Sugar? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

unnamedplayer · 09-15-2005, 04:50 PM

Hi all,

I was hoping for a little bit of knowledge about sugar. I've been trying to eat healthy and I know I shouldn't be overdoing it on the sugar because sugar turns to fat if not used. So I was reading about what the recommended daily intake for sugar should be and I read from somewhere that its recommended no more than 48 grams a day.

Now I was wondering, is there a difference between the sugar found in products like cereal and sweets like cookies, etc. compared to sugar found in fruits such as apples or raisins. I'm curious because I like to put raisins in my oatmeal but a serving of raisins is like 29 grams of sugar.

Any info is appreciated.

pje120 · 09-15-2005, 06:19 PM

The difference is how fast the sugar absorbs and the type of sugar. Fruit sugar is mostly fructose and the fibre in fruit will slow down the absorption. Fructose apparently doesn't need insulin to absorb and improves insulin sensitivity, but I've seen contradicting studies (not that I would trust them anyway).

You don't want sugars to absorb fast; that's why simple carbs have a bad name compared to complex carbs (even though both are just sugar). Foods are given a property called the glucose index depending on how fast the sugars absorb. There's several sites which have databases of glucose indexes for foods, which you can search for.

Putting a maximum sugar intake is oversimplifying. You want to avoid any fast sugars/carbs (junk food, like cereal and sweets and cookies). Fruit has fibre to slow down the sugars, and besides, it's got plenty of good stuff in there that you need. So I wouldn't cut the raisins even if I was trying to keep under 48 grams/day and it was putting me over.

Read this about sugar and insulin. I know it's long but it explains what you want to know about sugar better than anyone could in a short reply. Once you get comfortable with understanding sugar's affects on your body, you should be able to tell if you are eating too much sugar just through self-analysis... read the article, you'll understand then.

Martian · 09-15-2005, 10:41 PM

I got a gun the other day from Seiko, it's cute and small and fits right in my pocket.

Yeah, right in my pocket...

Also, seconding what pje120 said. The short answer is that yes, there is a difference. The sort of sugar you'll find in junk food is sucrose, whereas the sort of sugar in fruit is fructose. They're both carbohydrates but have different properties.

Fruit also has a lot of good nutrients and fiber, which means that even if you can't stick to the guideline (which is just that anyway and not a hard and fast rule) it's still worth eating.

unnamedplayer · 09-16-2005, 06:01 AM

Hey thanks for the info! Its good to know I don't have to cut out the fruit even if it puts me over 48 g a day. Thanks a lot.

P.S. SOAD rocks

SiN · 09-16-2005, 06:47 AM

refined white sugar is teh debil.

but yeah, the stuff that occurs naturally in foods is pretty ok, imo.

thingstodo · 09-18-2005, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiN

refined white sugar is teh debil.

but yeah, the stuff that occurs naturally in foods is pretty ok, imo.

Refined almost anything is the devil! Jack Lalane said it best: "If man makes it, don't eat it."

You can't beat fruits and veggies and need 5-9 servings (1/2 cup) of them a day. If you follow that, you won't need to worry about the about of unrefined sugar. Raisins and banana in oatmeal is an awesome breakfast.

I also use organic sugar when I want the actual stuff. It has larger crystals, a darker color and takes longer to disolve. Compared to high fructose corn syrup - which is extremely sweet, cheap and disolves instantly - and is terrible for you and supposedly addictive as well. Honey and maple syrup are also great natural sweeteners. In fact, a teaspoon of local honey every day works as good as an antihistamine for those sinus problems!

dman2 · 09-18-2005, 07:58 AM

what about Equal, Splenda and Sweet and Low?

pje120 · 09-18-2005, 05:15 PM

I've only (accidently) tried Sucralose (Splenda) and it gave me chest pains when I woke up in the mornings until I stopped. Not a good feeling. My heart beat also went crazy when I took caffeine while I was using Sucralose daily. Aspartame (Equal) apparently has more complaints to the FDA than everything else combined... I don't care how many organisations claim it is safe, something with that many complaints can not be safe and I wouldn't go near it. Sweet and Low is Saccharin.

I really don't think anyone should go anywhere near artificial sweeteners.. there is just so many claims of problems as a result of seemingly every artificial sweetener and it's almost common knowledge that they are bad for you. If the FDA and its equivalences cared more about health than money at least some of them would be banned, surely. Don't assume they are safe just because they are classed as "generally safe". If you are still unsure just google them and read up until you are too scared to use them.

unnamedplayer · 09-18-2005, 05:23 PM

Hmm..I've never had a problem with Splenda and usually hear nothing but good things about it. I used to eat a lot of non-fat yogurt with aspartame in it until I discovered there have been a lot of complaints about it and if I remember correctly there was a study in which it appeared to cause cancer in lab animals.

Martian · 09-18-2005, 06:12 PM

There's a lot of hype regarding artificial sweeteners, both good and bad. It is a good way to reduce calories while keeping a sweet taste, but if you're worried about it then just don't use it. It's important to remember that although some studies have shown that there could possibly be a mild link between sweetner and some forms of cancer, nothing has been proven. And aside from that, people have been using artificial sweetners for decades without any real issues.

So it's up to you, really. I'm not nervous about a bit of aspartame, personally but that's a decision I made.

thingstodo · 09-19-2005, 03:04 PM

I drink a few diet sodas but beyond that, don't use the artificial stuff. And I try to drinks soda with Splenda, what I consider to be the least troublesome of the bunch. I suspect there is long term damage from these things and I can just work out more to burn off calories from real sweateners.

kolila · 09-20-2005, 03:28 PM

thanks for that link pje120

09-15-2005, 04:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
unnamedplayer Upright	Sugar? Hi all, I was hoping for a little bit of knowledge about sugar. I've been trying to eat healthy and I know I shouldn't be overdoing it on the sugar because sugar turns to fat if not used. So I was reading about what the recommended daily intake for sugar should be and I read from somewhere that its recommended no more than 48 grams a day. Now I was wondering, is there a difference between the sugar found in products like cereal and sweets like cookies, etc. compared to sugar found in fruits such as apples or raisins. I'm curious because I like to put raisins in my oatmeal but a serving of raisins is like 29 grams of sugar. Any info is appreciated.

09-15-2005, 10:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	I got a gun the other day from Seiko, it's cute and small and fits right in my pocket. Yeah, right in my pocket... Also, seconding what pje120 said. The short answer is that yes, there is a difference. The sort of sugar you'll find in junk food is sucrose, whereas the sort of sugar in fruit is fructose. They're both carbohydrates but have different properties. Fruit also has a lot of good nutrients and fiber, which means that even if you can't stick to the guideline (which is just that anyway and not a hard and fast rule) it's still worth eating. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

09-16-2005, 06:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
SiN strangelove Location: ...more here than there...	refined white sugar is teh debil. but yeah, the stuff that occurs naturally in foods is pretty ok, imo. __________________ - + - ° GiRLie GeeK ° - + - ° 01110010011011110110111101110100001000000110110101100101 Therell be days/When Ill stray/I may appear to be/Constantly out of reach/I give in to sin/Because I like to practise what I preach

09-18-2005, 07:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
dman2 Insane Location: Georgia	what about Equal, Splenda and Sweet and Low? __________________ I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. ~Marsha Doble

09-18-2005, 06:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	There's a lot of hype regarding artificial sweeteners, both good and bad. It is a good way to reduce calories while keeping a sweet taste, but if you're worried about it then just don't use it. It's important to remember that although some studies have shown that there could possibly be a mild link between sweetner and some forms of cancer, nothing has been proven. And aside from that, people have been using artificial sweetners for decades without any real issues. So it's up to you, really. I'm not nervous about a bit of aspartame, personally but that's a decision I made. __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

09-15-2005, 06:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
pje120 Upright	The difference is how fast the sugar absorbs and the type of sugar. Fruit sugar is mostly fructose and the fibre in fruit will slow down the absorption. Fructose apparently doesn't need insulin to absorb and improves insulin sensitivity, but I've seen contradicting studies (not that I would trust them anyway). You don't want sugars to absorb fast; that's why simple carbs have a bad name compared to complex carbs (even though both are just sugar). Foods are given a property called the glucose index depending on how fast the sugars absorb. There's several sites which have databases of glucose indexes for foods, which you can search for. Putting a maximum sugar intake is oversimplifying. You want to avoid any fast sugars/carbs (junk food, like cereal and sweets and cookies). Fruit has fibre to slow down the sugars, and besides, it's got plenty of good stuff in there that you need. So I wouldn't cut the raisins even if I was trying to keep under 48 grams/day and it was putting me over. Read this about sugar and insulin. I know it's long but it explains what you want to know about sugar better than anyone could in a short reply. Once you get comfortable with understanding sugar's affects on your body, you should be able to tell if you are eating too much sugar just through self-analysis... read the article, you'll understand then.

09-16-2005, 06:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
unnamedplayer Upright	Hey thanks for the info! Its good to know I don't have to cut out the fruit even if it puts me over 48 g a day. Thanks a lot. P.S. SOAD rocks

09-18-2005, 05:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
pje120 Upright	I've only (accidently) tried Sucralose (Splenda) and it gave me chest pains when I woke up in the mornings until I stopped. Not a good feeling. My heart beat also went crazy when I took caffeine while I was using Sucralose daily. Aspartame (Equal) apparently has more complaints to the FDA than everything else combined... I don't care how many organisations claim it is safe, something with that many complaints can not be safe and I wouldn't go near it. Sweet and Low is Saccharin. I really don't think anyone should go anywhere near artificial sweeteners.. there is just so many claims of problems as a result of seemingly every artificial sweetener and it's almost common knowledge that they are bad for you. If the FDA and its equivalences cared more about health than money at least some of them would be banned, surely. Don't assume they are safe just because they are classed as "generally safe". If you are still unsure just google them and read up until you are too scared to use them.

09-18-2005, 05:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
unnamedplayer Upright	Hmm..I've never had a problem with Splenda and usually hear nothing but good things about it. I used to eat a lot of non-fat yogurt with aspartame in it until I discovered there have been a lot of complaints about it and if I remember correctly there was a study in which it appeared to cause cancer in lab animals.

09-19-2005, 03:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	I drink a few diet sodas but beyond that, don't use the artificial stuff. And I try to drinks soda with Splenda, what I consider to be the least troublesome of the bunch. I suspect there is long term damage from these things and I can just work out more to burn off calories from real sweateners. __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy.

09-20-2005, 03:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
kolila Upright Location: canada	thanks for that link pje120