How many grams of sugar do you all eat in a day? I haven't actively tracked mine yet - other than the pretty random tally I did last week when I was trying to reduce my added sugar. As I said at the time, the ONE (one - 1) article I read said that 40g was a reasonable amount of sugar for an adult on a normal day. That seemed about right to me so I didn't look any further. So I checked me and on the day I was "cutting back" the end of it all I was up to 57g. That was with just sugar in my coffee and NO sweet snacks. Granted, I had leftover pizza with a white flour crust for lunch that day - and I don't remember what dinner - but, all in all it was a low sugar day for me. This leads me to think that if I had 57g on a LOW sugar day, and the appropriate amount is 40g on a normal day for other people, I am somehow WAY off base. So, what do you all do in a day? Since you all are my "control group" can you take a day in the next week or so to track your sugar (TDP tracks it if you use that tool) and tell me what it is on an average day for you. Don't try to do anything special - like don't skip the sugar in your coffee for the day just to make your total lower.
So today is the last day of the first month where I set the rules up on that website Julie was talking about, and doesn't this sentence read smooth-like and everything? Healthmonth.com. I lost three health points out of 10 in the 10 days I did it - which means I would have succeeded for the month with one remaining point had I done the whole month. I exercised, went to bed on time, and FAILED MISERABLY on the no added sugar rule. I am doing it again for December, but this time I am doing the sleeping rule, the exercise rule and flossing. December hasn't started yet, but so far I am 100% on track.
I hope to go to yoga tonight. It is the HARDEST thing in the world to get me there after work, but I am fine once I am there. So, tonight I plan to do it.
The yoga room is not set up. Katie wasn't able to get the rest of her stuff moved over Thanksgiving, and she has a pretty hectic schedule over the next couple of weeks, so I don't see that happening anytime soon.
7 comments:
Funny you should ask!! I was seriously just trying to track my sugar intake for the day so far. I read an article that discussed the 40g limit, and they said that applies to "added" sugar, so naturally occurring sugar in milk or fruit (for example) wouldn't really count (unless you're diabetic).
40g in absolute terms is going to be nearly impossible. I've had milk, cereal, a banana, a gumdrop fruit slice (mindless, stupid eating -- one piece is 8g!), and a bite of macaroni -- so that's 46g and the day is barely started. (I've also had almonds and some turkey, but they aren't sugar-containing.) But if the milk, banana, and organic pasta (no sugar added!) don't count, I'm only at 19g. And the cereal had un*refined* sugar, but it was *added* sugar -- so how much would count? There is no RDA for just plain sugars. I really wish I had something better to go by!
I've been aware of sugar much more since I read that book last month (or two months ago? Whenever) but on that front I am also failing miserably. I would do better if I gave up cereal in favor of oatmeal or whole grain toast and eggs, but I genuinely LIKE cereal and have always liked having it for breakfast.
I'll track foods properly one of these days and get you a total tally. But it's going to be painful!
OK -- I went back to a REALLY GOOD day from September (in November all my days that I tracked were post-Halloween and thus involved a lot of candy, even if I kept my calories low) and I was at 47. But I had a very small portion of Bran Chex for breakfast; my normal breakfast would have another 6g. And, oddly enough, the starlight mint I had after dinner shows 0 sugar, so that would be another 3g. So somewhere just under 60 would be realistic if I was eating more or less healthy and consuming around 1300 calories. At a more reasonable maintenance level of 1600-1800 calories that would probably be around 80-90.
Yup, what Emily said. I went back and looked at my Daily Plate log from September, when I was tracking daily, and saw that my sugar intake was generally between 50 and 80 grams per day, but a lot of that was fruit and dairy. A glass of 1% milk has 12 grams of sugar. So does an apple. So it doesn't take much to get up to 40 grams in a day with a normal, varied, and healthy diet.
But the other thing I noticed is that the Daily Plate isn't very accurate, since people are entering this information themselves. One day in September I went to a party or a picnic and had potato chips and watermelon, and neither of those had any sugar listed, although you know they both DO have sugar of some sort. I'd go with the rule of added or refined sugar, rather than sugar in general.
Yeah - I came to the same conclusions, in which case I thought that 40g seemed excessive in terms of ADDED sugar! I mean, in reality how much sugar CAN one person add on a DAILY basis. Unless the 40g is taking it for granted that THAT includes at least one 12-20oz soda. The FDA does need to make a rule/goal for total sugars consumed. Where does sugar become bad vs good? I mean, 12g in skim milk, 12g in an apple and 4g in a serving of peanut butter. Apple = good, milk = good (unless you have reflux), peanut butter = ??? good? bad? Regardless, that one pretty good snack has 28g sugar. OTOH a teaspoon of sugar (added to coffee) is 4g of sugar. 4t of sugar added to a large coffe is 16 grams of sugar. So - which is really better for you? See? THIS is why you can't use one number to determine if you are healthy or not!! I do think, however, that sugar is my root of all that is evil.
I'm not sure how much added sugar I intake but it's a small amount. Now when I eat nearly any kind of sugar -- something like M&Ms -- I feel it. It literally feels like rocket fuel is coursing through my veins. I first noticed it about 2 years ago as I started to pull back my added sugar. To me, it shows I'm keeping added sugars out of my diet if my body reacts that way.
Plus, there's diabetes and hypoglycemia in the family and I'm trying to heed those warnings.
I usually eat plain/greek yogurt for breakfast with some almonds, flax and cinnamon. For lunch, usually a salad and there is probably some sugar in salad dressing unless I use balsamic, which might have sugar, too. I dunno.
I don't put sugar in coffee or tea and only add sugar to say homemade ice cream or any baking I do. But I usually use less than what's called for in a recipe.
I do eat a fair amount of fruit but tend to avoid bananas because of their sugar content. Still, I like them and sometimes really let loose and have a banana.
After writing this I realize how damn boring I am. But I do like the food I eat ... I just rarely eat added sugar and make an attempt to keep natural sugars to a minimum.
I made some amazing applesauce but cutting up the apples with the skins, putting them in the blender with some cinnamon then cooking for a bit on the stove. Amazing and no added sugar but plenty of natural. Made for a nice snack.
You aren't boring Vickie! In my experience eating well is actually MORE enjoyable than eating what is readily available. ESPECIALLY once you have adjusted to it. That was also my point - I am a sugar fiend! But even I don't get my "added" sugar intake up to 40g in a day. I don't drink sodas or juices (other than 8 oz of orange juice for breakfast each day), I don't eat candy (Halloween not withstanding, but I am the only one who doesn't eat the Hallween candy out of my candy jar at work), I do love me some desserts and cookies and stuff, but I almost NEVER have them on hand (with the exception of Girl Scout Cookies, which I will binge on once in a while - but I won't plow my way through my stash non stop... In fact I think I finished my last box from last year just this past summer). So, on an average day my ONLY "added sugar" is the sugar in my coffee - and even that I can easily cut out if I decide to.
My conclusion to the "eliminate added sugar" challenge was that November and December are not good months to try that one (yummmmmm... pie...) but I will do it again in January. The lost life points for things like Sarah's birthday are worth it I think. I also will get a better sense of what my "added sugar" IS. Right now I can't tell.
I do find it very iteresting that I am pretty much fine until I tell myself that I CAN'T have something. Yesterday I had a pretty good sugar free day - but all I could think about ALL DAY was sugar. And not GOOD sugar like the GS Cookies in my desk drawer that I totally ignored. I had to dig out a bag of jelly beans left over from Easter that has been in my bedroom with nary a thought from me and gnaw on THOSE little sugar pellets at 10pm last night. I am sick and wrong.
My health month starts tomorrow; I didn't do November since I found the site so late and I knew I would be away for Thanksgiving with little computer access.
Good luck for December!
Post a Comment