All sugars can not be made equal....

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lifeismoto
lifeismoto Posts: 245
in Food and Nutrition
I am just lately really starting to watch what I eat and track it...that being said I am trying to learn everything I can...I am finding fruits to be very high in sugars, but this has to be a natural sugar. So can someone tell me the difference between a natural sugar and processed sugar and how it will affect my intake. I am getting too much sugar every day...but a lot comes from fruit. There is no way they can be counted equally....thoughts and suggestions?

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  • mary_kate23
    mary_kate23 Posts: 156
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    if my sugar is high due to fruit, i usually am not too concerned with it. I don't know the difference between processed and natural, but I know most don't worry about natural as long as you're not having like 200-300 in natural sugars. its the processed sugars you want to be weary of.. like soda, candy, etc
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I am just lately really starting to watch what I eat and track it...that being said I am trying to learn everything I can...I am finding fruits to be very high in sugars, but this has to be a natural sugar. So can someone tell me the difference between a natural sugar and processed sugar and how it will affect my intake. I am getting too much sugar every day...but a lot comes from fruit. There is no way they can be counted equally....thoughts and suggestions?

    IMO: As a general rule, natural sugars will tend to exist in foods that are more nutrient dense and provide you with other useful things your body can use. Processed sugars will tend to exist in food that have a higher calorie density and not as good of a nutrient profile. For example, comparing a snickers bar to an orange.

    Beyond that comparison, I really don't think tracking sugars is necessary provided you're not diabetic or insulin resistant, provided you are monitoring caloric intake, and provided you exercise some common sense when it comes to selecting nutritious foods as the "majority" of your diet.
  • KeyMasterOfGozer
    KeyMasterOfGozer Posts: 229 Member
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    There is no difference between the sugar in fruit and processed sugar. Fruit has other benefits that might out weigh the costs of the sugar in it depending on your goals.
  • CoachFoland
    CoachFoland Posts: 564 Member
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    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-sugar/

    everything you need to know!
  • grannygethealthy1111
    grannygethealthy1111 Posts: 422
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    A good read:

    http://naturalhealthperspective.com/food/sugar.html
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    There is no difference between the sugar in fruit and processed sugar. Fruit has other benefits that might out weigh the costs of the sugar in it depending on your goals.


    YEP. The sucrose, in an apple or in a little white packet you pour into your coffee, is still sucrose.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    Sugar is sugar. Natural sugars are not healthier then other "bad" sugars. Sugar has no nutritional benefit besides energy(kcals)

    BUT natural sources, like fruit, have fiber, vitamins, and full of benefits :] so continue to eat up!

    I don't track sugar, just another carbohydrate. If you have a calorie deficit then you will lose weight no matter where your sugar comes from and how much you have
  • dawnbrisset
    dawnbrisset Posts: 16 Member
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    Sugar is sugar, it doesn't matter where it comes from. You still need to watch your intake of fruit sugars, as your body will still store extra sugar as fat. Fruit sugar is healthier, because there are other nutrients in the fruit that your body needs. Low sugar fruits are better choices, like berries. I use fruits as condiments and sweet treats, no longer as a bulk in a meal or snack.
  • cajunlady56
    cajunlady56 Posts: 151 Member
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    save for later
  • angelapolite
    angelapolite Posts: 249
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    I understand your concern. I carefully watch my sugar. My daily goal is 25g, but I usually have about double that. But all my sugar is coming from things like yogurt and whole grains, so I'm not too worried about it. I think as long as you have natural sugars, coming from fruit (without going overboard), vegetables, whole grains and low & fat free dairy, you should be fine.
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
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    IMO: As a general rule, natural sugars will tend to exist in foods that are more nutrient dense and provide you with other useful things your body can use. Processed sugars will tend to exist in food that have a higher calorie density and not as good of a nutrient profile. For example, comparing a snickers bar to an orange.

    Beyond that comparison, I really don't think tracking sugars is necessary provided you're not diabetic or insulin resistant, provided you are monitoring caloric intake, and provided you exercise some common sense when it comes to selecting nutritious foods as the "majority" of your diet.

    ^^What he said.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    There is no difference between the sugar in fruit and processed sugar. Fruit has other benefits that might out weigh the costs of the sugar in it depending on your goals.

    ^ This was a much more concise way to put it =)
  • KeyMasterOfGozer
    KeyMasterOfGozer Posts: 229 Member
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    Some Sugar facts:

    Table sugar is Sucrose, which is a complex sugar made up of one Glucose and one Fructose. Your body breaks it down into it's 2 sugars readily.

    High Fructose Corn Syrup (this is especially bad sugar you here about all he time) is made up of 85% Sucrose and 15% Fructose. That is why it is "High Fructose" over pure table sugar.

    Honey is made up of 85% Sucrose and 15% Glucose.

    Fruits have varying amounts of sugars, but they all contain some Fructose, Glucose, and Sucrose. Some fruits are higher in Fructose, and some are higher in Sucrose, and some fruits even have other simple sugars that we haven't talked about yet.

    Any cell in your body can process Glucose directly. Fructose must be converted into Glycogen by the liver in order to be used.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    Sugar is sugar, it doesn't matter where it comes from. You still need to watch your intake of fruit sugars, as your body will still store extra sugar as fat. Fruit sugar is healthier, because there are other nutrients in the fruit that your body needs. Low sugar fruits are better choices, like berries. I use fruits as condiments and sweet treats, no longer as a bulk in a meal or snack.

    It will not store it unless you go over calories :]
  • allie_girl
    allie_girl Posts: 66
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    Do you think people react differently to fruit sugars V. white or processed sugars?

    I find when I am eating healthy sugars, like fruits, I do not see a gain on the scale. When replacing those fruit sugars for things like sugary yogurts or candies (same calories) I see such a stall in my weightloss. I've tried it on more then one occassion and it's def a major difference for me. Even something like adding sugar to coffee or drinking sugary beverages over eating less fruit will show a stop in the scale... I think it has to do with the processing and the additives as well, but I really am not sure..

    Anyone have any thoughts on this?
  • vs1023
    vs1023 Posts: 417 Member
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    Yes Sugar is sugar, but your body does process some processed sugars differently then natural ones like HFCS for instance, plus it's a GMO. Something I'm pretty passionate about so if i want sugar i go for the ones in fruit or use just good old regular sugar, sometimes stevia.
  • SIGP229
    SIGP229 Posts: 17
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    High Fructose Corn Syrup (this is especially bad sugar you here about all he time) is made up of 85% Sucrose and 15% Fructose. That is why it is "High Fructose" over pure table sugar.


    Completely false.

    The most commonly used forms of HCFS are HCFS-55 (55% fructose / 45% glucose) and HCFS-42 (42%Fructose/58%Glucose).

    The "high-fructose" designation is due to it's comparison to regular corn syrup (100%glucose), NOT table sugar.

    http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/
  • FrankWorsley
    FrankWorsley Posts: 106 Member
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    Diabetics are an exception but if we focus on always getting as many vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and some meats as possible (and cutting out the candy and other junk) this subject loses relevance.

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