wrote: »Probably not the easiest method but I did a whole 30 where i did not eat any foods with added sugars for 30 days (plus other restrictions.) During that time I ate as much fruit as i wanted. Afterwards my taste buds had completely changed.
I used to prefer Hershey special dark which i believe is 55% sugar and now i prefer 85% chocolate. I find my previous favorite too be sickeningly sweet. I am also more aware of which foods contain added sugar which helps me make better choices... It's surprising once you look for it.
It's been over a year since I did this and my tastes for sweets have not reverted back. Something to consider possibly.
Maybe I will try it. I cut down on salt too and I found that the saltiest foods i used to love are iiickk0 -
I was pre-diabetic and diabetic for many years and did all the things listed above to reduce added sugars in my diet. I still gained weight, however. I still had high cholesterol (for a diabetic).
Blood sugars, blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol went down when I lost a significant amount of weight, which came about by reducing how much good food I was eating.
If you can do it I can!
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There is none that I have been able to find
If you bring the concept that there is then prove it. Because it is not a belief held by diabetes UK or the NHS or any other official body
And the Mayo clinic link says
"What's the best way to lower triglycerides?
Healthy lifestyle choices are key:
Lose weight. If you're overweight, losing 5 to 10 pounds can help lower your triglycerides. Motivate yourself by focusing on the benefits of losing weight, such as more energy and improved health.
Cut back on calories. Remember that extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat. Reducing your calories will reduce triglycerides.
Avoid sugary and refined foods. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour, can increase triglycerides."
You infer a direct causation that should be available from the core body of research. I infer that sugary and refined foods are high calorific items which feeds into the second point and then in turn the first point
Anyway I have to go out in the current gale to the gym which I don't wanna do
But calories count
You guys made me curious and I found this one
Its quite a bit of
reading,
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/mobile/article.aspx?articleid=1819573&resultClick=10 -
longlostsea wrote: »Hello just wondering what changes any sugar lovers out there have made to lower their sugar intake?
I have a sweet tooth so to speak and have high chloresterol, and have been reading that it may contribute a bit to that. So as well as a healthier diet and more excersize I want to watch my sugars as well. I'm not sure about lowering the amount of fruit I eat because of nutrient content + I am a vegetarian.
Opinions? Methods?
I've had to severely limit my sugar intake due to being pre-diabetic. I'm not sure about sugars effect on high cholesterol but I can help with lowering sugar.
There's a few good videos on youtube about what sugar/glucose does to your body (I'm at work or I'd link it) so I'd start with looking those up and watching them. All carbs break down into glucose in your body. If you're eating a lot of carbs plus adding sugar to those carbs (ex: toast with jam), PLUS eating fruit, then having a glass of OJ with it you'd be eating more sugar than you realize. For most people it's completely fine to have an apple or an orange for a snack, but if your eating a sandwich with PB+jam, potatoes, rice, glasses of juice or pop, plus a bunch of fruit it really adds up. Log everything you're eating into MFP, even condiments like ketchup or relish and you'll see how much you're eating every day.
If you're not eating low carb, choose the healthiest carbs possible with lots of fiber, like oatmeal, to keep you full and you can top it with a handful of berries. Be careful about selecting bread because even bread has hidden sugar/HFCS. Choose one that's high in fiber, for ex I had some that was "sprouted" bread that was under 18g of carbs (example: http://www.foodforlife.com/product/breads/7-sprouted-grains-bread). You'll quickly learn to read labels.
As far as what I'd eat instead I'd load up on more veggies and save fruit/honey as a topping, snack or a treat. Strip out all the high fructose corn syrups and any added sugars from your meals. For veggies I eat cauliflower (baked or whipped into mock "potatoes"), broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, green beans, zucchini (spiraled as "noodles"), romaine lettuce etc. If I want chocolate I choose the darkest chocolate I can find so I don't overeat it. Lindt makes one that's 90%.
Very helpful thank you.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »From American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars-Add-to-Your-Risk-of-Dying-from-Heart-Disease_UCM_460319_Article.jsp#.VrkA9oQ-CT8
Getting too much added sugar in your diet could significantly increase your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in April 2014.
According to the study published in JAMA: Internal Medicine, those who got 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed 8 percent of their calories from added sugar. The study factored in some sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics such as age, ethnicity, level of schooling, smoking, medication use, and others. The relative risk was more than double for those who consumed 21 percent or more of their calories from added sugar.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they’re processed or prepared.
Please go to http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573 for more info of the study that was published in the Journal American Medicine Association, An international peer-reviewed general medical journal.
To clarify article not about healthy carbs such as fruits, beans, starchy vegetables.
The problem is that excess added sugar is, of course, associated with excess weight and excess weight is associated with cardiovascular disease. This doesn't answer the question of whether excess added sugar would be associated with cardiovascular disease when controlling for weight. (I'm open to the idea it is, and try not to eat excess added sugar myself, on average, for a variety of reasons, but this does not answer that question.)
Edit: actually I see they tried to control for that, but there remain some lingering issues worthy of further study, including the fact that they have to rely on the NHANES, which isn't all that accurate (and the study acknowledges the shortcomings).
Another interesting bit is that the higher added sugar levels are found in those with lots of other risk factors (like low activity, poor overall diet) and, interestingly, non-white persons. Why that's interesting is (a) of course there are other factors relating to what is already known to be a higher tendency to CVD, AND (b) some other studies suggest that African Americans may be more honest in these types of studies (for example, it appears that the assessments of obesity rate by state are off because African Americans are less apt to lie about their weights, on average). As a result, the midwest may actually be fatter than the south, despite prior reporting to the contrary. So if AA's are more inclined to CVD and also admit to sugar intake more readily than other groups, that would distort the study. These things are always so hard to figure out, although I certainly see no reason not to just focus on what we know is a nutrient-rich, sensible diet anyway, which would mean limiting added sugar.
Also, sat fat of course has the same association. See also: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/study-saturated-fat-as-ba_b_5507184.html and http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2014/03/19/dietary-fat-and-heart-disease-study-is-seriously-misleading/ and http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-fats/
Walter Willett:Saturated fat is less healthy, since it raises “bad” cholesterol in the blood. We can’t completely eliminate saturated fat from our diets, though, because foods that are rich in healthy fats also contain a little bit of saturated fat. The best strategy is to limit foods that are very high in saturated fat, such as butter, cheese, and red meat, and replace them with foods that are high in healthy fats, such as plant oils, nuts, and fish. An alternative approach is to just use a very small amount of full-fat cheese, butter, cream, or red meat in dishes that emphasize plant foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
Yes I think its a combination of bad habits all of which I am trying to break. I want to combat this thing from all angles.
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