How to hit my carb target without going over on my sugar tar

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jackieb79
jackieb79 Posts: 58
in Food and Nutrition
I have noticed that I consistently go over my daily sugar target even though I usually hit or stay just under my carb target. Is anybody else finding the same thing? How can I get enough carbs without going over on sugar? Any food suggestions?

MFP says my carb target is 190g and my sugar target is 28g. Eating just two fruits a day is enough to put me at 28g!!
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  • Mykiidsmom
    Mykiidsmom Posts: 2 Member
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    Try eating fruits lower in sugar like strawberries, blueberries or avocado.
  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
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    Low sugar carbs eh? Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn to name a few. Why are you limiting your sugar so low?
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    I use the "sugar limit" as added sugar, ie from soft drinks, sugar if I have to sweeten a coffee (I can't hack Tim Horton's coffee black...) anything that I have to add it, but I don't count the sugar that comes from my fruit. Barring health problems it shouldn't be a big deal.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
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    Using MFP has been a real eye opener for me in the sugar allowance - I have been regularly eating Kellogs Sultana Bran as a breakfast for about a year, and when I plugged it into MFP I was STUNNED to see how much sugar it has! So no more of that, had cooked rolled oats today, with 2 teaspoons of sugar and still heaps under what the Sultana Bran was. I have also noticed it is very easy to go over the sugar allowance, but I tend not to eat much fresh fruit, which I should. What kind of fruit do you eat Jackie? I'm off to see what an apple is ..... and walk around the backyard 10 times!
  • jackieb79
    jackieb79 Posts: 58
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    My limit was calculated by MFP, I didn't choose it. I assumed that was a healthy amount and I should try and stick to it. But cutting my fruit back and upping my breads/pasta doesn't seem to really make sense. I need to have at least some fruit in my diet dont i? If the sugar target is meant for "added" sugar I wonder if there is a way to get MFP to not count the natural sugars?
  • jackieb79
    jackieb79 Posts: 58
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    I love all fruit, but I usually have a banana every day at breakfast. I also often eat oranges, apples, berries, pineapple.
  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
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    My limit was calculated by MFP, I didn't choose it. I assumed that was a healthy amount and I should try and stick to it. But cutting my fruit back and upping my breads/pasta doesn't seem to really make sense. I need to have at least some fruit in my diet dont i? If the sugar target is meant for "added" sugar I wonder if there is a way to get MFP to not count the natural sugars?

    No, it doesn't make sense. All you asked was what are some low sugar carbs. And yes, fruits have other reasons to eat them outside of the sugars, like their antioxidants and vitamins.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
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    Hi Jackie I just went & looked and an apple is 14 - so two apples equals my entire sugar allowance as well. I think that everything we eat needs to be counted, but its obviously better to get natural sugars in fruit than a bag of lollies or added sugars! (Lollies = sweets/candy - I am an Australian!)

    Edited to say I just had another look and kiwi fruit and strawberries come in at less than 10g sugar per serve so that's a good choice :-)
  • bllowry
    bllowry Posts: 239 Member
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    If you're getting the majority of your sugar from fruit and not a sugar bowl I don't think I would worry about it. And rolled oats are wonderful with a table spoon of ground cinnamon- sweet, only 18 calories and 4 grams of fibre, a great replacement for sugar. Plus cinnamon levels blood glucose.
  • jackieb79
    jackieb79 Posts: 58
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    Anybody think 28g is unreasonable? Should I try to stick to that or not worry about it? Or should I be setting a different target?
  • nancyko
    nancyko Posts: 34 Member
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    I was told I was diabetic in September. Since then I have learned alot and have been to several diabetic classes. I was told to count my carbs and not worry about my sugar. I am eating less carbs than MFP says because of being diabetic but I don't even look at the sugar. I don't take any medicine and am trying to eat a healthy diet. I am not suppose to eat more than two fruits a day. I don't eat many sweets but it's because of the carbs not the sugar. Just thought this might be helpful to you.
  • HotBodUnderConstruction
    HotBodUnderConstruction Posts: 420
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    Eat egg whites...has a good amount of carbs and a good source of protein as well.

    Carrots are also high in carbs and low sugar
  • jackieb79
    jackieb79 Posts: 58
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    I am thinking that I should ignore the sugar since I am under the carb total, and I am getting lots of fibre and the sugars I am eating are natural. Thanks everybody for your comments! Very helpful!
    I was told I was diabetic in September. Since then I have learned alot and have been to several diabetic classes. I was told to count my carbs and not worry about my sugar. I am eating less carbs than MFP says because of being diabetic but I don't even look at the sugar. I don't take any medicine and am trying to eat a healthy diet. I am not suppose to eat more than two fruits a day. I don't eat many sweets but it's because of the carbs not the sugar. Just thought this might be helpful to you.
  • Oliver_Cat_13
    Oliver_Cat_13 Posts: 51 Member
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    I always heard that unless you are diabetic or have some other health problem, then you shouldn't really count the sugar in fruit or fruit juice. I would focus more on keeping your added sugar levels low.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
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    If you're getting the majority of your sugar from fruit and not a sugar bowl I don't think I would worry about it. And rolled oats are wonderful with a table spoon of ground cinnamon- sweet, only 18 calories and 4 grams of fibre, a great replacement for sugar. Plus cinnamon levels blood glucose.

    Ohhh I am going to try cinnamon tomorrow on my rolled oats, thanks for the hint!
  • HotBodUnderConstruction
    HotBodUnderConstruction Posts: 420
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    Anybody think 28g is unreasonable? Should I try to stick to that or not worry about it? Or should I be setting a different target?

    I have my food diary set at
    protein 50%
    carbs 40%
    fat 10%

    I slightly went over my sugar today b/c I ate too much bread. You can look at my food diary if you want...mine is open to the public.
  • HotBodUnderConstruction
    HotBodUnderConstruction Posts: 420
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    I am thinking that I should ignore the sugar since I am under the carb total, and I am getting lots of fibre and the sugars I am eating are natural. Thanks everybody for your comments! Very helpful!
    I was told I was diabetic in September. Since then I have learned alot and have been to several diabetic classes. I was told to count my carbs and not worry about my sugar. I am eating less carbs than MFP says because of being diabetic but I don't even look at the sugar. I don't take any medicine and am trying to eat a healthy diet. I am not suppose to eat more than two fruits a day. I don't eat many sweets but it's because of the carbs not the sugar. Just thought this might be helpful to you.

    I wouldn't ignore the sugar. Sugar is not something you should have a lot of regardless of its source. While it is important to maintain your caloric goal, eating the proper foods will get you to your goals quicker. Refine sugars and bad carbs will make you feel and look more bloated. They also affect your blood sugar levels, which even if you do not have diabetes it does matter because it affects your mood in a negative way (i.e., may make you more depressed, etc)
  • jackieb79
    jackieb79 Posts: 58
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    I can't seem to wrap my head around how I could stick to 28g of sugar per day without cutting out healthy fruits. I make my meals from scratch an dont add sugar to my cooking. But if I eat a banana for breakfast and have an apple later in the day, I am already at my limit without even including any grains in my diet yet and I am still way under my carb target. Is anybody out there actually hitting their carb target without going over on the sugar? And if so are you eating a balance of fruits veggies, grains and breads? Or are you getting your carbs from one source and is that healthy?

    I wouldn't ignore the sugar. Sugar is not something you should have a lot of regardless of its source. While it is important to maintain your caloric goal, eating the proper foods will get you to your goals quicker. Refine sugars and bad carbs will make you feel and look more bloated. They also affect your blood sugar levels, which even if you do not have diabetes it does matter because it affects your mood in a negative way (i.e., may make you more depressed, etc)
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I don't track sugar at all. If I had a medical condition that required it, I would, but I don't, so I don't. LOL. I focus on staying close to my calorie goal and getting LOTS of protein (at least 100g), plenty of fiber and calcium, more produce than I used to eat, and I casually watch how the carbs and fat add up but I don't stress out over it. Sugar is not even on my radar.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    I have noticed that I consistently go over my daily sugar target even though I usually hit or stay just under my carb target. Is anybody else finding the same thing? How can I get enough carbs without going over on sugar? Any food suggestions?

    MFP says my carb target is 190g and my sugar target is 28g. Eating just two fruits a day is enough to put me at 28g!!
    Why are you concerned with a sugar target? Carbs are carbs, They all get converted to glucose. Frutis are good for you. Eat them as long as you have the carbs available in your diet to do so.

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