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Posted 12/20/2014 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
I am just curious. I know there are natural sugars in food and artificial sugars (well maybe not artificial - but like sweets etc) But 2 years ago I eliminated all sugary junk food including cake, cookies, brownies etc from my diet. it wasn't by choice. Literally one day I woke up and those sweet things were just disgusting to me. I don't know what caused that switch to be flipped honestly.

I am not sure exactly how much sugar a day I consume but I know it's not much. Can someone tell me the ramifications of not consuming enough sugar if any?
Posted 12/20/2014 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
Less tooth decay.

Less sugar-induced fluctuation in your blood sugar.
Posted 12/20/2014 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Well, the past two weeks i have been attempting a keto diet and have had headaches, dizziness and heart palpatations. I cut out fruit and starches completely besides green banana flour. I dont know if you are following a keto diet, but it can work for some people. I was trying it for my hives/swollen tissues. If you are still eating fruit and starch sugars, then i think you will be fine. I ditched keto last night fter i thought i was having a heart attack. It really throws off your electrolytes from what ive read if you arent being careful.
Posted 12/20/2014 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not a nutritionist or a scientist, so others may have different thoughts. I think there is a big difference between junk sweets, which I think you are referring to, and carbs in general. We need carbs for energy, but for most people they can get those from fruits and starches (potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, etc). It's also possible to cut out all those cakes/cookies/etc and then make up for it with pasta/rice/potatoes. There are also carbs in most vegetables that we consume as well - there are lots of ways to get them without junk.

I am not aware of a health risk that comes with not consuming sugar - however, if you reduce all carbs some people do better with lower carb diets than others. I am a happier, more energetic person having some sweet potatoes and plantains in my life. :)
Posted 12/20/2014 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
I'm thinking about seeing a nutrionist because I have very little understanding how foods work. But basically my diet consists of no fruit, tho I do love my greens, pastas and breads. I'm not a big eater and have never been to be honest. I know I should eat more but I have no appetite. I don't eat breakfast or lunch most days - sometimes I will have a couple eggs in the morning with toast. I might have a snack midday like chips and my dinners are the norm. Chicken, pork, steak with a side dish like salad, green beans etc. I very rarely snack at night.

So basically I was wondering how the lack of sugars can impact the body.

Joanna, I have no clue what a keto diet even is lol
Posted 12/20/2014 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Starches break down into glucose so you should be okay if you get glucose in that form.

Your brain runs best on glucose so at the very least I would eat enough to keep up your brain's requirements for glucose. Which is I think about 100g a day which translates to roughly 400 calories of carbs. Don't know if that specific number is correct. But your entire body also uses glucose all the time so who knows how it is distributed.

A nutritionist might be a good option. One meal a day is too little for anyone who works, goes to school, and/or a semi-active lifestyle (including running around at work/school/running errands/exercise/etc.) The effects of long term energy deficits are not pretty, I would definitely consult the nutritionist about all this.
Posted 12/21/2014 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
I have a feeling that Sugar is probably one of the worst things that we all consume on a daily basis, and its not just in the obvious, its in many many things, and so I cannot imagine it would be detrimental to you in any way by not eating much....a nutritionist sounds like a good idea, mainly because you say you are not a big eater and therefore it is important to make sure that what you are eating is giving you everything that your body needs...that's my 2 cents lol!
Posted 12/21/2014 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
If you're eating pastas, cereals, breads you're getting plenty of complex carbs, which break down into simple ones (glucose.) Glucose is the fuel your body burns for energy, and it will convert many foods to glucose if your intake is inadequate (starvation situations, for example.) Fruits do contain a lot of vitamins, flavonoids and other substances that contribute to health.

You could easily lead a very healthy life without any of the sweet snacks we tend to eat.
Posted 12/21/2014 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
All great info...thanks so much :) I have an appt with my primary in January and he mentioned sending me to a nutritionist in the past. So I will be sure to bring this up to him when I see him.

I KNOW I'm not getting the proper nutrition like I should but I'm at a loss at how to achieve my goals. And stay with the program.
Posted 12/21/2014 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
Definitely a good idea to consult a pro nutritionist. Skipping breakfast & lunch is not a good routine for anyone plus IBDers are usually advised to eat 3-5 smaller meals daily in case of appetite problems or food intolerance. I always eat breakfast but usually skip lunch; then I tend to pig-out by 5-6 PM, lately on hummus with whole grain crackers. Food is fuel so we probably run too low if we skip meals steadily. An up-to-date nutritionist could also advise you about pro-inflammatory & anti-inflammatory foods-- very interesting & helpful info based on recent research; my gastro's nutritionist does that. / Old Hat (34 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 12/21/2014 10:27 AM (GMT 0)
I physically can't eat sugar, bread, pasta, high starch veggies, etc due to diabetes and I feel fine off of them. It took a couple of months for me to figure it out. I eat about 60 net carbs a day. for breakfast I eat chia seed/flax seed hot cereal, lettuce wrap or salad for lunch and a meat with veggies for dinner. Snacks are Kind Bars, cheese, dark chocolate with almonds or peanut butter on an almond flour bread I make. The key for energy is FAT. I know we've been taught that it's bad for us. But it only is if you're eating carbs as well. I'm not saying you should eat bacon everyday, but olive oil, avocados, eggs, real butter, full fat cheese and cream in moderation. I was eating low fat low carb at first and I felt terrible. When I added fat my energy levels increased dramatically. So far my cholesterol is fine. I'm looking into the theory that cholesterol doesn't matter as much as your HDL/triglyceride ratio. If you read Wheat Belly, Dr. Davis goes into detail about all this. I'm not sure if current nutritionists think in this way. All my diabetes dietitians have recommended that I eat 30 carbs at every meal and 15 for snacks 3x/day. I would need an insulin pump if I ate like that so I had to find my own way. Do some research on the Ketogenic diet and LCHF diet.
Posted 12/21/2014 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
here here, bring on the lard ass diet :-) at least for the folks who have the internal gut fondness for such things.

ya Sherry, ya gotta eat for criminally sakes ! not eating enough tends to program your body to not want to eat - kinda that survival mode deal - a nutritionist sounds like a good plan -

oh, and EAT please - I hear that lack of good nutrition can lead to accidental stud banning ;-)
Posted 12/21/2014 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Sherry, maybe this link will help a bit...

http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Nutrition-basics/Why-your-body-needs-sugar-20131010
Posted 12/21/2014 5:36 PM (GMT 0)

Judy2 said...
If you're eating pastas, cereals, breads you're getting plenty of complex carbs, which break down into simple ones (glucose.) Glucose is the fuel your body burns for energy, and it will convert many foods to glucose if your intake is inadequate (starvation situations, for example.) Fruits do contain a lot of vitamins, flavonoids and other substances that contribute to health.

You could easily lead a very healthy life without any of the sweet snacks we tend to eat.

I agree, sounds good to me. Also agree about fruit containing nutrients but many UCers cannot handle at least some fruit. Plums can sink me.
Posted 12/21/2014 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry....It does seem that the balance of many food groups is somewhat lacking, especially if you suspect your nutritional needs aren't being met If you consider the idea of seeing a nutritionist. ..it would at least give you some guidance for options that you wouldn't have considered.
As well...you can request a few appointments with adjustments relating to what works, how you feel, ease of change, tastes, etc. The process of change takes time, and you have many here who know a lot about nutrition, food options without being extreme.

so curious what you absolutely love, what you cannot eat and what you would like to venture towards.

q
Posted 12/21/2014 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Great link PB, thank you.

Ya, my appetite is almost nil. It always has been actually. I eat to live, not live to eat.

I'm not fond of fruits. They really don't bother me, I just don't have a taste for them. Veggies on the other hand is my weakness and sometimes my undoing! Lol My body can not break down veggies at all so every once in a while I will blend a few together to make them easier to digest. Sometimes I will add in an apple for a different taste. I also have to be careful of some things because of my diverticular disease.
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