Fruit versus sugar intake

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pamelafleck
pamelafleck Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you eat a lot of fruit but still stay under your sugar Intake for the Day? I have been trying to eat more fruit and stay away from the junk food but I still eat more than my allowed sugar calories for the day. I read somewhere that sugar calories from fruit do not count but MFP counts them. Can anyone help? I really want to lose weight and have just recently joined in an effort to stop talking about losing weight and start doing it.

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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    All sugar "counts". That said, it's okay if you go above what MFP recommends. Just don't forget fruit has calories too, so make sure you are accounting for it properly, and even weighing it on a food scale if you are really eating that much.

    I prefer to stay under the sugar recommendation because it makes me a happier, less hungry person. I don't eat fruit, only add sugar to my coffee once per day, don't drink sugary drinks, don't eat starchy carbs. But it's just a personal way of eating. You have to find what works for you.
  • lgregory6540
    lgregory6540 Posts: 63 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    All sugar "counts". That said, it's okay if you go above what MFP recommends. Just don't forget fruit has calories too, so make sure you are accounting for it properly, and even weighing it on a food scale if you are really eating that much.

    I prefer to stay under the sugar recommendation because it makes me a happier, less hungry person. I don't eat fruit, only add sugar to my coffee once per day, don't drink sugary drinks, don't eat starchy carbs. But it's just a personal way of eating. You have to find what works for you.

    Agree with above. As long as I am under calories I don't pay much attention to sugar limit - I look at it but most days, especially lately I am over as there is so much amazing fruit in season. I don't like them as much but I try and snack on veggies more often to fill up a bit and then have some fruit after.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    pamelafleck wrote: »
    How do you eat a lot of fruit but still stay under your sugar Intake for the Day? I have been trying to eat more fruit and stay away from the junk food but I still eat more than my allowed sugar calories for the day. I read somewhere that sugar calories from fruit do not count but MFP counts them. Can anyone help? I really want to lose weight and have just recently joined in an effort to stop talking about losing weight and start doing it.

    Swap out sugar for fibre tracking

    Focus on, in order, 1) calories 2) protein to reach a minimum 3) wide ranging nutrition 4) fats to reach a minimum 5) enjoying your food within your calories and 5) calories
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Losing weight isn't about eating too much sugar, but too many calories. Unless you have a medical reason to watch your sugar intake, I'd do what @Sued0nim suggested and track fiber instead.
  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
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    I eat a good amount of fruit and still come in well under MFP sugar goal for the day. My personal aim is 60g, MFP gives me 95g. For example a high fruit day for me was 2 small bananas, .5 cup blackberries, .5 cup raspberries, and a small orange. I was still under 60g for the day. IF you want to watch your sugar intake you need to read labels and look for where it is hidden in processed foods. If you are just worried about being in the red on MFP and don't have a health reason to watch sugar intake, switch to looking at fiber instead of sugar for peace of mind.
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
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    All sugar counts. Consume low sugar fruits. As many nutritionists believe that the American diet has too much sugar it's useful to track sugar.
  • sijaeabc
    sijaeabc Posts: 43 Member
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    I do a lot juicing so my sugar intake is way higher than MFP wants and I just ignore that. My total calories are always under, I make sure I get a minimum of protein and fat and the rest is carbs - with lots of sugar from fresh fruits and veggies, and I am fine with that. Now I do avoid pretty much all other sources of sugar.
  • lisabridwell
    lisabridwell Posts: 31 Member
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    Naturally occurring sugars are better since they come with fiber that slow digestion and other healthy nutrients that added sugar doesn't have. If eliminating added sugar and just eating natural sugar, you could limit sugar grams to 1/3 of carb grams. For example, 135 carb grams and 45 sugar grams per day, adjusting the total based on your own daily carb limit. Fruit makes a wonderful dessert!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,568 Member
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    Verdenal wrote: »
    All sugar counts. Consume low sugar fruits. As many nutritionists believe that the American diet has too much sugar it's useful to track sugar.
    Many nutritionists also blame sugar as the reason to obesity, when the REAL issue is OVER CONSUMPTION of calories in total. Not saying it's not useful to track sugar, just that people jump the gun and blame sugar for being obese and overweight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,568 Member
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    lisabridwell wrote: »
    Naturally occurring sugars are better since they come with fiber that slow digestion and other healthy nutrients that added sugar doesn't have.
    Well almost. If you extracted "natural" sugars from fruit or vegetables, they are nutrient deficient. All sugars are.
    If eliminating added sugar and just eating natural sugar, you could limit sugar grams to 1/3 of carb grams. For example, 135 carb grams and 45 sugar grams per day, adjusting the total based on your own daily carb limit. Fruit makes a wonderful dessert!
    Wait, so "natural" sugar has less calories per gram? Where did you get this?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Verdenal wrote: »
    All sugar counts. Consume low sugar fruits. As many nutritionists believe that the American diet has too much sugar it's useful to track sugar.

    The anti sugar campaign is because it's put together with fats and carbs to create highly palatable, highly calorie dense foods

    No added sugar means no eating highly calorie dense foods means reducing calorie intake

    If your calories are in check you will achieve your weight goals

    If you eat a wide nutritious diet and exercise you will maximise your health potential

    Sugar is a non sequitur, its lowest common denominator marketing

    This^^

    Unless you have a medical reason, or find yoirself binging constantly on sugar, watching sugar intake primarily for weight loss to occur is chasing a red herring. I've lost 84 pounds and go over my sugar goal nearly every single day. That isn't to say you should eat nothing but sugar, as proper nutrition is important..but for weight loss, calories first.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,382 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    pamelafleck wrote: »
    How do you eat a lot of fruit but still stay under your sugar Intake for the Day? I have been trying to eat more fruit and stay away from the junk food but I still eat more than my allowed sugar calories for the day. I read somewhere that sugar calories from fruit do not count but MFP counts them. Can anyone help? I really want to lose weight and have just recently joined in an effort to stop talking about losing weight and start doing it.

    Swap out sugar for fibre tracking

    Focus on, in order, 1) calories 2) protein to reach a minimum 3) wide ranging nutrition 4) fats to reach a minimum 5) enjoying your food within your calories and 5) calories

    SO this.

    While I was losing, I went over my MFP sugar goal routinely, while the only added sugar I was eating was a tiny amount of fruit juice concentrate (not the first ingredient, even) in a daily 30-calorie tablespoon of all-fruit spread. All the rest of the sugar was inherent in whole fruit (around 3 servings/day), and no-sugar-added dairy products.

    I swapped the sugar column in my food diary for a fiber column, lost the 60+ pounds I needed to lose, am now doing likewise in maintenance, and everything has been Just Swell throughout.

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