I would like to ask a question.. every time I try to add fruit to my daily diet, it shows me that it is full of sugar. I don't eat a lot of carbs, fats or even Protein. I don't finish my portion but while trying to eat any fruit it shows that "I have reached my sugar percent" so what if I eat more than the daily percent, will it be bad while losong weight.
Thanks
ayamourada92
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The default sugar limit is 15% of total cals, I think, so 45 g on the lowest setting (1200) that MFP will set. You can certainly eat some fruit within that limit, so I am wondering if you have your cals set extra low.
That aside, MFP's default makes assumptions about the amount of sugar from added sugar vs that intrinsic in fruit, veg, and dairy. The recommendations for added (so not talking about fruit) sugar from the US, the WHO, and other gov't health agencies is no more than 10% of total cals, and ideally limited to 5% (I'd say it's more important to eat below the limit over the course of a week or weeks, individual days don't matter).
The only reason I'd worry about sugar from fruit is if you were eating so much fruit you were failing to get sufficient protein, healthy fats, vegetables, or fiber, or other important macros. Normally, then, I'd say don't worry about it, but I'm concerned if you are getting enough of everything else based on the statement that you don't eat much of carbs, fat, or protein. That's what I would look at if I were you.
I personally would try to make sure to get enough protein and fat, too, but if MFP says you ate over your sugar goal and all sugar you ate came from fruits and vegetables that just means you definitely got in your "five a day". 🙂
Well yeah...that's why they call fruit "natures candy". That said, I assure you the obesity epidemic isn't a result of people eating an apple. Most recommendations for sugar are for added sugars, not naturally occurring sugars. 2-3 servings of fruit per day is recommended...the only issue would be that you're eating so much fruit that you're not meeting other nutritional requirements. It could also be an issue if you're diabetic or otherwise insulin resistant. I typically have 2 pieces of fruit per day.
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As for your claim that you don't eat much carbs, fat or protein...huh? All foods are carbs, fat or protein...or alcohol. Those are the only options.
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What is the 43? Normal blood sugar levels fasted for adults is less than 100 mg/dl. Pre-diabetic is 100-120...so I'm confused by 43 being a pre-diabetic reading.
At any rate, the "as long as I am in the calorie range" thing is for weight loss and where sugar is a non issue for an otherwise healthy person. If you're diabetic you'll have to watch sugar, including sugar from fruit...as ultimately, sugar is sugar and your body does not in anyway differentiate sugar from things like fruit from other sources...it's all sugar to the body.
I at one time had pre-diabetic numbers...my Dr. never told me to specifically watch sugar or carbs, he only mentioned that I would benefit from losing weight and particularly I would benefit from regular exercise.
As potassium goes, bananas aren't quite the potassium powerhouse that some people seem to think...they aren't bad, but they certainly aren't the best source of potassium out there food wise. I'd also wonder if you have a condition which inhibits potassium absorption or something that you could get a prescription or supplement, particularly if your bloodwork shows deficiency. In that kind of situation I'd think a prescribed supplement would be far more efficient than trying to bump up your numbers with food...just something to maybe talk with your Dr. about.
Keep in mind that most of us are just internet randos...many of us have had great success in losing weight, getting fit, and keeping weight off...but most of us aren't medical professionals and giving advice that pertains to medical issues outside of simply losing some weight isn't particularly kosher.
@kara1365, I'm assuming you're trying to lose weight AND lower your blood sugar number, although it's feasible that you're logging your food just to track your sugar intake.
I didn't find the Diabetes UK website particularly helpful and the diabetic nurse at my GP's surgery was worse than useless, but if you look for the Contact Us info on the Diabetes UK website and send them an email with your specific question, someone will reply.
You may feel differently or be advised differently, and I may well be completely wrong on this point, but I don't worry about my sugar numbers when I'm tracking in MFP. I'm purely tracking carbs (which turn in to sugars). Once Diabetes UK confirmed that it's just 130g a day and that's not a figure for a 2000 cals a day diet, I aim to eat under that number per day. I was originally thinking I had to pro-rata the number, but I don't. I believe that in the US they suggest trying to keep below 150g carbs a day.
When I was losing weight (I reached my target weight last March), the only thing that mattered was whether I was on target for my calories and not exceeding 130g of carbs a day. I got my numbers down from 60 in early 2018, to 38 in December 2020. I can't say whether it was because of the carbs restriction or because I lost almost 3 stone, but it was probably a combination of the two.
Calories are all that matters for weight loss. Weight loss can definitely help with reducing blood sugar numbers, if you are overweight. Reducing carbs can also help lower your blood sugar.
Three years after being diagnosed as diabetic, I finally got sent a booklet that would have been really useful to have read back in 2018; this says to continue eating fruit, but as part of a balanced diet.
A number of years ago i had surgery which removed 50% of my pancreas. It was this surgery that limited my ability to hold potassium and was advised at the time by the specialists to use bananas as they were the simplest answer to the problem, rather than taking medications.
Now with the higher prediabetic number, i decided it would use MyFitnessPal to track my foods and see where i could do better. This is a precursor while i am waiting to see a specialist (to see if the pancreas is still creating insulin correctly).
I saw this thread relating to sugars and thought i would see if there was anything more that this wonderful group had to offer in regards to sugars vs fruit sugar.
I appreciate both your answers and will definitely have a look at the carbs. Thank you
Have you looked at other potassium foods, too, I hope? I'm with Wolfman on this one: Bananas are not the best source, especially if trying to limit sugars (other foods have more potassium, and especially more potassium per calorie). Some foods with good potassium levels also have a fair amount of sugars/carbs (like sweet potatoes, watermelon, etc.), but others have fewer sugars and at least "slower" carbs (spinach, chard, white beans, black beans, white potatoes, more).
That aside, you can include bananas in a diet aimed at lowering blood sugar. I think the issue is less about sugar (btw, fruit do not have a different kind of sugar, they have fructose (which is half of the sugar in sucrose) but also sucrose and glucose), but carbs and how much and what they are paired with. Usually the advise to people who are pre-D (other than losing weight if you have weight to lose) is to limit carbs per meal and pair them with fiber (bananas have fiber, but not as much as some other fruits) and protein. So maybe have half a banana on some plain greek yogurt with some nuts or seeds and then the other half with a different meal, something like that, if you enjoy the banana.
The banana might not be an issue at all, though -- many people with blood sugar issues find it's pretty individual which carb sources cause spikes and which do not. Fruit typically is not considered something one should limit or avoid when pre-D, but also that assumes that you don't have a super fruit heavy diet (on the whole increasing fruit to the US recommendations tends to be related to positive outcomes, from what I've read, but that's because many people likely eat little fruit). Same with veg, of course.
Fruit is a perfectly healthy option...too high in sugar is relative and subjective and individual. Fruit is a nutritious whole food...the vast majority of people don't have any issue eating fruit. I hardly think fruit is at the root cause of the obesity epidemic.