what do you do to lower your sugar intake?
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Cookies?
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Gianfranco_R wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Apples: 1 medium apple has 95 calories, and 12.6 grams of fructose. You would have to eat 2-1/2 apples to get to 240 calories and still have half the amount of sugar.
My favorite example, from my own recipe box:
One of my chocolate chip cookies: 206 calories, 14 grams of sugar (sucrose, as I don't cook with HFCS).
150 g apple: 78 calories, 16 grams of sugar (a mix of fructose, sucrose, and glucose)
Yes, the chocolate chip cookie will be harder for me not to overeat. Depending on what else I've had in my day, the apple may add more nutrients I need (probably not, though, given how I tend to eat) and has more fiber. Neither is necessarily more filling, as it really depends (this is for me, as I can find a cookie filling). The biggest advantage the apple has, of course, is that it has many fewer calories.
But, of course, the cookie has fewer calories from sugar (and fructose). It has a lot more calories from butter.
Focusing on the differences between the sugars, vs. the differences between the foods makes no sense at all to me.
And if someone ate lots of cookies and no fruit and asked how to decrease their sugar consumption, I'd say "eat fewer cookies and consider whether some other sources of sweetness (although they do have sugar, of course) might work for you and lead to less overeating, like fruit." But that's because I don't think the issue is so much sugar but control and calories.
weight of the cookies?
I don't have them broken up by weight, but by # per batch. 206 calories should give you a good idea of the size, though.
Calories from (and likely main sources of): 13 grams of fat (butter, eggs, chocolate), 2 grams of protein (eggs, flour), 22 grams of carbs (flour, sugar, chocolate), 14 g sugar (sugar, chocolate). More fat than carbs. Chips are semi-sweet.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Apples: 1 medium apple has 95 calories, and 12.6 grams of fructose. You would have to eat 2-1/2 apples to get to 240 calories and still have half the amount of sugar.
My favorite example, from my own recipe box:
One of my chocolate chip cookies: 206 calories, 14 grams of sugar (sucrose, as I don't cook with HFCS).
150 g apple: 78 calories, 16 grams of sugar (a mix of fructose, sucrose, and glucose)
Yes, the chocolate chip cookie will be harder for me not to overeat. Depending on what else I've had in my day, the apple may add more nutrients I need (probably not, though, given how I tend to eat) and has more fiber. Neither is necessarily more filling, as it really depends (this is for me, as I can find a cookie filling). The biggest advantage the apple has, of course, is that it has many fewer calories.
But, of course, the cookie has fewer calories from sugar (and fructose). It has a lot more calories from butter.
Focusing on the differences between the sugars, vs. the differences between the foods makes no sense at all to me.
And if someone ate lots of cookies and no fruit and asked how to decrease their sugar consumption, I'd say "eat fewer cookies and consider whether some other sources of sweetness (although they do have sugar, of course) might work for you and lead to less overeating, like fruit." But that's because I don't think the issue is so much sugar but control and calories.
Interesting comparison. You state that "neither is more filling", although you qualify it with "this is for me". An apple alone rarely satisfies me, I usually end up grabbing a few nuts to go with it. But for me, cookies are more like an appetite stimulant than a food that satisfies. Looking at how much filling fat there is in your cookies, and given that there is actually less sugar, this doesn't make sense. Maybe it's the lack of fibre? The speed with which glucose enters my blood?
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To lower your cholesterol eat oatmeal.
To lower the sugar:
- one or two servings of fruit per day, if you need more vitamins start taking multi-vitamins supps (ask your doctor first). Fruit is sugar
- don't drink your fruit, eat it
- drink lots of water, it will help with the cravings
- eat leafy greens, it will help with the cravings
- don't use salad dressings, full of hidden sugar
- avoid eating too much white potato, grains and rice, it convert to sugar. Sweet potato is better
- eat veggies with high protein like mushroom, high protein diet decrease cravings
- if you eat dairy better to avoid it, it's sugar
- most ready food, canned food, packaged food have hidden sugar, make your own at home
Hope this helps!
Thanks for your suggestions. That is helpful!0 -
cafeaulait7 wrote: »I found a few studies, but I'm not diving into all that while we're discussing the fructose-sucrose thing or anything like certain researchers that might get the thread closed, because I hate writing up science posts and then having the thread missing!
But one key question, imho, is whether your lipids are already higher than you like. Metabolism of sugar can certainly affect that, but if someone has no biomarkers for those sorts of problems other than being overfat**, I'm not sure the advice is the same. OTOH, cutting down on added sugar or higher levels of carbs should never make anyone feel silly/guilty. It's a fine thing to do if you like anyway. Carbs are special like that.
But fruits offer so many amazing benefits, particularly to cardiovascular health btw, that I will lean towards telling everyone to eat some fruit of different colors. I can't help it!
**Is your waistline in a dangerous risk zone? How is your blood pressure, and insulin resistance? Any genetic problems regarding high lipids running in your family?
Thanks! To the last statement yes everything sucks! I'm 5' 187lbs my blood pressure is creeping up and I already have a superficial clot in my leg that is incredibly annoying.
Not sure about insulin but diabetes and heart disease run in my family.
Overall I I think lowering sugar would benefit my current predicament as I am also lowering calories and trying to excersize more, while eating steel cut oats most days. I also agree that a few servings of fruits a day is a benefit.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »What do you have to say in response to the two David Katz articles that I linked and quoted, that directly discuss this issue?
Wiki on Katz: David L. Katz (born 20 February 1963 in Los Angeles, California) is a nutritionist and the founding director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University, as well as an associate professor of public health practice at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2005, Katz was appointed the associate director for nutrition science at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.
I would want to know what association Dr Katz (and Yale) have with the International Sugar Association and what kind of money they have given him (or yale) to produce his studies.0 -
cross2bear wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »What do you have to say in response to the two David Katz articles that I linked and quoted, that directly discuss this issue?
Wiki on Katz: David L. Katz (born 20 February 1963 in Los Angeles, California) is a nutritionist and the founding director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University, as well as an associate professor of public health practice at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2005, Katz was appointed the associate director for nutrition science at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.
I would want to know what association Dr Katz (and Yale) have with the International Sugar Association and what kind of money they have given him (or yale) to produce his studies.
Seriously?0 -
cafeaulait7 wrote: »Yeah, my endocrinologist wanted to put me on statins for my triglycerides and that completely freaked me out, because I really watch my balance of types of fat and had never had lipid issues before. At the same time my blood sugars had gone pre-diabetic for several months at that point. I didn't need to lose more weight, but I had just lost weight recently.
Just from cutting down on carbs to control my blood sugars, my triglycerides got great
I didn't change anything else at that point. I had read about the research on triglycerides and diabetes and metabolic syndrome, so it wasn't a huge surprise, but it was still a pleasant one.
I haven't read all the studies posted in this thread, but yes, scientists have been studying for a while now the effect of blood glucose on lipid problems. It's frequently discussed regarding 'metabolic syndrome', which usually includes overfat folks, but I have read studies that controlled even better for weight than most. I'll try to find a couple tomorrow, maybe.
Unfortunately the titles don't always hint that they used normal-weight subjects, so you have to wade through the plethora of studies that control for weight in ways but don't always investigate normal-weight folks as study groups. Metabolic syndrome is pretty darned important on its own, though, so even if it is extra weight that is causing sugar metabolism to be wonky, I think it matters. (And BTW, that's where a lot of research seems to lead: that weight problems can disrupt more systems than they previously thought. The issue of normal-weight folks also having to have the problem is indeed a separate question.)
Anyway, I do fit the normal-weight category nicely as a case study But I have hyperglycemia, so that explains my triglyceride problem right there and doesn't indicate that someone not getting blood sugar problems would see the benefit I did from reducing carbs. Dunno about that 
Thats interesting!0 -
I've cut down on my sugar intake by reducing my overall caloric intake. Now that I don't eat as much overall, I'm pretty much forced to lower my sugar intake. I personally don't even track sugar.
However, judging from the fact that this thread has gone on for 5 pages, I have a feeling that this answer will be lost on many and you all will keep arguing about how sugar is going to kill us all.
I'll be over here enjoying my chocolate biscotti that I will be fitting into my daily goals.0 -
P.S. Just took a quick look at your diary. Your mileage may vary, because satiation & cravings seem to behave very differently for everyone . . . but if I ate as little protein as you often do, I would be having mad cravings for all kinds of things. (NB: I'm vegetarian, too, though ovo/lacto, so I'm not looking for 1g/lb bodyweight as some do . . . but you've got some days in there with only 20-30g, while getting a hearty level of exercise!)
Eeep!
Yes this is definitely something i need to work on as well 0 -
Sugar is implicated in triglycerides. Eat fewer processed foods and eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice. Don't add sugar to anything. Your sweet tooth might disappear if you don't cater to it.
It isn't necessary to give up all added sugar in order to control triglycerides. Lowering added sugar is not the same as cutting out added sugar. And regular exercise goes a long way to improving lipid profiles.
Just eat sensibly. Nothing wrong with sugary treats but it's usually best if they don't comprise a large percentage of your diet. And stay active.0 -
longlostsea wrote: »P.S. Just took a quick look at your diary. Your mileage may vary, because satiation & cravings seem to behave very differently for everyone . . . but if I ate as little protein as you often do, I would be having mad cravings for all kinds of things. (NB: I'm vegetarian, too, though ovo/lacto, so I'm not looking for 1g/lb bodyweight as some do . . . but you've got some days in there with only 20-30g, while getting a hearty level of exercise!)
Eeep! Yes this is definitely something i need to work on as well
Unless you're a cat. Then in that case, you're doing just fine.0 -
Yes, seriously.
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Mapalicious wrote: »OMG i'm such a sugar-holic. But I've lost 125 lbs and kept it off (mostly w/in 20 lb range) for 8 years.
First of all, there are many things I had to learn that have more sugar than you'd imagine:- Yogurt that isn't plain
- Ketchup
- Salad dressings (sometimes...especially the 'fat free' ones - make your own)
- Wine & beer
- Almost ANYTHING "lowfat" or "nonfat" (then conversely, many "sugar free" things are packed with carbs)
- Some brands of peanut butter (go all-natural!)
- BBQ sauce
- Protein bars
- Most non-dairy milk
- Chinese food (most)
- Dried cranberries (really any dried fruit, but dried cranberries have a CRAP ton)
- Energy drinks (and soda, of course)
- Pasta sauce (sad but mostly true)
- Granola (HOLY COW, SO MUCH SUGAR!)
- Store-bought cole slaw
- FRUIT JUICE - this stuff is often just as bad as soda and we give it to our kids & it rots their teeth.
Second, you can get nutrients from things other than fruit. Go, veggies!
Third, if my sweet tooth gets out of hand, I do a 5-10 day no-added-sugar extravaganza.
Basically, I "re-set" my tastebuds & body (totally scientific term here, guys) so that I don't crave sugar anymore. It's amazing how well it works. My general rules are NO artificial sweetener, NO sweetener in tea or coffee, NO juice, soda, wine, beer, LOW or NONE of most of the items listed above. I might have a couple raisins every other evening so I get a bit of sweetness. I highly recommend it It certainly won't hurt - and at the very least you'll see how much your habits are based around high-sugar things, if you have to think twice about it!
As I have been recently paying more attention to my sugar I noticed... like you with the cranberries,
what the heck is the point of adding sugar to dried fruit?! Why do they do that to us.
I might try your sugar reset. Someone else suggested a 30 day similar plan.
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Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »I've cut down on my sugar intake by reducing my overall caloric intake. Now that I don't eat as much overall, I'm pretty much forced to lower my sugar intake. I personally don't even track sugar.
However, judging from the fact that this thread has gone on for 5 pages, I have a feeling that this answer will be lost on many and you all will keep arguing about how sugar is going to kill us all.
I'll be over here enjoying my chocolate biscotti that I will be fitting into my daily goals.
Hahahaha i hear ya. Thanks for your input.
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stevencloser wrote: »cross2bear wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »What do you have to say in response to the two David Katz articles that I linked and quoted, that directly discuss this issue?
Wiki on Katz: David L. Katz (born 20 February 1963 in Los Angeles, California) is a nutritionist and the founding director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University, as well as an associate professor of public health practice at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2005, Katz was appointed the associate director for nutrition science at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.
I would want to know what association Dr Katz (and Yale) have with the International Sugar Association and what kind of money they have given him (or yale) to produce his studies.
Seriously?
Yes, seriously - you have no idea how powerful the International Sugar Association is and what they can make happen.
This is an excellent documentary http://tvo.org/video/documentaries/sugar-coated
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Mapalicious wrote: »longlostsea wrote: »P.S. Just took a quick look at your diary. Your mileage may vary, because satiation & cravings seem to behave very differently for everyone . . . but if I ate as little protein as you often do, I would be having mad cravings for all kinds of things. (NB: I'm vegetarian, too, though ovo/lacto, so I'm not looking for 1g/lb bodyweight as some do . . . but you've got some days in there with only 20-30g, while getting a hearty level of exercise!)
Eeep! Yes this is definitely something i need to work on as well
Unless you're a cat. Then in that case, you're doing just fine.
Not cat. Haha0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Sugar is implicated in triglycerides. Eat fewer processed foods and eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice. Don't add sugar to anything. Your sweet tooth might disappear if you don't cater to it.
It isn't necessary to give up all added sugar in order to control triglycerides. Lowering added sugar is not the same as cutting out added sugar. And regular exercise goes a long way to improving lipid profiles.
Just eat sensibly. Nothing wrong with sugary treats but it's usually best if they don't comprise a large percentage of your diet. And stay active.
Thanks for your point of veiw!0
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