Do added sugars cause damage to your body?
jbvpn
Posts: 17 Member
I often fancy a cinnamon bun but unfortunately most contain 30-40g of sugar! quite hefty but I don't consume much sugar from anything else I eat. I eat lots of oily fish - omega 3's and lots of fibre. Fairly lean I would say - not many bad fats
At this current stage I am trying to gain a little weight but not a huge amount.
My question is do added sugars actually cause damage to your body when consumed or is it the over consumption of them that lead to excess calories with no nutritional value?
At this current stage I am trying to gain a little weight but not a huge amount.
My question is do added sugars actually cause damage to your body when consumed or is it the over consumption of them that lead to excess calories with no nutritional value?
5
Replies
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What do you mean by damage to your body? If you have a metabolic condition or perhaps to your dental health. But in excess pretty much anything is not good (even water and many vitamins). As long as you are eating an overall balanced diet, getting enough protein, fats and fibre, vitamins and nutrients.. having some sugar is fine. Especially since you are gaining .. sugar is great for energy and carbs help muscle building. More sugar will not cause more fat gain unless it puts you into a higher surplus.3
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What do you mean by damage to your body? If you have a metabolic condition or perhaps to your dental health. But in excess pretty much anything is not good (even water and many vitamins). As long as you are eating an overall balanced diet, getting enough protein, fats and fibre, vitamins and nutrients.. having some sugar is fine. Especially since you are gaining .. sugar is great for energy and carbs help muscle building. More sugar will not cause more fat gain unless it puts you into a higher surplus.
Thanks for your fast response.
So are blood sugar levels not an issue to worry about when consuming the occasionally high sugar treat maybe twice a week or so?
https://www.livestrong.com/article/350074-the-disadvantages-of-sugar/
Are these facts based on over consumption and poor diet?2 -
Over consumption of anything is bad. The occasional 'high sugar' treat is perfectly fine in a balanced diet. And if you have no medical reason to do so, there's no reason you need to watch your sugar. I track fiber instead.5
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In lean, active individuals, sugar consumption is less of a problem. Again... Excess.. is the key word. You don't want the majority of your calories to come from cinnamon rolls.1
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Excess is key. For someone who hardly ever has foods with added sugars and who's sugar count recorded on here is usually at or below the amount suggested, all should be well. I believe this article was aimed at the majority of the population who have not started to care for themselves, to know the pitfalls. I have come across Live Strong looking around and to generalise their advice is good.0
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It's all about moderation!
And I'm planning to make these slow cooker cinnamon buns my aunt introduced me to a couple years ago for New Years Day breakfast. I won't give sugar a second thought ... except to enjoy all that delicious syrupy sticky sweet cinnamon-y sauce.
But that's a once-a-year thing.1 -
Excess is key. For someone who hardly ever has foods with added sugars and who's sugar count recorded on here is usually at or below the amount suggested, all should be well. I believe this article was aimed at the majority of the population who have not started to care for themselves, to know the pitfalls. I have come across Live Strong looking around and to generalise their advice is good.
I have always tried to stay clear from foods with added sugar - I don't really snack much though and I just feel like treating myself a couple times a week as I can fit it into my calories and I generally eat well anyway.
In the morning I have quite a filling breakfast - big bowl of oatmeal with a handful of blueberries, flax seeds, chia seeds and some almonds - the sugar from blueberries is probably the food with most sugar I have on an average day too so I don't consume that much.1 -
https://www.livestrong.com/article/350074-the-disadvantages-of-sugar/
Are these facts based on over consumption and poor diet?
These statements clearly indicate they are talking about excess consumption.
The Institute of Medicine does not provide a RDA for sugar, as it is not a required nutrient. It does suggest no more than 25% of calories.
The W.H.O. used to recommend no more than 10%, but now recommends only 5%.
A standard size bun ( think Pillsbury ) is 15-18g, while a jumbo/oversize ( bakery size ) is 24-27g of sugar. 2x week averages out to < 7.5g day of sugar from this source, worst case. That's half the sugar you get from a daily serving of blue berries in your oatmeal.1 -
I am also trying to gain weight it had always been a battle because I have Tyrod issues to keep it on. I started researching my body type to find the best plan for me I found it helpful. I went to bodybuilding. Com it has a lot of info on body types4
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Everyone is different and feels differently when ingesting sugar or carbs over a specific amount or if not combined with a dairy or a protein.
Generally, what I do is one of three things: 1) Don't eat it; 2) Eat it after consuming a dairy or a protein; 3) make it myself and use about half the amount of sugar (generally doesn't affect the consistency or final taste or product) *or* just eat less of it.
If you are trying to gain weight, eating protein can also help you increase muscle and muscle weighs more than fat (which is what happens to sugar -- it makes fat).
My recommendation is to consult a nutritionist or a reputable website and figure out what would work best for you.
Ref: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-foods-to-gain-weight#section17
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Everyone is different and feels differently when ingesting sugar or carbs over a specific amount or if not combined with a dairy or a protein.
Generally, what I do is one of three things: 1) Don't eat it; 2) Eat it after consuming a dairy or a protein; 3) make it myself and use about half the amount of sugar (generally doesn't affect the consistency or final taste or product) *or* just eat less of it.
If you are trying to gain weight, eating protein can also help you increase muscle and muscle weighs more than fat (which is what happens to sugar -- it makes fat).
My recommendation is to consult a nutritionist or a reputable website and figure out what would work best for you.
Ref: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-foods-to-gain-weight#section17
While protein is important, getting more than you need is not going to add extra muscle. Also excess calories will turn to fat, and sugar isn't stored as fat as readily as actual fat.3 -
I am on a low starch diet to limit inflammation and a significant portion of my carbs are fruits and sugary snacks. I blow by the MFP suggested sugar amount every day and usually come up short on grams of carbs. Starches turn into sugar during digestion; I am just supplying the sugar in a more concentrated form so the carbs being low and sugar being high sort of cancel each other out. I stay within calorie goal and other macros look good. The added sugar would only be a problem if it puts you in surplus and you don't want to be or if it replaces needed nutrients in your diet.0
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The WHO recommends limiting added sugar to 5% of total calories (that's 25 g at 2000), not because sugar itself is harmful (sugar is sugar and no one rational thinks fruit is harmful), but because added sugar often leads to excess calories (especially since it is commonly combined with fat), which leads to obesity. Also, added sugar doesn't add other nutrients, so can lead to a nutrient poor diet if too much is consumed within a sensible number of total cals. Also, not great for the teeth.
Added sugar (or any sugar) is not inherently bad for you otherwise. A diet with too many calories from low nutrient foods (often hyperpalatable mixes of refined carbs (inc sugar) and fat or, in some cases, just plain sugar (like soda) often correlates with other health issues, probably because of the nutrient and obesity issues, and because you are often missing some things that are good for you (like fiber, vegetables).
So if you want an occasional cinnamon roll and the diet is others a good one, no harm.
The current demonization of sugar is ridiculous.6 -
What do you mean by damage to your body? If you have a metabolic condition or perhaps to your dental health. But in excess pretty much anything is not good (even water and many vitamins). As long as you are eating an overall balanced diet, getting enough protein, fats and fibre, vitamins and nutrients.. having some sugar is fine. Especially since you are gaining .. sugar is great for energy and carbs help muscle building. More sugar will not cause more fat gain unless it puts you into a higher surplus.
Thanks for your fast response.
So are blood sugar levels not an issue to worry about when consuming the occasionally high sugar treat maybe twice a week or so?
https://www.livestrong.com/article/350074-the-disadvantages-of-sugar/
Are these facts based on over consumption and poor diet?
The extent to which sugar causes ups and down depends on the person (if someone is insulin resistant they must be more careful about sugar), how active you are, and what it is consumed with (if within the context of a diet with adequate protein, fiber, and healthy fats and, especially, if with other foods, then it likely won't be an issue). Also, there's a difference between eating something once in a while vs a lot of it all the time (one of the reasons soda can be an issue is that most people don't actually consume that much, but the ones who consume a lot apparently consume a LOT, which means lots of cals, etc.).0 -
csporter54 wrote: »I am also trying to gain weight it had always been a battle because I have Tyrod issues to keep it on. I started researching my body type to find the best plan for me I found it helpful. I went to bodybuilding. Com it has a lot of info on body types
What do you mean by "body types?"1 -
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Endomorph echomorph or mesomorph most people are a blend they have recommended eating and excersises for each8
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csporter54 wrote: »Endomorph echomorph or mesomorph most people are a blend they have recommended eating and excersises for each
There is no good science for humans into these body types or associating specific dietary recommendations or exercises on the basis of them.6 -
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I have just gotten finished writing a paper on this subject I suggest you go to ebsco host or a scholar site it is Years proven10
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csporter54 wrote: »Endomorph echomorph or mesomorph most people are a blend they have recommended eating and excersises for each
Yeah, somatotypes isn't an actual thing...
http://www.healthylivingheavylifting.com/why-body-types-are-*kitten*/
Studies are referenced at the end.1 -
That is not credible4
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csporter54 wrote: »I have just gotten finished writing a paper on this subject I suggest you go to ebsco host or a scholar site it is Years proven
Proven by what?3 -
csporter54 wrote: »I have just gotten finished writing a paper on this subject I suggest you go to ebsco host or a scholar site it is Years proven
It's total crap based - the psychiatrist who came up with the idea of somatypes based all of his beliefs on how looking at people made him feel. I suggest that if you believe this nonsense, you go back and re-take your basic science classes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatotype_and_constitutional_psychology
All the somatype does is catagorize a shape of the body and has nothing to do with what the person eats, how they respond to foods or to exercise.2 -
I should be able to write on here without a bunch of haters jumping down my throat this is what I believe if you don't fine but maybe you should let the person I was writing to decide and do their own research8
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csporter54 wrote: »I should be able to write on here without a bunch of haters jumping down my throat this is what I believe if you don't fine but maybe you should let the person I was writing to decide and do their own research
Are you a flat earther too?
This isn't really a "faith" or belief kind of thing...4 -
csporter54 wrote: »I should be able to write on here without a bunch of haters jumping down my throat this is what I believe if you don't fine but maybe you should let the person I was writing to decide and do their own research
People expecting accuracy isn't "hating."
You can believe whatever you like. That doesn't entitle you to present it as factual without being challenged.5 -
I have read the science not something in the back of a magazine6
This discussion has been closed.
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