Hey all,

I was talking to a friend the other day and get got onto the debate of sugar intake. Shes a vegetarian, and lives off the same vegetables night after night whilst skipping breakfast. She always looks pale and washed out alot, and rarey touches sugar but eats vast amounts of salt. She does little exercise, but is only marginally overweight. She is constantly tired and cant handle much exercise let alone work up a sweat.

On the other hand, I eat everything. Often, too much. I eat lots of potato’s, pasta and probably too much sugar (chocolate bar a day, maybe more) but little fatty foods. I have a minimum of 2 pieces of fruit/veg a day, often in the form of juice and veg with dinner. Theres very rarely a day when I dont spend half an hour walking or spend at least 20 minutes on the bike. I dont have a problem keeping awake and always feel ready for the day whereas she see’s it as a struggle.

She says shes ultimately healthier as the sugar im putting in my body will cause all manner of problems as I get older. I know that to a point exercise will keep you fit, increase your metabolism, but will it counter-act the problem of too much sugar? Is she right to a point or not at all?

Balanced diet beats faddy every time. Sounds like anemia has got her in it’s grip, women have to be careful to take on enough iron to counteract menstruation and hormone changes associated with their cycle. Though without knowing more she appears to be erring on the side of a full-blown eating dis-order.

Mmmm, choices choices, diabetes or heart disease?

My point is, that surely if I cut out the sugary foods and carry on with a reasonabley healthy diet, its going to be better overall than her restricted eating? I am actually worried about her but in debate, she shrugs it off so I wanted to get other opinions.

there is nothing wrong with sugar beyond a slight challenge to glucose regulation. All carbohydrates are broken down into glucose before absorbtion into the body.

Sounds like she needs some meat in her or at least something other than just a bit of veg.

It’s not a choice between diabetes and heart disease, it’s a buy one get one free offer. And sugar doesn’t give you diabetes, being overweight is more of a problem.

I found out the hard way.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Breakfast like a king,
lunch like a queen,
Dinner/Tea like a pauper.

Tomahto / TomAto – sounds like neither of you have particularly stellar eating habits.

WRT carnivore/veggie, I’ve been veggie since 1981 and am one of the healthiest (in body only, obviously) people I’ve ever known.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

I dispute this, inasmuch as I don’t bother with meals unless I have company – I just browse all day

“Sounds like she needs some meat in her”

figuratively speaking of course…. 🙂

I know you can be a very healthy vegetarian, but at the same time I dont think she is. Ill admit, my eating habits are far from perfect but I wanted to get more opinions to maybe coax her into changing a little, mixing it up and putting in some alternatives.

It’s all about balance. As Finbar said, neither of you sound like you have a particularly balanced diet.

Unless you’re ill, nutrition is pretty easy:

http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/bghbooklet.pdf

It’s very often a case of not what you eat, but WHY you eat what you eat. Have a look at your dietary behaviours and question your motives for eating what you do. Then ask if this fits in as part of a balanced diet.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Breakfast like a king,
lunch like a queen,
Dinner/Tea like a pauper.”

Do we have to dress accordingly too?

I have a balanced diet.]
Well strictly speaking it’s probably 2 or 3 balanced diets, but hey ho, life’s too short to pass on dessert!
🙂

When I need to loose a bit of weight (Like I do now) I don’t change what I eat. I just eat less and exercise more. It works. I’ll never be thin though, don’t wanna be either.
🙂

I too have a balanced diet, a pie in each hand…boom-tish! Thank you, I am here all week

There is a surprising amount of sugar in fruit and veg. http://www.sugarstacks.com/fruits.htm

I don’t eat sugary foods on medical grounds.

But when I’m not at the doctor’s I love a good mars bar.

…boom-tish! Thank you, I am here all week

Me too. Fancy a dual?

lol at Jimmy
Must remember that one

So the choices are eat, drink and be merry
or keep being miserable for longer…

As I understand it there is nothing wrong with eating sugar.

It is pretty empty calories and obviously too many calories lead to weight gain – but the sugar itself won’t do you any harm (as long as you brush your teeth).

What would life be without pudding?

eat, drink & be merry.
treat food like an enemy and it’ll beat you every time.