Shocked at how much sugar is in everything!

[Mandylubug]

You know, I always knew I ate too much sugar. I used to drink six colas a day, if I wanted a cookie, sure I ate it, etc. We then cut back, stopped buying sodas, stopped making tea and only splurged on creamer for coffee.

 

I then noticed how much sugar was in processed cookies, etc. and stopped buying those. I do make a batch of brownies a week for a treat. I started buying fruit instead.

 

Well, this month I have tried to stay within the recommended limit of 24g per day of sugar. I have healthy choices here, not junk. If we eat cereal it is an "oat" "low sugar" cereal. I have YET to be under the recommended sugar allowance for a healthy individual.

 

It just saddens me to think of all the people sipping on sweet teas, sodas, eating sugary desserts. I also then think that most people turn their nose up to my strict diet. It is "unheard" of in the south to only drink water with meals. We don't drink diet soda, we don't drink juice, we have milk only with breakfast. We are diligent and yet don't make it under recommended norms.

 

Anyway, just a sorta vent or "wow, who knew?" post. It is amazing how much sugar is common to the average person. I am hoping to get my intake at or below the recommended goal soon.

[Mom-ninja.]

I have people ask me all the time how I get my kids to drink water. I just tell them that's what we drink in our house. Water. At all meals and in between. Every now and then I'll buy OJ or grapefruit juice.

[Mandylubug]

I have people ask me all the time how I get my kids to drink water. I just tell them that's what we drink in our house. Water. At all meals and in between. Every now and then I'll buy OJ or grapefruit juice.

 

we went out to eat for my gals bday the other week and the waitress asked them what they wanted. They both replied "water with lemon please" and she was shocked. Then said "are you sure you don't want a soda?" I was thinking sheesh lady, they want water! She then asked me to confirm that they just want water due to their sodas would be free with a kids meal. We had to say water three times. She was shocked we would "throw away" the soda :001_huh:

[Ghee]

You know, I always knew I ate too much sugar. I used to drink six colas a day, if I wanted a cookie, sure I ate it, etc. We then cut back, stopped buying sodas, stopped making tea and only splurged on creamer for coffee.

 

I then noticed how much sugar was in processed cookies, etc. and stopped buying those. I do make a batch of brownies a week for a treat. I started buying fruit instead.

 

Well, this month I have tried to stay within the recommended limit of 24g per day of sugar. I have healthy choices here, not junk. If we eat cereal it is an "oat" "low sugar" cereal. I have YET to be under the recommended sugar allowance for a healthy individual.

 

It just saddens me to think of all the people sipping on sweet teas, sodas, eating sugary desserts. I also then think that most people turn their nose up to my strict diet. It is "unheard" of in the south to only drink water with meals. We don't drink diet soda, we don't drink juice, we have milk only with breakfast. We are diligent and yet don't make it under recommended norms.

 

Anyway, just a sorta vent or "wow, who knew?" post. It is amazing how much sugar is common to the average person. I am hoping to get my intake at or below the recommended goal soon.

 

:iagree:with the bolded. I ordered unsweet tea (so not even water) at a Mississippi restaurant last night and was brought sweet. I asked the waitress to exchange and had to actually say "Tea withOUT sweetner." When she finally got it right, she offered me sweetner packets. :glare:

 

I did want to point out that we do occasionally have tea with meals, I just make it unsweet. Granted, that is an abomination down here ;), but it can be done.

 

It is sad, though, just how much sugar people consume without thinking about it. We've had soo many health issues clear up once we ousted the sugar.

[KungFuPanda]

I think the only way to reduce sugar is to cook everything from scratch so you know when you add it. Maybe put your daily allotment in a container and when it's gone it's gone?

 

I still drink sweet tea, but I grew up adding 2 cups to a gallon and I cut back to one and I don't make it more than once a week :-/.

 

::sigh:: I LOVE sugar

[Mandylubug]

I think the only way to reduce sugar is to cook everything from scratch so you know when you add it. Maybe put your daily allotment in a container and when it's gone it's gone?

 

I still drink sweet tea, but I grew up adding 2 cups to a gallon and I cut back to one and I don't make it more than once a week :-/.

 

::sigh:: I LOVE sugar

 

we did that and then reduced it by half and just kept reducing every week till we got down to none in our tea. We then just decided to drink water and got to the point where we crave water when thirsty.

[justamouse]

I have people ask me all the time how I get my kids to drink water. I just tell them that's what we drink in our house. Water. At all meals and in between. Every now and then I'll buy OJ or grapefruit juice.

 

:iagree:

 

We're more water drinkers, and I just keep a pitcher of it chilled in the fridge. If I'm feeling particularly fancy I'll add mint or lemon. :-)

 

I also drink a lot of iced tea, but it's homemade and unsweetened.

[Wildcat]

.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Wildcat

[MusicMama]

I cannot understand how many people I know live life with a soda can in their hands. We do not have soda in the house, only for special occasions like birthdays will I purchase some sprite or kool-aid. Our kids drink water, and the little boys get a cup of milk at bedtime. One day, having a pregnancy craving, I pulled over at Sonic and got an coconut sprite. I ordered a medium, and halfway through had a horrible headache. I should have ordered a small with extra ice! I've told my friends that I treat soda the way I would any other dessert, I enjoy it for the taste, not to quench thirst just as I would never eat a snickers bar if I was actually hungry! It's a treat, rarely had and in small amounts.

[Wildcat]

.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Wildcat

[AHASRADA]

We've recently started monitoring our sugar intake as well. We were pretty much aware of how much sugar was in most foods, and took care not to overdo it (soda only on special occasions, etc.), but it's true, staying within that recommended limit isn't easy.

 

I think the fact that "healthy" food, like whole-grain cereal, fruit smoothies and yogurt have tons of sugar in them makes the battle that much more difficult. Dd was about to grab a drinkable yogurt, read the sugar grams and decided she would rather drink 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow! Condiments like ketchup are another source of hidden sugar (or more likely, corn syrup).

 

My mom drinks unsweetened tea, but I can't stand it; too bitter. I'd rather just drink water, which is what we do most of the time. For things that only need a little bit of sweetening, like coffee or water with lemon, we use a stevia packet or two.

 

FWIW, we always only order water at restaurants, and have never gotten a strange look. Water is the de facto drink unless someone really wants a treat. My mom also orders her unsweetened tea with no issues. Maybe this is more common up north.

[Mandylubug]

We've recently started monitoring our sugar intake as well. We were pretty much aware of how much sugar was in most foods, and took care not to overdo it (soda only on special occasions, etc.), but it's true, staying within that recommended limit isn't easy.

 

I think the fact that "healthy" food, like whole-grain cereal, fruit smoothies and yogurt have tons of sugar in them makes the battle that much more difficult. Dd was about to grab a drinkable yogurt, read the sugar grams and decided she would rather drink 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow! Condiments like ketchup are another source of hidden sugar (or more likely, corn syrup).

 

My mom drinks unsweetened tea, but I can't stand it; too bitter. I'd rather just drink water, which is what we do most of the time. For things that only need a little bit of sweetening, like coffee or water with lemon, we use a stevia packet or two.

 

FWIW, we always only order water at restaurants, and have never gotten a strange look. Water is the de facto drink unless someone really wants a treat. My mom also orders her unsweetened tea with no issues. Maybe this is more common up north.

 

 

You know, I never was given strange looks or comments when we lived in AZ. I am sure it is a southern thing :)

[Dory]

My kids have only ever tasted a soda once. By that time they weren't used to it and haven't wanted to touch it since. They drink water. They have milk with breakfast, they are allowed some juice at lunch. But otherwise, it's water. I don't even can my fruit with sugar, and make my jams with very little sugar as I find everything too sweet. The only sugar thing that I struggle with is Pepsi. I got hooked on it when I was little and still will have a can whenever I'm stressed.

[Danestress]

Sugar.

 

Seriously, two tablespoons of sugar in a two court pitcher. It really improves it, and that isn't so much sugar:)

 

Also, louisianne is the best tea for icing!

 

I have been trying to keep my carbs to 30 effective (ie not counting fiber) a day. Doctor Eades in Protein Power says that non sugar carbs are metabolized into sugar, and to your body, carbs are carbs - it is all sugar in the end. Mostly I am eating low carb vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese and whey power, and a small serving of berries every day.

[Mandylubug]

Sugar.

 

Seriously, two tablespoons of sugar in a two court pitcher. It really improves it, and that isn't so much sugar:)

 

Also, louisianne is the best tea for icing!

 

I have been trying to keep my carbs to 30 effective (ie not counting fiber) a day. Doctor Eades in Protein Power says that non sugar carbs are metabolized into sugar, and to your body, carbs are carbs - it is all sugar in the end. Mostly I am eating low carb vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese and whey power, and a small serving of berries every day.

 

yeah, I obviously crave sugar even though I think I am craving "white potatoes and rolls with butter!" I am sure if I could eliminate most of my carbs and sugar intake I would feel great.

 

It definitely requires a back to basic, eating nothing that isn't in its original form kind of "diet" but I hate to call it a diet. More of a lifestyle and nutrition change.

[justLisa]

Once you become very sugar aware, it's amazing how much stuff has it. Condiments, etc even.

[Blessings2all]

I agree with you on the sugar issue. That's why we quit buying most processed foods and make most of our meals homemade. I'm a major water drinker and am encouraging my teens to do the same. We only buy milk (almond milk for some of us who are dairy free) to go on cereal. We get orange juice, but don't drink it every day. Occasionally we have tea or coffee, otherwise it's just water.

 

I read a statistic that our bodies are made up of about 75-80% water which is why we're supposed to drink a lot of it. It takes a little getting used to at first, but after a while, you don't miss the sweet stuff.

 

Good luck with dropping the sugar and thanks for reminding us!:)

[justamouse]

If you make your own yogurt, you can make smoothies with nothing but natural sugars from berries or a banana.

 

I haven't bought store yogurt in years.

 

I make mine with coconut milk, yogurt, a handful of berries and flaxseeds. No sugar needed.

[Laurie4b]

We've recently started monitoring our sugar intake as well. We were pretty much aware of how much sugar was in most foods, and took care not to overdo it (soda only on special occasions, etc.), but it's true, staying within that recommended limit isn't easy.

 

I think the fact that "healthy" food, like whole-grain cereal, fruit smoothies and yogurt have tons of sugar in them makes the battle that much more difficult. Dd was about to grab a drinkable yogurt, read the sugar grams and decided she would rather drink 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow! Condiments like ketchup are another source of hidden sugar (or more likely, corn syrup).

 

My mom drinks unsweetened tea, but I can't stand it; too bitter. I'd rather just drink water, which is what we do most of the time. For things that only need a little bit of sweetening, like coffee or water with lemon, we use a stevia packet or two.

 

FWIW, we always only order water at restaurants, and have never gotten a strange look. Water is the de facto drink unless someone really wants a treat. My mom also orders her unsweetened tea with no issues. Maybe this is more common up north.

 

In the part of the northeast where I grew up, all tea in restaurants was served unsweetened. If you wanted it sweet, you opened up a sugar pack and stirred it in. Because it didn't dissolve well in cold water, most of it sank to the bottom of the glass. I didn't really like tea. Then I moved to the south for college and had my first sweet tea. Couldn't get enough of it! I gradually did go back to unsweetened, but every once in a while, I'll have a 1/4 glass of sweet tea. <sigh> It really is good!

[Laurie4b]

If you make your own yogurt, you can make smoothies with nothing but natural sugars from berries or a banana.

 

I haven't bought store yogurt in years.

 

I make mine with coconut milk, yogurt, a handful of berries and flaxseeds. No sugar needed.

 

I don't make my own, just buy plain. Dannon makes it and most stores carry it. Stoneybrook makes plain in an organic yogurt. I just eat it plain most of the time (for calcium and Vit D) but it tastes very sweet with some cinnamon in it (good for your blood sugar). Sometimes I add fruit, but since the calcium in the dairy cancels out a lot of good things in the fruit, I tend to eat it plain most of the time.

[Dustybug]

I think the only way to reduce sugar is to cook everything from scratch so you know when you add it. Maybe put your daily allotment in a container and when it's gone it's gone?

 

I still drink sweet tea, but I grew up adding 2 cups to a gallon and I cut back to one and I don't make it more than once a week :-/.

 

::sigh:: I LOVE sugar

 

 

I was never a tea drinker, I don't like it. Where I grew up (D.C./NoVA area) you couldn't order sweet tea in a restaurant. When I moved here and later married my DH he drank tea by the gallon. Seriously. A gallon a day at least. With TWO cups of sugar in it.

 

We've been married for almost 7 years and about a year ago, he started allowing me to cut the sugar back slowly. He's down to a 1/4 cup per gallon now and he goes through a gallon of tea in about 2 days now. BUT he drinks tons and tons of water at work because he sweats nonstop and has to rehydrate.

 

I am a sugaraholic. It's horrible. I have a serious soda addiction that I've developed in the last year and a half. I've been trying to break it, but it is so HARD! I want to cut back our sugar intake a ton more, but it's been slow baby steps. We used to go through a 10lb bag of sugar in two weeks. Now that same bag will last me at least a month if not longer, so there is some improvement in how I use sugar while cooking. The biggest culprits here are things like condiments. We all love sauces and dips.

 

My kids drink water mostly. They may have one cup of milk and one cup of juice per day and the rest of the time, they drink water.

[Annabel Lee]

 

Well, this month I have tried to stay within the recommended limit of 24g per day of sugar.

 

There's a recommended limit of 24g/day for healthy people (non-diabetic or otherwise sensitive to sugar)? I never knew that, and it explains a lot. It would be very hard, consider most "healthy" cereal is around 7-10g/sugar per serving, and the serving sizes are sometimes as small as 1/2 C. Have you ever poured it into a measuring cup to see how much you're really supposed to be eating? Or, pour what you usually eat, then back-measure it by pouring it from the bowl to the measuring cup to see how much you've been eating? Wowzers.

 

I agree, it really is shocking when you start paying attention to these things. They put sugar in things that it doesn't even need to go in, like lunchmeat and spagetti sauce.

[HeidiKC]

Well, this month I have tried to stay within the recommended limit of 24g per day of sugar.

 

Yikes, I did not know this was the recommendation. That is hard!

 

Have you seen this website? Shocking and eye-opening! Great visual, especially for kids.

 

http://www.sugarstacks.com/

[shukriyya]

Check out the ingredients in iodized salt...besides sodium chloride there is...dextrose, aka sugar :eek:

[BinahYeteirah]

How are you calculating your sugar intake? If I understand it correctly, the 24 grams of sugar thing refers to added sugars, not naturally-occurring sugars like those found in fruit. Nutrition labels do not differentiate between naturally-occurring and added sugars, so you cannot just count up the grams of sugars listed on food packaging to see how you are doing in this area. Of course, with some foods it is obvious that the sugars are mostly or all added sugars, but there are many foods without any added sugars that have a high sugar content on the label.

[Juniper]

I was recently at a friends house and she showed me something I thought was rather brilliant. She is a mother of 9 and each member of her family gets a, I think a pint, jar of sugar for the month. Their name is on their jar and they have to ration their sugar for coffee (the olders) and cereal or anything else. If they want her to make cookies or a special dessert she takes and even amount from everyone's jars.

 

I am trying to decide how to implement something similar.

[justamouse]

How are you calculating your sugar intake? If I understand it correctly, the 24 grams of sugar thing refers to added sugars, not naturally-occurring sugars like those found in fruit. Nutrition labels do not differentiate between naturally-occurring and added sugars, so you cannot just count up the grams of sugars listed on food packaging to see how you are doing in this area. Of course, with some foods it is obvious that the sugars are mostly or all added sugars, but there are many foods without any added sugars that have a high sugar content on the label.

 

That's 24 in total for the induction diet. That means no berries, fruits, only 4 oz of a hard cheese. Fat, protein and a small salad. Lots of water.

 

Yo would be surprised how happy you are when you can eat a lot of butter. :-) You don't care about the rest. If I crave carbs, I know I haven't eaten enough fat for the day. YOu have to eat real food, and limit the prepackaged stuff. Ketchup is a sneaky one. :-)

 

 

I was recently at a friends house and she showed me something I thought was rather brilliant. She is a mother of 9 and each member of her family gets a, I think a pint, jar of sugar for the month. Their name is on their jar and they have to ration their sugar for coffee (the olders) and cereal or anything else. If they want her to make cookies or a special dessert she takes and even amount from everyone's jars.

 

I am trying to decide how to implement something similar.

 

Ohhh wow, what a fantastic idea! I have one that is a sugar monster and I've been really wondering how I could curb his intake-though I limit it as it is.

[Ellie]

I'm not opposed to *all* sugar; if it was bad for you always and everytime, God wouldn't have created so many natural sources of sweetness and given us tastebuds that recognize sweet, KWIM?

 

I just prefer to buy food that doesn't come with it, and then to add my own, usually in the form of honey or pure maple syrup, or molasses, rather than refined white sugar.

 

My dd never got cold cereal because they were lactose intolerant. I cooked oatmeal, Wheat Hearts, and other hot cereal; we added pure maple syrup of molasses and butter. Yummo. But there were no soft drinks, no yogurt, no cookies (we're not big on sweets). And we were in California, where "sweet tea" means you add it to your glass. :)

[BinahYeteirah]

That's 24 in total for the induction diet.

 

I read online that the USDA recommends no more than 24 grams of added sugar for a person on a 1,600 calorie diet. So, it's not just an induction diet thing, but I can't find a direct link to this recommendation on the USDA website. Hmmm... I wonder if the other thing I read was accurate.

[Spock]

 

FWIW, we always only order water at restaurants, and have never gotten a strange look. Water is the de facto drink unless someone really wants a treat. My mom also orders her unsweetened tea with no issues. Maybe this is more common up north.

 

We live in the south, but have traveled in other parts of the country. You can't GET sweet iced tea north of Maryland or west of Texas, with rare exceptions. If you ask for sweet tea, you get baffled looks and a couple of sugar packets. According to my husband and sons (the sweet tea drinkers, I have never liked it), the sugar packets don't dissolve well in already cold tea and it doesn't taste good.

 

In the south, however, sweet tea is the default and you have to specially request unsweetened tea (and it is assumed that you must have diabetes or be on a diet, so artificial sweeteners are provided with it). However, I have always ordered water in restaurants and don't get strange looks. When I was a child, though, my parents made me order my own water because the waitresses always thought they were somehow punishing or depriving me when they ordered soda or sweet tea for themselves and my brother and water for me. I just don't like soda or tea much.

[ReneTL]

It's amazing what happens when our government subsidizes sugar and corn. I have such a hard time reconciling this fact with the current state of our "sick" care system. It seems like this policy might be a big topic of discussion, but it's not. :confused:

[AdventureMoms]

It's amazing what happens when our government subsidizes sugar and corn. I have such a hard time reconciling this fact with the current state of our "sick" care system. It seems like this policy might be a big topic of discussion, but it's not. :confused:

:iagree::iagree:

[angela in ohio]

Check out the ingredients in iodized salt...besides sodium chloride there is...dextrose, aka sugar :eek:

 

That's because it has iodine (something about keeping the iodine in the salt, I remember it from some chemistry book.) If you use salt with no iodine, there is no dextrose, though I can't imagine it adds a significant amount of sugar to the diet.

[angela in ohio]

How are you calculating your sugar intake? If I understand it correctly, the 24 grams of sugar thing refers to added sugars, not naturally-occurring sugars like those found in fruit. Nutrition labels do not differentiate between naturally-occurring and added sugars, so you cannot just count up the grams of sugars listed on food packaging to see how you are doing in this area. Of course, with some foods it is obvious that the sugars are mostly or all added sugars, but there are many foods without any added sugars that have a high sugar content on the label.

 

I wonder that, too. For example, chocolate milk: the milk itself has sugar, plus the added sugar. I suppose you could subtract non-chocolate milk to find it, but that wont' work for everything.

 

We avoid HFCS and added sugar, but I don't focus solely on sugar; I think more in terms of carbohydrates. I am just as leery of a piece of Wonder bread as I am of a soda. :D

[redsquirrel]

How do you separate out added sugar from naturally occurring sugars? This is something that has confused me a bit. Do you keep yourself to 24 grams of carbs a day? That is Atkins levels of low carbs.

 

I don't react well to sugars and really try to avoid them. We do pretty well. I come from a family where drinking soda was only for very special occasions so never developed the habit. I never buy it to have it in the house.

 

This past winter I switched to xylitol for my coffee and tea. I use about 1-2 tsp per day.

 

My biggest challenge is avoiding it for my kids. Things like relatively healthy breakfast cereal has quite a bit. It is difficult to deny them things like cheerios or goldfish crackers.

 

I am pleased to say that I found a store brand tomato sauce with no added sugar. I usually make my own, but it is a nice break to be able to pull out a jar every now and then.

[Mandylubug]

I am using myfitnesspal.com to track my sugar intake.

[Sevilla]

You know, I always knew I ate too much sugar. I used to drink six colas a day, if I wanted a cookie, sure I ate it, etc. We then cut back, stopped buying sodas, stopped making tea and only splurged on creamer for coffee.

 

I then noticed how much sugar was in processed cookies, etc. and stopped buying those. I do make a batch of brownies a week for a treat. I started buying fruit instead.

 

Well, this month I have tried to stay within the recommended limit of 24g per day of sugar. I have healthy choices here, not junk. If we eat cereal it is an "oat" "low sugar" cereal. I have YET to be under the recommended sugar allowance for a healthy individual.

 

It just saddens me to think of all the people sipping on sweet teas, sodas, eating sugary desserts. I also then think that most people turn their nose up to my strict diet. It is "unheard" of in the south to only drink water with meals. We don't drink diet soda, we don't drink juice, we have milk only with breakfast. We are diligent and yet don't make it under recommended norms.

 

Anyway, just a sorta vent or "wow, who knew?" post. It is amazing how much sugar is common to the average person. I am hoping to get my intake at or below the recommended goal soon.

It is amazing, isn't it? When I started tracking the 24g/sugar per day limit earlier this year it was SO HARD to stay under the limit. The only reason I'm able to do so now is that I cook everything from scratch and we eat paleo/primal which means no grain products. I use a limited amount of raw honey in things I cook but that's it for added sweetener.

 

It's even harder with kids IMO. I found *one* kind of ketchup without added sugar (Westbrae). FWIW, I don't count naturally occuring lactose in milk products as part of the daily sugar (so if we get flavored yogurt I also check the plain yogurt and subtract the difference to find out how much is 'added sugar'). I also don't count the sugar in fresh fruit b/c you get the fiber along with it.