How do I eat a low amount of suagr?
I'm eating 1200 calories a day, and I read that I should be eating 30 grams of sugar. So far today, I've only had one meal, oatmeal which containted 12 grams of sugar. Is there such thing as "healthy" sugar and "bad" sugar? If not, how the heck is eating 30 grams possible?
Fruit and veg contain sugar, too :) One orange contains about 12g of sugar, a banana 14g, a cup of grapes 15g...These are all natural sugars, so if you have your five a day, you'll have no problem getting to that 30g :)
"bad" sugars would be considered the refined sugars, i.e. the sugars that are added afterwards like the sugar you add to your tea, sugar in cakes, chocolate, some sauces...
Of course, moderation is everything, so don't start panicking if you've had one slice of pie this week - there's no need to starve yourself just to avoid all the "sinful" foods. Just make sure you have a balanced diet where you get the necessary vitamins and nutrients :)
I just realized my tone was wrong...I'm meaning to ask how do I stay at 30 grams. I have 5 more meals left, which will definitely put me over 30 grams. Thanks for the reply though, but do you or anybody else know if it's a big deal if I go over 30 grams, if I'm eating healthy meals?
Well, I myself have lots of fruits and veggies, but I don't think it's such a big deal if I go over that 30g - as long as it doesn't happen every day (say, 100g of sugars instead of 30 every day would be a bit much).
If you go over by eating pop tarts and cookies etc, then that's not such a good thing.
Maybe you could bulk up your diet a little with protein, which makes you feel fuller? Don't overdo it though, as some people are susceptible to too much protein. About 25% of your diet should be protein :) Low-fat dairy products, nuts and seeds, meat and fish, eggs...Low in sugar, high in protein and unsaturated fats.
For example, for fruit and veg so far today I've had: a tangerine, a cup of cabbage, a cup of cauliflower and a kiwifruit and that amounts to about 70% of the daily 30g. I'm still having sprouts for dinner :)
What does a typical day look like for you food-wise? Maybe there are some things there you didn't realize had so much sugar in them :)
The usual benchmark is 50g of sugar. Sugar is naturally present in fruit, vegetables and in dairy products.... that's the 'healthier' kind. Was your oatmeal the flavoured sort? Plain rolled oats don't contain any sugar normally. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, check the ingredients lists on any packaged goods. If the food has more than 20g sugar per 100g it's a 'high sugar' product. It is sometimes hidden away a little with words such as 'sucrose', 'lactose', 'glucose', 'high fructose syrup'.... The reason it's a good idea to cut back on added sugars is that the foods they tend to appear in are usually quite unsatisfying but high in calories - bad news if you want to lose weight. And, if your diet is very high in sugar for a very long time, it can increase your risk of certain diseases.
A good way to avoid sugar is to use more wholefoods and not rely too much on ready-made/convenience foods. Then enjoy sweetened foods in small amounts.
I always thought it was 30-50 g of added sugar that you weren't to go over.
A common breakfast for me is 1 cup oatmeal (made from rolled oats and water), 1/2 cup blueberries and 1 cup skim milk. Between the fruit and the milk, I'm already over 25 g of sugar for the day. So, two servings of fruit and two servings of dairy would put you over the 50 g mark. Add in 3+ servings of veg for the day - and maybe a bowl of good cereal and you're way over 50 g but could still have a very healthy diet consisting primarily of whole foods.
yeah, i thought that natural sugars were ok to have. i don't usually count that in my sugar intake.
and to add to the question, how would exercise affect sugar intake? my mom told me that people that exercise don't have to worry so much about sugar since that's used for energy. of course, that doesn't mean that one should go overboard...
so, suggestions:
instead of buying flavored yogurts, get plain and add fruit or honey (even though these contain sugar, they amount to less)
cut back on cold cereals
go for low-carb foods with little sugar if you want to continue having packaged food
I agree that 30g is probably more the limit for added sugars. I eat fruit and dairy (like skim milk) and I don't count those sugars...although I believe CC does. Basically it's just a matter of eating less processed, packaged stuff. I also use honey because it is so sweet, it just takes a tiny amount.
You will probably notice that having less sugar will cut back your appetite. Too much simple sugar stimulates the appetite because it increases production of insulin...which is responsible for fat storage too.
