Sugars: do "natural" sugars count the same as processed?
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TOHRT
Posts: 1 Member
My one cup of raw blueberries has almost 15 g of sugars. I eat very little processed foods, no juice, no sugared drinks, yet my nutrition profile often is over the 24g daily sugar goal. Should fruit and veg natural sugars be counted the same? The Glycemic Load of these foods is quite low.
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Replies
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If you don't have a medical reason to worry about sugar, don't. Sugar is a carb. You are already tracking carbs on here. I changed my sugar tracker to fiber.9
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My one cup of raw blueberries has almost 15 g of sugars. I eat very little processed foods, no juice, no sugared drinks, yet my nutrition profile often is over the 24g daily sugar goal. Should fruit and veg natural sugars be counted the same? The Glycemic Load of these foods is quite low.
The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.7 -
Out of curiosity, where'd you get your 24g sugar goal? MFP defaults to 15% of total calories, which is 45 grams for a 1200-calorie diet. If you're setting custom goals, then you might want to check with wherever you're getting them from to see whether they consider natural sugars an issue.
As others have said, if you're diabetic or trying to do keto or such, then all sugars will probably need to be watched for you. If not, then it's entirely up to you how you want to set your rules.5 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.
^^this. So the lesson is: completely avoid processed sugar and eat fruit sparingly. You can get the same nutrients from vegetables without all the sugar. Fruits should be a garnish or a treat.18 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.
^^this. So the lesson is: completely avoid processed sugar and eat fruit sparingly. You can get the same nutrients from vegetables without all the sugar. Fruits should be a garnish or a treat.
I'm pretty confident that's not the lesson @cwolfman13 is trying to convey.16 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.
^^this. So the lesson is: completely avoid processed sugar and eat fruit sparingly. You can get the same nutrients from vegetables without all the sugar. Fruits should be a garnish or a treat.
No, the lesson is balance. Completely avoiding processed foods that contain sugar is unnecessary if you are getting adequate protein, fat, fiber, and micro-nutrients. She could eat as much fruit as she pleases. Sugar is not evil. Sugar does not make you fat.14 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.
^^this. So the lesson is: completely avoid processed sugar and eat fruit sparingly. You can get the same nutrients from vegetables without all the sugar. Fruits should be a garnish or a treat.
Why? Can you cite any science to back up your assertion?6 -
I'm pretty confident that's not the lesson @cwolfman13 is trying to convey.
Well, that's the lesson I'm trying to convey.9 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »The molecules in the sugar in fruit are the same as those in table sugar...sugar is sugar. The main difference nutritionally speaking is that things like fruit and whatnot also come with fiber, antioxidants, and other micro-nutrients.
^^this. So the lesson is: completely avoid processed sugar and eat fruit sparingly. You can get the same nutrients from vegetables without all the sugar. Fruits should be a garnish or a treat.
No . . . no, that is not the lesson.4 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »I'm pretty confident that's not the lesson @cwolfman13 is trying to convey.
Well, that's the lesson I'm trying to convey.
Why? There's no reason to completely avoid sugar and fruit as long as it fits your day.9 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »I'm pretty confident that's not the lesson @cwolfman13 is trying to convey.
Well, that's the lesson I'm trying to convey.
But why? Why would a person with no medical concerns need to limit fruit or sugar if they are getting adequate amounts of everything else their body needs? You don't get extra credit for exceeding your vitamin and mineral needs.10 -
How does one change their sugar tracker to fiber on here? Do you have to be a Premium member to do so?0
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AquabearGO wrote: »How does one change their sugar tracker to fiber on here? Do you have to be a Premium member to do so?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings1 -
AquabearGO wrote: »How does one change their sugar tracker to fiber on here? Do you have to be a Premium member to do so?
From your home page, click on Settings, then click on Diary Settings. Then you'll see this...
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Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....6
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SilentDan82 wrote: »Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....
Define a 'lot' of fruit. Because I eat quite a bit of it (400+ grams a day on average), and have no problem fitting it into my calorie goals. In total I average 1,000+ grams of veg and fruit a day and it's the base that I build my meals on. Today for example I'm having a large banana, strawberries, blueberries and then a very generous portion of honey rock.2 -
OliveGirl128 wrote: »SilentDan82 wrote: »Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....
Define a 'lot' of fruit. Because I eat quite a bit of it (400+ grams a day on average), and have no problem fitting it into my calorie goals. In total I average 1,000+ grams of veg and fruit a day and it's the base that I build my meals on. Today for example I'm having a large banana, strawberries, blueberries and then a very generous portion of honey rock.
I can literally keep eating fruit non-stop for hours. What you just described I would still categorize as sparingly.0 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....
Filling up on fruit isn't a great strategy for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean one has to limit fruit to just a garnish or a treat. You can have fruit as part of a meal or snack with other foods that you find more satiating. That works for many people (including me).3 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »OliveGirl128 wrote: »SilentDan82 wrote: »Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....
Define a 'lot' of fruit. Because I eat quite a bit of it (400+ grams a day on average), and have no problem fitting it into my calorie goals. In total I average 1,000+ grams of veg and fruit a day and it's the base that I build my meals on. Today for example I'm having a large banana, strawberries, blueberries and then a very generous portion of honey rock.
I can literally keep eating fruit non-stop for hours. What you just described I would still categorize as sparingly.
So then the issue for you has nothing to do with fruit or sugar and everything to do with portion control. That's why you are getting pushback. Your individual experience doesn't apply to people who don't have the same portion control issue.11 -
SilentDan82 wrote: »OliveGirl128 wrote: »SilentDan82 wrote: »Wow, I did not expect this much backlash... No, I don't have scientific papers to cite, I only speak from experience.... I can eat a lot of fruit and ingest a lot of calories that way and still feel hungry which leads me go way over my calorie target, that's why. I'll leave it to the OP to take from this what she needs....
Define a 'lot' of fruit. Because I eat quite a bit of it (400+ grams a day on average), and have no problem fitting it into my calorie goals. In total I average 1,000+ grams of veg and fruit a day and it's the base that I build my meals on. Today for example I'm having a large banana, strawberries, blueberries and then a very generous portion of honey rock.
I can literally keep eating fruit non-stop for hours. What you just described I would still categorize as sparingly.
What's the most fruit you have eaten in a day?0
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