Too much sugar...HELP!

bla115
bla115 Posts: 206
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
So I eat a lot of fruit each day which makes my sugar count at the end of the day WAY over. I just can't see cutting back on something as good for you as fruit. Am I on the right track here?? Some friends of mine are doing a diet where they have to cut out certain fruits and veggies b/c of sugar but does natural sugar count against your normal intake amount?? Help!!

Replies

  • Rayoffitness
    Rayoffitness Posts: 11 Member
    Funny, I was wondering the same thing today. I'll look for a response.
  • yolie1220
    yolie1220 Posts: 223 Member
    This article might be of interest, or it might make things more confusing!

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1029501/Can-fruit-make-fat-Natural-sugar-fruit-fuelling-nations-obesity-epidemic.html
  • mszSHOGAN
    mszSHOGAN Posts: 2,277 Member
    The above mentioned article left me with no real information so I'm assuming it did the same for you; since I'm not a nutritionist and have no clout in giving diet advice all I can tell you is what I believe to be true and what I do in my daily fruit/sugar intake.

    We all know that there is sugar in fruit. Some fruits have more sugar than others. Even though the fruit has sugar in it I don't view it to be as bad as eating candy loaded with sugar. I intake atleast 2 servings of fruit daily and even though it usually puts me over in my sugar category I let it slide if I know that I wasn't eating cakes and candy. Since there is sugar in fruit its obviously not wise to over indulge so set a number (of servings) that you want to eat daily and stick with it. See how your weight loss progresses and if need be reanalyze it then reassess. Not sure if this was helpful or not but I always enjoy others input! Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • fanta014
    fanta014 Posts: 56
    The sugar levels that MFP sets for you are rather low, I think. My line is at 33, and I go over it almost daily - mostly because of fruit and milk.. Like, if I have a cup of milk (makes 10), a pear (16) and a banana (14), I'm already over..

    However, in Finland there are GDA notes on products, based on 2000 calories daily (of course that's a bit high for most of us here, but anyway). GDA allows 90 g of sugar daily, and that includes all sugar (not just added sugar, but lactose, fructose etc.). That's why I don't let the sugar amounts on MFP bother me too much.

    Anyway, my question is if MFP's recommended daily sugar intake is only about added sugar or both added sugar and the sugar in fruit, milk products etc.?
  • fm1304
    fm1304 Posts: 31 Member
    hey guys

    i have the same problem.. top it all i have the big bad sweet tooth.. sometimes id rather skip lunch.. and just eat some sweets with tea.. ofcourse staying within my caloric limits.. hehe..

    so i did some search.. adn came across this.. makes sense i think

    http://caloriecount.about.com/grams-sugar-consuming-ft99585
  • bla115
    bla115 Posts: 206
    Thanks for all the helpful information! I will post anything helpful that I happen to find on the subject and please do the same! :flowerforyou:
  • bla115
    bla115 Posts: 206
    I did find an very lengthy technical article at the website below but I pulled out this paragraph that seems to be the clearest explaination I could find.


    http://www.ghchealth.com/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all.html

    When starches and complex sugars (like those in honey and fruits) are digested, they are broken down into simple sugars called "monosaccharides", which are usable substances-nutriments. When starches and sugars are taken together and undergo fermentation, they are broken down into carbon dioxide, acetic acid, alcohol and water. With the exception of the water, all these are unusable substances-poisons. When proteins are digested, they are broken down into amino acids, which are usable substances-nutriments. When proteins are taken with sugar, they putrefy; they are broken down into a variety of ptomaines and leucomaines, which are nonusable substances-poisons. Enzymic digestion of foods prepares them for use by our body. Bacterial decomposition makes them unfit for use by our body. The first process gives us nutriments; the second gives us poisons.
  • yolie1220
    yolie1220 Posts: 223 Member
    hey guys

    i have the same problem.. top it all i have the big bad sweet tooth.. sometimes id rather skip lunch.. and just eat some sweets with tea.. ofcourse staying within my caloric limits.. hehe..

    so i did some search.. adn came across this.. makes sense i think

    http://caloriecount.about.com/grams-sugar-consuming-ft99585

    I usually have a big sweet tooth too. But I find since I have switched to the South Beach Diet, my sweets cravings have disappeared. I am also under my calorie and sugar allowance everyday without even trying. I know it's not for everyone but it's the only thing that works for me :happy:
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
    Too much sugar - no matter if it is natural sugar or not - is NOT a good thing.............

    You also have to realize that if you eat bread or grains or other starches, that turns to sugar also........

    Veggies have natural sugars in them too.................
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    While working on managing borderline diabetes and having been to several nutritionists, I can tell you that watching your sugar intake is an eye opening experience.

    If you eat natural fruits/veggies and whole grains in the proper quantities, you'll find that you don't really have room (in your diet) for the added sugars/fats.

    Look at almost anything with added sugar and you'll notice that the carbs are equal to or greater than that sugar. Drinks are huge for this...Sobe Life Water for example has 24 grams of sugar and amazingly enough, 25 grams of carbs. The drink contains no other nutritional value besides some salt...and has 100 calories (1 gram of carb = 4 calories).

    Here is more information on added sugars and discretionary calores, including fat - http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html.
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
    While working on managing borderline diabetes and having been to several nutritionists, I can tell you that watching your sugar intake is an eye opening experience.

    If you eat natural fruits/veggies and whole grains in the proper quantities, you'll find that you don't really have room (in your diet) for the added sugars/fats.

    Look at almost anything with added sugar and you'll notice that the carbs are equal to or greater than that sugar. Drinks are huge for this...Sobe Life Water for example has 24 grams of sugar and amazingly enough, 25 grams of carbs. The drink contains no other nutritional value besides some salt...and has 100 calories (1 gram of carb = 4 calories).

    Here is more information on added sugars and discretionary calores, including fat - http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html.

    The sad part is, the food industry adds sugar to everything...............so if you are trying to limit your sugar intake, it is imperative that you eat as close to natural as possible.

    Things that sugar has no place in, has added sugar. Mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc.........

    I started making my own mayonnaise and salad dressings. I try to make small quantities as the home made stuff has no preservatives and goes bad really, really fast. But tastes much better than the store bought stuff!!
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
    The sad part is, the food industry adds sugar to everything...............so if you are trying to limit your sugar intake, it is imperative that you eat as close to natural as possible.

    Things that sugar has no place in, has added sugar. Mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc.........

    You got that right!.
    I just found out from watching "Jamie Oliver Eat to save your life" that Pizza, tomato sauces, and many other foods have salt added, and then they cover up the salty taste by putting tons of sugar in it.

    Can find it on this thread
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/59247-jamie-oliver-eat-to-save-your-life
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
    I did find an very lengthy technical article at the website below but I pulled out this paragraph that seems to be the clearest explaination I could find.


    http://www.ghchealth.com/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all.html

    When starches and complex sugars (like those in honey and fruits) are digested, they are broken down into simple sugars called "monosaccharides", which are usable substances-nutriments. When starches and sugars are taken together and undergo fermentation, they are broken down into carbon dioxide, acetic acid, alcohol and water. With the exception of the water, all these are unusable substances-poisons. When proteins are digested, they are broken down into amino acids, which are usable substances-nutriments. When proteins are taken with sugar, they putrefy; they are broken down into a variety of ptomaines and leucomaines, which are nonusable substances-poisons. Enzymic digestion of foods prepares them for use by our body. Bacterial decomposition makes them unfit for use by our body. The first process gives us nutriments; the second gives us poisons.

    This sounds like the basis for the belief that fruits should be eaten alone and not with any other foods...there was a contentious posting on MFP about that...:bigsmile:
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