Sugar "Goal"

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Can anybody explain to me how MFP calculates it's sugar goal?

Sugar intake is most concerning to me in my weight loss, so I'm wondering what the recommended intake amount is, and why? Is MFP pretty accurate with that? What do you guys do?
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Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I don't track sugar at all. It doesn't impact your weight loss, in the end it's about the calorie intake. Unless you have a medical condition and NEED to track your sugar intake, I don't see why you'd bother. I always go over my sugar because I eat a lot of fruits so I don't bother looking at it anymore.
  • Marss86
    Marss86 Posts: 33 Member
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    I've been wondering about this too. I eat a lot of fruits and always go over my sugar. Not sure if I should try to limit it....
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring sugar is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar - and that is as in number of carbs consumed in one sitting.

    That's why I asked - why is sugar most concerning to you? To establish whether she believed there was a medical reason for monitoring.

    and I have to say that taking a percentage of Carbs as sugar seems both inaccurate and not how it works - pretty sure that user entered data includes sugar entry, but it's optional hence the sugar tracking is not really that accurate

    Of course as a goal sugar is customisable
  • coleg04
    coleg04 Posts: 126 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring sugar is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar - and that is as in number of carbs consumed in one sitting.

    That's why I asked - why is sugar most concerning to you? To establish whether she believed there was a medical reason for monitoring.

    and I have to say that taking a percentage of Carbs as sugar seems both inaccurate and not how it works - pretty sure that user entered data includes sugar entry, but it's optional hence the sugar tracking is not really that accurate

    Of course as a goal sugar is customisable

    Lol I certainly didn't mean to offend you, just wanted to correct your misinformation and hopefully educate you so you wouldn't comment on things you do not know about moving forward. Since your knowledge of the glycemic index seems limited to repeating what others say as if it were your own thoughts, I thought it was the right thing to do for OP. Anyway, good luck on your journey everyone!
  • coleg04
    coleg04 Posts: 126 Member
    edited July 2016
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    "No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar"


    Um... sugar is a carb :) You just incorrectly paraphrased what the moderator said above you. :wink:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2016
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    "No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar"


    Um... sugar is a carb :) You just incorrectly paraphrased what the moderator said above you. :wink:

    Yes, sugar is a carb, but diabetics still have to be concerned with other carbohydrates like starches due to the impact on blood glucose.

    It's why carbs > sugar when it comes to diabetes, IR and PCOS.
  • coleg04
    coleg04 Posts: 126 Member
    edited July 2016
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    psulemon wrote: »
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring carbs is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    FIFY... carbs, not just sugar are more of a concern.


    OP, you have to remember that MFP doesn't distinguish between natural and added sugar. If you are getting your sugar from natural sugars, and don't have a medical condition, I wouldn't stress it. If you have something like PCOS, diabetes, i would look to increase fats and decrease carb consumption. And if you do eat carbs, go for low GI fruits or low sugar veggies.

    Sugar is ABSOLUTELY a greater concern to diabetics. Other carbs are important, yes, but if you are diabetic a sugary food/drink can kill you a lot quicker than white bread.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring carbs is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    FIFY... carbs, not just sugar are more of a concern.


    OP, you have to remember that MFP doesn't distinguish between natural and added sugar. If you are getting your sugar from natural sugars, and don't have a medical condition, I wouldn't stress it. If you have something like PCOS, diabetes, i would look to increase fats and decrease carb consumption. And if you do eat carbs, go for low GI fruits or low sugar veggies.

    Sugar is ABSOLUTELY a greater concern to diabetics. Other carbs are important, yes, but if you are diabetic a sugary food/drink can kill you a lot quicker than white bread.

    So based on this, diabetics shouldn't worry about rice, potatoes, quinoa, legumes, or anything other non sugary high carb food because they have a lower GL?
  • coleg04
    coleg04 Posts: 126 Member
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    I just said other carbs are important. So yes, obviously they should worry. You simply stated what was MORE important.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring carbs is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    FIFY... carbs, not just sugar are more of a concern.


    OP, you have to remember that MFP doesn't distinguish between natural and added sugar. If you are getting your sugar from natural sugars, and don't have a medical condition, I wouldn't stress it. If you have something like PCOS, diabetes, i would look to increase fats and decrease carb consumption. And if you do eat carbs, go for low GI fruits or low sugar veggies.

    Sugar is ABSOLUTELY a greater concern to diabetics. Other carbs are important, yes, but if you are diabetic a sugary food/drink can kill you a lot quicker than white bread.

    Not really. At least not for me. For me, they are both bad.

    Sugar is sugar. Carbs are sugar, just really long chains of them, which in some cases, like for white bread, can be turned to sugar in your mouth before you even swallow it.

    For someone without diabetes, I would think a healthy sugar level would be from a couple of fruits per day, without other added sugars (beyond what naturally occurs in produce and dairy). For a diabetic, keeping sugars very low (I go with below 10g) is what i consider to be healthiest, along with keeping carbs low too.
  • shinycrazy
    shinycrazy Posts: 1,081 Member
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sugar is ABSOLUTELY a greater concern to diabetics. Other carbs are important, yes, but if you are diabetic a sugary food/drink can kill you a lot quicker than white bread.

    As a diabetic, I count carbs. I actually traded sugar out for fiber on my diary because I don't need to track sugar. Carbs are the only thing that matters for me, well and sugar alcohols because I don't care for them, so I don't eat much sugar free candy and the like. The carbs on regular werther's original and a sugar free ones are exactly the same per serving. They would have the same effect on my blood sugar.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring sugar is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    It would be nice to assume, but usually the specific reason is "everyone says sugar is evil and causes belly fat'
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    coleg04 wrote: »
    I just said other carbs are important. So yes, obviously they should worry. You simply stated what was MORE important.

    I would make the argument that tracking carbs is more important because if carbs are low, sugar will be too, but just because sugar is low, doesn't mean carbs will be. So why track two when tracking the carbs will provide a much greater impact.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2016
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    If you happen to be diabetic I strongly suggest you go back to basics and visit your primary medical team, because your knowledge, or at least the way you communicate, is lacking
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    coleg04 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or even insulin resistant monitoring sugar is HUGELY important. Based on her post I would imagine sugar intake is important to her for a specific reason.

    Now, to answer the question at hand, MFP calculates sugar intake by first using your macro-nutrient % for carbohydrates and from there allots a certain % of those carbohydrates as sugar. This is completely customizable under the goals section.

    No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar - and that is as in number of carbs consumed in one sitting.

    That's why I asked - why is sugar most concerning to you? To establish whether she believed there was a medical reason for monitoring.

    and I have to say that taking a percentage of Carbs as sugar seems both inaccurate and not how it works - pretty sure that user entered data includes sugar entry, but it's optional hence the sugar tracking is not really that accurate

    Of course as a goal sugar is customisable

    Lol I certainly didn't mean to offend you, just wanted to correct your misinformation and hopefully educate you so you wouldn't comment on things you do not know about moving forward. Since your knowledge of the glycemic index seems limited to repeating what others say as if it were your own thoughts, I thought it was the right thing to do for OP. Anyway, good luck on your journey everyone!


    Why would you think your misinformation would offend me? Concern me possible but I'm not offended so no need to apologise. Shall we compare knowledge of the glycemic index then?
    coleg04 wrote: »
    "No I'm sorry - but if you are diabetic then Carbs are HUGELY important - not sugar"


    Um... sugar is a carb :) You just incorrectly paraphrased what the moderator said above you. :wink:

    Yes sugar is a carb, as is starch and fibre ...I didn't paraphrase anything psulemon said, I didn't even read it before posting, I used your wording...we both merely said similar things based on your misinformation ..that carbs are monitored by diabetics

    I'm glad that's cleared up

    Of course nobody knows if OP has any medical condition so perhaps we should wait till she speaks about her goals in sugar tracking
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Can anybody explain to me how MFP calculates it's sugar goal?

    Sugar intake is most concerning to me in my weight loss, so I'm wondering what the recommended intake amount is, and why? Is MFP pretty accurate with that? What do you guys do?

    2. What is MFP's sugar target ?

    The value is set at 15% of your daily calories from all the sugars in your foods. If your calorie goal is 2000 cals the sugar part is 300 cals or 75 grams per day. See http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1375583-a-message-about-myfitnesspal-s-updated-nutrition-goals

    From: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10197460/sugar-faq-june-2015/p1

    ^The above post is included in the stickied "Most Helpful Posts"(must reads) on the Food and Nutrition board if you ever need to find it again. There's a lot of good stuff in the stickies.
  • grigglipuff
    grigglipuff Posts: 44 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Why is sugar concerning you most? If your goal is weight loss, shouldn't it be calories?

    You can amend any of the goals to suit if you go into your settings. The MFP goal will be based on all sugar consumed and it will build up in your diary from a large number of incorrect data entries .. there is no way to separate intrinsic from added sugar before you ask

    Personally I set my protein and fats as minimums based on grams per bodyweight calculations, I eat a generally nutritious diet with a wide range of vegetables and foods, I don't exclude or worry about anything that doesn't matter (no medical conditions) and I totally ignore anything but calories and hitting those minimums.

    Sugar concerns me the most for all of the negative impacts it has on my health. Yes, I have a weightloss goal, but my goal is overall physical health. Sugar's links to cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc. are what concern me most.