Grams of sugar?

You would think being 4 years out, a history of low blood sugar, etc. that I would have a better handle on sugar. That is, goals when it comes to consuming it. Previously my priorities in eating daily rank like this: 1st calories 2nd protein 3rd carbs. Meaning that I would (when in weight loss especially) always try to ensure I was at or under my caloric goal, then ensure I got my protein in, and finally try to keep my carbs managed. So what happens too often, is I hit the three goals but... my grams of sugar are too high of a percentage. 

My carb goal for the day is pretty generous in comparison to many on the boards. 150 or less as a general guideline. But sugar is the devil, and it is entirely possible for me to have a high sugar day gram wise and still hit my caloric and carb goal. So I am trying to adjust. I do try to avoid processed junk, and stick to items low on the glycemic index in general. But that sweet tooth of mine is a constant battle. I have recently tried to keep my sugar under 25 grams. Holy **** it is nearly impossible for me. 

So my question is- if the sugar is coming from whole food (dairy, fruit in particular and some whole grains) is it as harmful to your system as say eating a cookie or something like that? I am particularly interested in if the "healthier" sugar is as hard on inflammation levels and increasing the chance of diabetes. So in a nutshell, if I log 30g of sugar, but it is fruit, yogurt, and whole grain bread compared to 30g from a cookie- is the impact on your system comparable assuming you eat the amount at the same time/proportions?

You are not the only one.  Manufacturers have helped keep us in a sugar coma because they were not required to reveal their added sugars like high fructose syrups and just sugar in general to make us eat more.  Of course sugar from a piece of fruit is better for your body than sugar added to the same fruit packed in a can.

In the 1800's the Pima Native Americans living in Arizona were described by the first white settlers as strong, lean and healthy people.  The white settlers introduced white sugar and white flour to the native peoples and in a few years the tribe members became extremely fat, sick and plagued with diabetes.

Sticking with whole grains and natural sugars would probably wipe out a lot of the obesity and diabetes that our country is plagued with today.

Fortunately the government is going to make food processors accountable.  Yesterday the Food and Drug Administration announced changes to food labels that will require the added sugars to be listed.  

sugar is sugar to the body , natural or processed, the body reacts the same way , with an insulin spike. 

The only real difference is that more complex sugars take longer to hit the blood stream. 

I don't think the way different sugars affect inflammation is very different

High blood serum insulin is one of the things that causes inflammation.  Regardless of where your sugar comes from, the body eventually converts it into glucose which raises insulin.  The body does not distinguish much between a piece of fruit and a piece of chocolate in terms of sugar.  The insulin will cause inflammation regardless if it's high.  Protein provokes a lesser insulin response, and fat provokes almost none at all.

If you eat fruit and whole grains you will probably never be able to keep your sugar extremely low, just because they naturally have sugars.  When I eliminated these from my diet I was able to keep them between 5-10g at most...but I also typically eat well under 50g of carbs a day total, and often much closer to 25g.  Bread and fruit are definitely going to keep sugars up.  You'd have to eat a minuscule amount, and the amounts we eat are already small.  Grains in and of themselves can cause inflammation, by the way, sugar aside.  Also, almost all carbohydrate, with a few exceptions, is converted to glucose, anyway.  

I have two autoimmune disorders, and the autoimmune diets eliminate all grains, and state to limit fructose.  Part of fructose is converted to glucose, and part to triglycerides, and the liver prioritizes breaking it down over other processes (such as fat conversion).  I think we're supposed to limit fructose sugar to 10-20g/day - still well under 30g. This is the diet to avoid inflammation we're often suggested to try for autoimmune stuff.

Beautiful answer- thank you so much for taking the time to post. I am off to check out the link now. 

I had been working with a health coach prior to my revision and she had me following this way of eating.  She also wanted me to eliminate dairy.  I have Hashimotos.  Personally, I found it hard to stick to, but that's me.  I tried really hard but missed being able have these foods even now and then.      

It's definitely hard to adjust to.  I had a lot of trouble, especially as a binge eater.

The AIP diet has you eliminate dairy but some people reintroduce it.  I actually follow this diet above except I do have dairy and nightshade veggies - I can't eat many veggies though so it's basically negligible for me.  I actually notice an enormous difference.  My joint pain reduces by over 50%, and a lot of the Hashimoto's brain fog dissipates.  My thyroid antibody levels plummeted too.

I do miss those foods, and sometimes even eat them, but I have Celiac as well so I can't eat anything with gluten anyway or I risk cancer in the future, so it was good motivation to switch having the two disorders.  

I think this probably varies from person to person.  For me, sugar from dairy or fruit doesn't trigger me or stall weight loss or cause sugar cravings.  For some folks, I imagine it does.  But sugar from sweets, or snacky-type carbs -- HOLY COW -- instant cravings and can derail me for a week :(

And the 2-3 lbs I can gain in a week take me a month or more to lose ...

(Five years post-VSG)