Wow! Tracking sugar

zingeber
zingeber Posts: 124 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I just realized that MFP lets you track sugars in addition to total carbs. The suggested amount of added sugar for women daily is 22 grams, so I set that as a goal and am tracking it.... and I'm already at almost three times that today! Granted, much of that was natural sugar from fruit. But wow. Anybody else have a similar experience? How did you limit sugar?

Replies

  • jbahrami
    jbahrami Posts: 206 Member
    I was JUST looking through the MFP to find where I can add Sugar as a field in my food tracking...where did you find the option??
    Sugar tracking is extremely important and a lot of people who are watching what they eat don't realize it.

    Thanks!
    Jen
  • roseemb
    roseemb Posts: 85 Member
    I found the same thing... most of my sugar "limit" would be taken up by my 1-2 servings of milk! I don't consider that an added sugar, just as the naturally occurring sugar in fruit seems like it would not be as negative a nutrient. Sugar is confusing. The only thing I know about for sure is that HFCS is a no-no! :)
  • Nikki_is_Knotty
    Nikki_is_Knotty Posts: 248 Member
    95% of my sugar is from fruit, so i dont worry about it to much.
  • CouleeRunner
    CouleeRunner Posts: 256 Member
    My opinion: Do not track sugar! Unless you are diabetic or have some other reason for watching your sugar intake, I would ignore it. I don't mean eat sweets all day and not care - just don't stress over the natural sugar that is present in a lot of foods such as fruit.
  • MrsB123111
    MrsB123111 Posts: 535 Member
    If I go over because of natural sugar, like in fruit, I don't really mind. It's just when I go over because of treats like cookies and such!
  • fitnatic67
    fitnatic67 Posts: 154
    Hopefully MFP is tracking only the processed sugar in the things you eat. That is where I get the most return is cutting out processed sugar where i can.
  • TheMrsFitnessGeek
    TheMrsFitnessGeek Posts: 89 Member
    I have my limit for sugar set at 24g. I do my best to stay as near to this as possible. I also limit my sodium to 1500. I don't go crazy if I am over either, but I know to watch the intake, and how they affect my body.
  • Puddykat1026
    Puddykat1026 Posts: 164 Member
    I track my sugars as well. I limit the amount of processed sugars I take in (like oatmeal, desserts, etc) and focus more on the sugars naturally found in foods and I notice that I rarely go over the recommended amount. It's much like fats. You can go over on the fats for the day, but it doesn't break up the types of fats they are unless you request it. I go over on fats, but it's usually because I had a avocado or nuts on a particular day.
  • zingeber
    zingeber Posts: 124 Member
    Jen - Click "Food" then "Settings" (The one in the blue bar just under the top tabs, not the one at the very top of the screen). It lets you change your meal names and what you're tracking.

    Yea, I'm tracking sugar because diabetes runs in my family (I don't have it yet, but don't want to get it! Talk about a hard disease to manage...) I wish there was an easier way to track added sugar vs natural sugars though. Maybe I'll just up the limit and set myself a total daily sugar goal... did anybody who eats a lot of fruit notice what their sugar intake normally runs with that?
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    I could count on one hand and have fingers left over for the number of days within the last month that I have been on target or below my sugar count. I eat at least 2 pieces of fruit a day - that right there is over my limit. My radishes, celery, pear, and Slimwich already have me over by 8 today. However, I'm still going to eat a red bell pepper and honeycrisp apple. I don't worry myself when the count comes from fruit and/or vegetables. I do keep myself aware of sugar counts from processed food, though.
  • SammySam5205
    SammySam5205 Posts: 20
    I've had this same dilemma and started tracking sugars a few weeks ago. I realize that everyone's goals and bodies are the same, but this is how I try to think about sugar in my diet: yes, natural sugars are 100% more preferable than processed, but when you're working to lower your body fat percentage (thus working on tone) cutting out as much excess sugar as possible can be very effective. Some people get ALL of their carbs via complex carbs with barely any sugar--but im too attached to fruits and veggies to do that yet. One way to get started is by noting that not all fruits and vegetables are created equal in terms of sugar. There are lists all over the internet about how high sugar fruits and vegetables (like bananas and carrots) do have substitutes (apples or raspberries and broccoli or cucumbers). It's ok to eat those higher sugar fruits and vegetables because of their high nutrient content (i.e. bananas are a good source of electrolytes and potassium if you're going for a big cardio day), but be aware that they have substitutes and don't be afraid to try some new variations on your diet! best of luck! hope this was helpful :)
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