Optimal sugar intakes?!

empleat

Hello,

first I want to ask: why when I add banana, sugar content is counted towards sugar RDA? I was told - only added sugars count towards sugar RDA!!!

I want to ask about optimal sugar intakes per day. I know complex carbs are more healthier, because they are broken down more slowly and don't spike blood sugar and don't make you fat! But they are broken down to sugars eventually nevertheless...

I wanted to ask what is optimal sugar intake total per day? Because brain needs sugar from time to time to not feel tired! So ideally one would spread out sugar intakes. How often I should eat sugar from starches and sugar found in fruits so my brain is not tired?!

Thanks!

Karen_Cronometer

Hi empleat,

You'll see the total amount of sugar in the foods you've logged shown in your sugar target. There is no daily target or maximum threshold set by default, so you'll see your intake next to "No Target". If you find a level of intake that works for you, or you'd like to stay under a certain amount you can customize you target. There is a separate target for Added Sugar available in your Nutrient Targets, if you'd like to keep an eye on that too!

You break down other carbs, like starch, during digestion to supply sugar, so there is no RDA for sugar on its own. Reaching the Recommended Dietary Allowance for carbohydrates of 130 g/d takes into account brain needs.

Your body is designed to store some sugar to give you a steady supply in between meals, though it is certainly worth experimenting with timing of meals and snacks if you're feeling tired during the day! Some other things to consider that may help too - energy and macronutrients in your meals, caffeine and alcohol intake, exercise and sleep patterns, stress levels.

D33

sugar don’t make anyone fat. A caloric surplus does. You could lose the same weight eating pizza and donuts as you could eating salads if the calories are the same.

docMB1337

Is there no way to separate these sugar totals out? As someone who has been advised by medical staff to increase carbs and fruit intake daily, it's disheartening to see that the tracker lumps it all together so every day you're failing if you set the target based on the 24g/36g AHA daily recommendation.

FerrisBueller86

Yes, I wish that Cronometer did separate added sugars from natural sugars.

Fortunately, I have it easy, because I've been avoiding foods with added sugars. (My motivation has been immune system health, not weight or blood cholesterol.)

Don't worry about the natural sugars in broccoli, apples, oranges, blueberries, carrots, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, or other fruits and vegetables. These foods have fiber and other nutrients that limit the rate of sugar absorption, which makes them easy on your liver, pancreas, and other organs.

When it comes to added sugar (or the fiber-free sugar in fruit juice), the optimal intake is zero. If you're going to consume added sugar, at least limit it to an average of 24 grams per day (if you're a woman) or 36 grams per day (if you're a man).

docMB1337

My motivation is coming back from an aortic dissection last year at age 37, which led to a mechanical valve and aortic mesh (woo science). Using Cronometer has made it easy for my wife and I to keep me honest by the numbers and share info with my docs as we're trying to figure all this out.

We're trying to keep the added sugar at least under the 36g daily if I HAVE to have something bad for me. Seems to be working for the most part.

Susan_RD_101

Cronometer is often relying on what labels provide and often, there isn't a clear division between natural and added sugars.

As an RD, what I like to do is view an individual's sources of added sugars (by hovering my mouse over sugar intake in their diary). I'll add up the total grams, multiply this by 4 (calories per gram of sugar), then divide it by their total kcal intake.

Ideally, I like to see added sugars kept to 10% or less of total kcal.

Kind regards,

docMB1337

Your method certainly makes sense. I'm finding that using the general sugar ledger Cronometer creates and just hand calculating from labels against the AHA recommendation of 36g sort of works for now (I can definitely keep ONE number tracked all day myself). Obviously I'd like to be more granular here, as I have sodium and fat mastered and Cronometer makes tracking those a bit more cut and dry.

I've been told by two dieticians that I need to be at 2400 calories daily, but I'm averaging 2100. Would 36g of added sugar fit within those daily calorie intake limits? 36*4 = 144/2100 = 0.068 or ~7%? That's under 10%.

Thank you for engaging. The more I learn the more I think of myself as some kind of long term science experiment. The data I've already collected on my "numbers," absolutely fascinating.

Susan_RD_101

@docMB1337

Sounds good to me! I'd also probably keep your target closer to 2100 kcal per day. As RDs, we can only estimate energy needs but always need to adjust targets once we find out how someone actually eats.

Kind regards,

Nemo

@docMB1337 I, too, think of myself as a long-term science experiment. Tracking with Cronometer has aided me enormously in fine-tuning my diet to be healthier. And Susan_RD has been helpful by answering my questions with her expert advice.

Susan_RD_101

Awww, shucks! Thanks for the positive feedback.