Do you avoid added sugar even if its small amounts?

(Ryan Tuttle) #1

I noticed some products will have small amounts of added sugar. So small that its listed as 0g or <1g.

My question is do you avoid those products because its added sugar?

For example some salad dressing or maybe ham. I recently bought a pork shoulder with “0g” carb. But the incredients list sugar and ive been iffy on wether or not to purchase products like that.

#2

I don’t, I go by the carb count in the nutrition label. For a lot of pork products the sugar is used in the curing process and not much of it remains. This is excepting stuff like maple honey ham, which I imagine has carbs listed in the nutrition label.

#3

I prefer to avoid anything with added sugar even if it fits my carb limit, totally personal preference

(John) #4

It depends, if it fits in my carb limit I usually don’t mind if there aren’t ready alternatives. That said, I was buying some mayo the other day that showed no carbs but listed HFCS even above egg whites. Why the hell does mayo need HFCS?

(Ryan Tuttle) #5

Thats exactly what im saying!! haha. There are def non-hfcs options out there though.

(VLC.MD) #6

Depends on the item.

Salad dressing yes, cheese no.

(Jo O) #7

Maybe think of it differently.
Does it spike your insulin/inflammatory response?
Or
How fat adapted are you?

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #8

I avoid anything with HFCS. I do use a couple of sauces that have like 3-5 grams of sugar, real sugar in them. The amount in a serve is low and as long as it fits my carb goals for the day, I’m ok with it. I am not diabetic just IR. So this works for me.

(Ernest) #9

If it’s avoidable, I avoid it.
Some items you just can’t escape the added sugar. Comes with the world that we live in these days.
But that’s why I prefer to make my own dressings, sauces etc.
I don’t stress over it though.

(Jacob Wagner) #10

If its hydrogenated then its a thickening agent. I would avoid that.

It depends. if I am at a store I will prefer the products that don’t. But, if the total net carbs is low and there aren’t multiple optiosn then I will usually go with it.

–Jacob

(Allie) #11

Yes I do, which is why I’ve started making my own chocolate for recipes rather than using the Lindt 90% I was using.

(Duncan Kerridge) #12

you’re UK aren’t you? Check out Montezumas 100% Absolute Black, it’s lush

(Allie) #13

Thanks I’ll check it out :slight_smile:

(Duncan Kerridge) #14

Sainsbury’s stock it

(Carol E. ) #15

I have learned that some foods with carbs/sugars can be trigger foods even though the amount per serving is low. For example, I stay away from cashews as portion control with this food is a challenge.

Your mileage may vary :slight_smile:

(Duncan Kerridge) #16

And they’re pretty much the highest carb nut as well…

(Ren) #17

I avoid sugar by staying away from heavily processed foods and reading labels. I make a lot of stuff at home so that I can control what is in them.

Salad dressings
“pasta” sauces (now spaghetti squash or zoodle sauces)
jerky
sweets/desserts
marinades
Condiments like mayo and ranch

(Mark Rhodes) #18

I do my best to eat clean. When I have a choice I buy clean so my “at home” meals cast no doubt. Eating out or at a friends home I ask if they added any sugar or sweeteners but I am not so retentive as to ask to see their pantry products. Once I became fat adapted little amounts of sugar may knock me out of ketosis but I’m back to normal the next day. I then follow up with a fast or very strict eating. This WOE is meant to be easy.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #19

I am building my sauces and salad dressings recipes collection up since I am avoiding soybean, cottonseed, and canola oils in addition to HFCS. I do most of my sauces but occasionally I will grab some alfredo sauce or a low carb pasta sauce to have on hand just in case I run out of ingredients. I’m in snow country so I can’t always dash over to the store, we keep a cupboard and part of the freezer space for bad weather foods we can prepare on the grill or in the fireplace.

(Brian) #20

I avoid it where I can. But I don’t freak out if there is a tiny bit of sugar in something.

Case in point. I made some ketchup year before last. I canned it. And the recipe called for a little sugar in it. I wasn’t doing keto at the time. I have since gone back and calculated just how much sugar I’d be getting from a typical serving of my homemade ketchup. It’s less than 1g. Ya know what? I only eat ketchup a few times a month. I’m gonna enjoy my homemade ketchup from time to time and not give a hoot whether it has that little bit of sugar in it. I have way bigger things to worry about.

Yes, I do read labels in the store. And I care how much sugar is in there. I put things back on the shelf often when it looks to be way more than I want. But tiny amounts, I pretty much ignore.