Does anyone else not keep track of their sugar intake (ones

MoonIite
MoonIite Posts: 341 Member
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
I usually eat 3 to 4 servings of fruits, which spikes my sugar intake by a lot. By the end of the day, I end up consuming 80 to 100 grams of sugar (all of which are coming from fruits). It hasn't affected my weight loss, but I wonder if it will be detrimental in the long run. Should I be worried?

Replies

  • Jelleebean
    Jelleebean Posts: 212
    natural sugars in fruits and the like aren't nearly as bad as refined stuff.... i wouldn't worry too much about it :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I don't track sugar or sodium. Most of my sugar comes from whole grains, low fat dairy and fruit, so I don't worry about it.

    I eat mostly whole, home-cooked meals, so sodium isn't an issue for me, either. And I have normal to low BP, so it really isn't a major issue for me.

    Honestly, the only things I REALLY worry about are calcium and fiber -- and as a vegetarian, I do want to make sure I'm getting enough protein, but I don't go out of my way to see huge numbers on that, either.

    I lose weight and tone up just fine.
  • psychmz3
    psychmz3 Posts: 55 Member
    Sugar is part of carbs so I try to keep that number as close to 100 a day as I can. Therefore, I don't monitor my sugar levels. Also, natural sugar isn't bad. Glad you are eating fruit instead of sour patch kids.
  • amandakoorime
    amandakoorime Posts: 26
    My father had recently been doing a weight loss program through his doctor. The person in charge told my dad that as long as you didn't have a source of sugar just before bed you're good. Sugar right before bed turns into more fat than if you just had fat all day long.
    I also personally believe (though many would argue with me) that there are good sugars and bad sugars. What I meant by this is sugars that digest in a better way than other sugars. Fruits are something we have to have, no getting around that. It's great that you are eating them. But fruit sugar (unless coming from a container with added sugar or even a syrup mixture) is good for you.
    So, I wouldn't worry. Just keep track of everything else as well and you'll be good.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    I dont track sugar at all I just try and eat "healthy" and make good choices but not stress over sugar I do though adjust my sodium
  • reactor25
    reactor25 Posts: 146 Member
    i stopped tracking sugar. I eat a lot of fruit, too. Plus, I always work in some kind of treat because I have a sweet tooth. Since I don't currently have any medical issues that pertain to sugar, in particular, I don't track it. I am much more concerned with calcium and iron. So i do track those and I know not everybody does. Nice thing about MFP is you can tailor it to fit your specific needs and physical goals. It's been working for me.
  • Katiemarie4488
    Katiemarie4488 Posts: 242 Member
    Everyone is different, and what works for some will not work for others..... but I saw my weight loss take off once I started tracking sugar. I only have one piece of fruit a day, more veggies for me..... but my blood sugar level truly dictates my weight loss.... i try to keep it constant through out the day, with minimal sugar spikes, regardless if its natural sugar or not. Something to look into for you.... How your personal blood sugar level effects your weight loss
  • bride71412
    bride71412 Posts: 11
    I agree with Jelleebean, I wouldn't worry too much about the sugar in fruits unless you have blood sugar problems. I used to include the recommended sugar values on my nutrition page also, but I'd be over the limit by breakfast alone just from eating grapes or a banana. I think if you're eating the recommended serving of fruits a day and that's the reason you're going over, don't worry about it. Just try to avoid all the processed junk with tons of sweeteners in them!
  • ant_man
    ant_man Posts: 29
    rml_16 > sugar/sodium is important.. sodium is critical! u need to b under it.. the more u go over it, the more likely u with have the chances risk of CVD, hypertension.. if your sodium's levels r high then u r eating the wrong foods..

    refined sugar in food products = processed chips are bad.. natural sugars in fruits are at a healthy level. bananas and apples have naturally high in fruit but if your eating dried fruits then the sugar content will be a lot higher..

    sugar is a form of carbohydrate which will just add to the carbs which will be minimal.. don't stress about sugar in fresh fruit/vegetable..

    worry about sodium in processed foods/junk food/ fast food.. just try n keep under the limit of it :)
  • karleebee
    karleebee Posts: 1
    I found that to much fruit isn't good either if you have to watch your sugar intake. For women over 50 you need to watch your sugar intake even if is fruit. My doctor has me not eating any fruit or sugars now which is very hard since I love fruit. Everyone is different if your concerned I would start having your doctor check your blood sugar level and she or he can tell you if you need to be watch your sugars. I am not a diabetic but after 50 it is something to be watched closer.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    rml_16 > sugar/sodium is important.. sodium is critical! u need to b under it.. the more u go over it, the more likely u with have the chances risk of CVD, hypertension.. if your sodium's levels r high then u r eating the wrong foods..

    refined sugar in food products = processed chips are bad.. natural sugars in fruits are at a healthy level. bananas and apples have naturally high in fruit but if your eating dried fruits then the sugar content will be a lot higher..

    sugar is a form of carbohydrate which will just add to the carbs which will be minimal.. don't stress about sugar in fresh fruit/vegetable..

    worry about sodium in processed foods/junk food/ fast food.. just try n keep under the limit of it :)

    Sodium is critical if you have high BP. I do not. My last BP check was 104/60.

    My sodium levels average 1,600 mg per day. I've looked out of curiosity, so I do know. But I don't track it daily.
  • degobah
    degobah Posts: 55 Member
    I'm the same... tons of sugar from eating fruit. Sugar from fruit will burn fast during cardio. But try not to eat fruit before bed. I've made that mistake and found the sugar high kept me awake and forced to make many bathroom runs as fruit is loaded with water.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm the same... tons of sugar from eating fruit. Sugar from fruit will burn fast during cardio. But try not to eat fruit before bed. I've made that mistake and found the sugar high kept me awake and forced to make many bathroom runs as fruit is loaded with water.

    That isn't the case for everyone. The last thing I have before bed at night -- nearly every night -- is a smoothie that has five servings of fruit, plus ice.

    I don't have either of the problems you mentioned.
  • flinchyny
    flinchyny Posts: 106 Member
    I don't, because like others here, I make a distinction between naturally-occurring vs. added sugars, and the food tracker does not.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    I dont only because I eat a lot of fruit and fruit has a lot of natural sugar. Also I don't eat a lot of sweets.
  • venom74799
    venom74799 Posts: 36
    I use to keep track of it, but honestly even me being a type 2 diabetic didn't stop me from eating at least an apple and banana everyday. As long as you don't have serious issues with processing sugar, at least do a bit of exercise, and not eat any sugar about 2-3 hours before bed then you should be good to go.

    If you do have issues with processing sugar, schedule an appointment with a doctor and have a few test run and see if losing weight has helped the process for you or if you'll have to find alternative methods for filling your craving.
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
    I track it and watch it but don't really get too worried if I go over. First, as others mentioned, sugars in fruit are far better for you than the processed sugars in other foods. For me, as long as my blood glucose remains at a healthy level, I don't worry too much either way about what kind of sugar intake I have as long as it doesn't get nuts.
  • Lesliecs
    Lesliecs Posts: 930 Member
    I track my sugar and try to stay under..... but when I eat fruits or veggies that have natural sugar, I make a note of how many grams of natural sugar was eaten in the little note box on the diary page.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I don't. I only pay attention to my "macros" and fiber (and sometimes check out calcium but I like milk so it is usually not a problem).
  • lambeas
    lambeas Posts: 229 Member
    I keep track... as natural sugar from fruit will keep a women from having a really flat tummy. Sugar from fruit is better for you then refined sugars... but at the end of the day it all adds up. If you review the food plans by Tosca Reno- Eat Clean you will see very limited fruit in the daily diet plans because natural or not.. too much sugar will keep belly fat on- specifically for women ( she devotes a whoel section to understanding sugars)
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
    rml_16 > sugar/sodium is important.. sodium is critical! u need to b under it.. the more u go over it, the more likely u with have the chances risk of CVD, hypertension.. if your sodium's levels r high then u r eating the wrong foods..

    refined sugar in food products = processed chips are bad.. natural sugars in fruits are at a healthy level. bananas and apples have naturally high in fruit but if your eating dried fruits then the sugar content will be a lot higher..

    sugar is a form of carbohydrate which will just add to the carbs which will be minimal.. don't stress about sugar in fresh fruit/vegetable..

    worry about sodium in processed foods/junk food/ fast food.. just try n keep under the limit of it :)

    If you track sodium, you should also keep an eye on potassium (much harder to track since most foods don't list their potassium content). High sodium is not necessarily a bad thing - what is important is that your potassium intake is HIGHER than your sodium intake. In nature potassium is almost always found in higher concentrations than sodium. However in processed foods this usually gets reversed due to preservatives, flavorings, and other additives. A couple of studies have shown that if you up the amount of potassium to be higher than sodium, it seems to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure/heart issues associated with high sodium.

    Now I'm not saying to go buy a salt lick and box of potassium supplements, but its just something to keep in mind.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,026 Member
    rml_16 > sugar/sodium is important.. sodium is critical! u need to b under it.. the more u go over it, the more likely u with have the chances risk of CVD, hypertension.. if your sodium's levels r high then u r eating the wrong foods..

    refined sugar in food products = processed chips are bad.. natural sugars in fruits are at a healthy level. bananas and apples have naturally high in fruit but if your eating dried fruits then the sugar content will be a lot higher..

    sugar is a form of carbohydrate which will just add to the carbs which will be minimal.. don't stress about sugar in fresh fruit/vegetable..

    worry about sodium in processed foods/junk food/ fast food.. just try n keep under the limit of it :)
    Totally depends on your genetics and current health. Sodium isn't as critical as you make it sound. If this were true, then all the soy sauce in Asian diets should have decreased the population.
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