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Hot topics! Sugar in fruit
Vane062011
Posts: 2 Member
Hello fitness pals!
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body. Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups. Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
What are your thoughts?
V
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body. Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups. Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
What are your thoughts?
V
3
Replies
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I love chocolate covered raisins!22
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Sugar is sugar, whether it's in fruit or not.
If you have a specific medical problem with sugar, follow your doctor's recommendations about sugar consumption.
If you don't have a specific medical problem with sugar, moderate your intake of sugar just like you moderate other things that you eat.
Eat the amount of fruit that fits your nutritional goals. Not too much, not too little. It's up to you to decide what's "too much" or "too little" within your goals and the government's nutritional suggestions.22 -
queenliz99 wrote: »I love chocolate covered raisins!
Oh, man, I haven't had those in years.
I have a love/hate relationship with trail mix. Especially the kind with the little yogurt/candy thingys.
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cmriverside wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »I love chocolate covered raisins!
Oh, man, I haven't had those in years.
I have a love/hate relationship with trail mix. Especially the kind with the little yogurt/candy thingys.
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Sugar is sugar, whether it's in fruit or not.
If you have a specific medical problem with sugar, follow your doctor's recommendations about sugar consumption.
If you don't have a specific medical problem with sugar, moderate your intake of sugar just like you moderate other things that you eat.
Eat the amount of fruit that fits your nutritional goals. Not too much, not too little. It's up to you to decide what's "too much" or "too little" within your goals and the government's nutritional suggestions.
^This.3 -
I think the point at how much fruit is too much varies depending on the specific types of fruit (the amount of sugar in a serving of berries is very different than in a serving of dried fruit). In addition, I think that some people have different tolerance levels for sugar.5
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There are 70-million sugar in fruit threads here, including a currently active one in the general section.
But, heck, my thoughts:Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
No, it does not have too much sugar. Neither does a chocolate-chip cookie or serving of ice cream. (And I've been known to consume a gel that's basically pure sugar during a long bike ride or marathon.) Now, of course I'd probably eat more fruit, but that's because of calories, not sugar (which can be about the same--I have a cookie recipe with 200 calories and 14 g of sugar for a cookie, which is less sugar but a lot more calories than a typical apple or banana).
Point is there's nothing wrong with sugar per se. The reason the WHO et al. warn against excessive added sugar is that it typically comes with a lot more calories than nutrients, which is not the case for fruit.Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body.
Eh, depends. Main thing I notice is that a low fiber fruit like a banana is better for providing quick energy and more convenient than the particular sweets I like (which tend to come with fat). Also, again, fewer calories and more nutrients. But both fruit and ice cream can be included in an overall healthful, nutrient-dense diet. (Pro tip: blueberries or some strawberry/rhubarb sauce are great with the ice cream.)Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
I don't really know what natural energy is vs. unnatural energy. Maybe the latter is from caffeine or speed? I definitely agree that fruit is better than speed.
But in any case, fruit is mostly carbs, including sugar and fiber (in varying degrees, some doesn't have all that much). Not much in the way of fat and protein (unless you mean avocados, which have fat).
Sweets like ice cream have little fiber, but are much more balanced in terms of carbs, fat, and protein. Not that it matters in the context of an overall healthful diet. Individual foods need not have a balance of macros.Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups.
Other sugars you mean? No, the sugars are basically the same, although the foods are different. Take ice cream made with cane sugar (sucrose). That's a combination of fructose and glucose (about 50/50, I think) and gets broken down as such. A banana contains a mix of fructose, glucose, and sucrose, as do other fruits in varying degrees. So to your body, there's no difference.Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
The weight loss point depends on how much you eat and what it replaces, but I otherwise agree.Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
Sugar is sugar, but FRUIT is good, yes.How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
So much that you go over your calorie goal, or fail to eat adequate protein, healthy fats, or vegetables. Also, if it's more than you like.
I tend to eat 1-3 servings of fruit (I eat a lot more vegetables, which are lower cal and tend to have more nutrients). I don't eat lots of fruit out of season, just a serving or 2, and I eat lots (2-3) during the summer when the local fruit is amazing.25 -
I've read several articles about this topic because I eat so much fruit. I came to the conclusion that it's ok to eat as much as you want -unless you have diabetes.
Fruit has fiber and other nutrients that make them really healthy, unlike white sugar and refined carbs.3 -
My thoughts.....Vane062011 wrote: »Hello fitness pals!
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body. Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups. Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
What are your thoughts?
V
The easiest sugar to metabolise and preferred energy source is glucose not fructose - that's why it's predominant in energy drinks and sports supplements.
There is noting different about "natural energy". Energy is energy.
Your body doesn't know and is incapable of caring what source your sugar comes from or whether it's "processed" or not.
You do realise that white table sugar (sucrose) is half fructose I presume?
How much fruit is too much? Well that depends on your entire diet and your calorie goal really.
Enjoy your fruit, it's great and comes with loads of added nutrition and often fibre.
If you want lower calorie options berries give a lot of flavour and nutrition for relatively few calories.5 -
Nothing wrong with sugars in fruits. I eat high carb, low fat so fruit is a staple in my diet (4-5 servings a day). No damage done. Just hit your minimums/macros and stay within calories.3
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I love fruits, I love chocolate, I love chocolate covered fruits, and I don't mind sugar being in anything, natural or otherwise. I guess I just don't give it more attention than it deserves because I know my diet is overall varied and balanced.5
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lemurcat12 wrote: »There are 70-million sugar in fruit threads here, including a currently active one in the general section.
I think the reason there are so many of these sugary threads is that no one can give a definitive answer, a firm answer with proof and that everyone agrees on. Also that no one can be bothered searching through previous threads
Vane062011 wrote: »Hello fitness pals!
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body. Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups. Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
What are your thoughts?
V
In answer to your question has fruit got too much sugar, whether it has or not, there's nothing we can do about it. We can't take the sugar out of fruit, there's no reduced sugar fruits. All we can do is choose whether to eat fruit or what fruit to eat. Just like any other foods.
I aim for 2-3 portions of fruit a day and I'm tracking my sugar intake taking the advice of my doctor. As we all know sugar is sugar from whatever source so if you're trying not to eat too much sugar that includes sugar from fruit too. I don't have a medical reason to track or worry about sugar, but I'd rather start keeping an eye on my sugar intake now, rather than when I'm maintaining or some time in the future, so I'm used to not eating too many sugary foods, as that's what helped me put on so much weight in the first place.2 -
Fruits have too much sugar for me. I eat them sparingly, and have more vegetables instead.3
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lemurcat12 wrote: »There are 70-million sugar in fruit threads here, including a currently active one in the general section.
I think the reason there are so many of these sugary threads is that no one can give a definitive answer, a firm answer with proof and that everyone agrees on. Also that no one can be bothered searching through previous threads
The search point I agree with.
The other, well, all the evidence is that people are encouraged to eat 2-3 servings of fruit (like I said, I eat more like 1-3, since in the winter I don't find fruit as appealing), there are health benefits (correlation not causation, perhaps), and no one credible advises against fruit. And as for the idea that fruit will cause you to gain weight/fat even at a deficit, that makes 0 sense and has been debunked, and no one supporting it has been able to make a reasonable argument for it. Plus, many of the blue zones include a lot more fruit.
So I don't agree that the threads are because there's really any question that fruit might be secretly making people fat or ruining their health. It's because there are scams on the internet and people fall for them.
Obviously, fruit might not work if one is doing a super low carb diet or has allergies to them.5 -
I am not a huge fan of fruit(most fruits, especially apples, taste weird), so I eat far more vegetables than I eat fruits... I don't see an issue as long as I eat a variety of colors. Though I have known people who do not let their kids have fruit because they view it the same as feeding them candy...and that just seems....excessive. I grew up in the house of a diabetic with kidney failure and while refined sugar was severely restricted, we always had access to fresh fruit, especially wild berries and citrus like grapefruits.0
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Yeah, I don't think fruit is necessary (I think vegetables are far more so for most). I just think the idea that it's harmful is bizarre.2
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The "sugar is evil" people get pushed into a corner because fruit has sugar and there's no way around that.lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, I don't think fruit is necessary (I think vegetables are far more so for most). I just think the idea that it's harmful is bizarre.
If sugar is evil, then fruit is evil. If fruit isn't evil, that would mean that sugar isn't evil. That's hard to reconcile since they want to say that sugar is evil but don't want to say that about fruit.
It's quite the dilemma.17 -
The "sugar is evil" people get pushed into a corner because fruit has sugar and there's no way around that.lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, I don't think fruit is necessary (I think vegetables are far more so for most). I just think the idea that it's harmful is bizarre.
If sugar is evil, then fruit is evil. If fruit isn't evil, that would mean that sugar isn't evil. That's hard to reconcile since they want to say that sugar is evil but don't want to say that about fruit.
It's quite the dilemma.
They still haven't come up with an explanation other than "but fibre!" because, somehow, fibre negates the evil of sugar.4 -
i love frukt, just not in evening time, for breakfast0
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Vane062011 wrote: »Hello fitness pals!
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you, but does it have TOO much sugar?
Eating fruit and eating sugary processed foods have different effects on the body. Fruit gives you a natural energy; it has protein, carbohydrates, fibre, fats etc. whilst the latter produces the opposite effect.
Fruit sugar is easily digested unlike the other food groups. Eating the recommended amounts provides you with the vitamins and minerals you need. Fruit has a high water content, keeps you hydrated and aids in weight loss.
Fruit sugars are good, especially when there is a balance and they are easy, on-the-go foods too.
How much is too much fruit to eat daily?
What are your thoughts?
V
My thoughts are:
I don't think most of your post is correct.
Fruit does not have TOO much sugar. At least I don't think it does but not sure what the question is in reference to (TOO much sugar for what?).
How much is too much fruit to eat daily will vary from person to person, and likely from day to day.2 -
The "sugar is evil" people get pushed into a corner because fruit has sugar and there's no way around that.lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, I don't think fruit is necessary (I think vegetables are far more so for most). I just think the idea that it's harmful is bizarre.
If sugar is evil, then fruit is evil. If fruit isn't evil, that would mean that sugar isn't evil. That's hard to reconcile since they want to say that sugar is evil but don't want to say that about fruit.
It's quite the dilemma.
They still haven't come up with an explanation other than "but fibre!" because, somehow, fibre negates the evil of sugar.
I'm prediabetic. Fruit is evil. Well, maybe evils's younger and cuter baby brother. Sugar is sugar. I'll get a blood glucose spike from fruits just like I would from rice, cake, or bread. I usually skip it except for a few berries once in a while. The fibre doesn't change the fact that there is a lot of sugars in some fruits, and elevated blood glucose levels, even at prediabetic levels, can hurt your health.3 -
The "sugar is evil" people get pushed into a corner because fruit has sugar and there's no way around that.lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, I don't think fruit is necessary (I think vegetables are far more so for most). I just think the idea that it's harmful is bizarre.
If sugar is evil, then fruit is evil. If fruit isn't evil, that would mean that sugar isn't evil. That's hard to reconcile since they want to say that sugar is evil but don't want to say that about fruit.
It's quite the dilemma.
They still haven't come up with an explanation other than "but fibre!" because, somehow, fibre negates the evil of sugar.
I'm prediabetic. Fruit is evil. Well, maybe evils's younger and cuter baby brother. Sugar is sugar. I'll get a blood glucose spike from fruits just like I would from rice, cake, or bread. I usually skip it except for a few berries once in a while. The fibre doesn't change the fact that there is a lot of sugars in some fruits, and elevated blood glucose levels, even at prediabetic levels, can hurt your health.
Well, duh. Peanut butter can hurt someone with a peanut allergy so it's "evil" to that person. But that's usually not the context of most of the Sugar is Santana threads, is it? It's usually just a blanket statement that it's bad for everyone.4 -
They still haven't come up with an explanation other than "but fibre!" because, somehow, fibre negates the evil of sugar.
Fibre isn't magic and the blood sugar response to fruit vs fruit juice shows this clearly. It does attenuate the rate of absorption and hence insulin response to whole fruit is less than juice but BG is the same in many cases.
If you look closely at published studies you can see evidence that questions the message of the Florida Citrus Growers that fruit is universally benign. At least 2 fruits are associated with diabetes while several others seem protective.
The tendency to conflate "fruitsandvegetables" may lead to the benefit of one being assigned to the other. In one study fruit consumption was associated with ovarian cancer while vegetables were protective but the headline news was that fruitsandvegetables were protective - just not as much as vegetables without the fruit.
coming from 55 degree North I'm not from a fruit rich environment but I can see how the nice taste and a lifetime of marketing has brainwashed us to thinking it's universally wonderful.
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mayoosh_primrose wrote: »I've read several articles about this topic because I eat so much fruit. I came to the conclusion that it's ok to eat as much as you want -unless you have diabetes.
Fruit has fiber and other nutrients that make them really healthy, unlike white sugar and refined carbs.
Sprinkle sugar on broccoli and you get more nutrients with your sugar than from fruit.1 -
mayoosh_primrose wrote: »I've read several articles about this topic because I eat so much fruit. I came to the conclusion that it's ok to eat as much as you want -unless you have diabetes.
Fruit has fiber and other nutrients that make them really healthy, unlike white sugar and refined carbs.
Sprinkle sugar on broccoli and you get more nutrients with your sugar than from fruit.
Oh I do that often (cheese has sugar, right?)2 -
I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I realized, as I have to test my blood sugars now; that fruit can be bothersome to blood sugar. Yet, not all fruits have the same sugar content. Pineapple and Watermelon make my blood sugars rise but strawberries don't unless I eat a huge amount. Yet, fruit has a lot of vitamins and minerals. Thus, now I only allow myself two fruits a day and divide it up during the day so I am not getting all that sugar at one time. Sugar is toxic. It is only meant to be used sparingly. I really watch carbs and sugars, but eat real fats at every meal. Fat does not cause heart disease. It is the excess sugars we have in all of our foods.4
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I think I'm more comfortable paying attention to the views of people like Walter Willett at Harvard and David Katz at Yale, and eating fruit without worrying about it while keeping an eye on sat fat, but thanks.5
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There are tons of benefits of having fruits daily to every age group.. It has been proven that certain fruits seemed to confer the biggest protection against breast cancer. The study has been published by British Medical Journal (BMJ).
[link removed by MFP moderator]0 -
Shobhituva wrote: »There are tons of benefits of having fruits daily to every age group.. It has been proven that certain fruits seemed to confer the biggest protection against breast cancer. The study has been published by British Medical Journal (BMJ).
[link removed by MFP moderator]
Study used memory of adult nurses to reconstruct their adolescent intake. But, it seems sound enough. Though, I would wonder if those three specific fruits are mentioned in their self reports not because they specifically lower risk different than other fruit, but because apples, bananas and grapes were the cheapest most common fruit in the 60s-80s (when these nurses were teens).0 -
Shobhituva wrote: »There are tons of benefits of having fruits daily to every age group.. It has been proven that certain fruits seemed to confer the biggest protection against breast cancer. The study has been published by British Medical Journal (BMJ).
[link removed by MFP moderator]
Study used memory of adult nurses to reconstruct their adolescent intake. But, it seems sound enough completely ludicrous that anyone would take such a flawed study seriously. Though, I would wonder if those three specific fruits are mentioned in their self reports not because they specifically lower risk different than other fruit, but because apples, bananas and grapes were the cheapest most common fruit in the 60s-80s (when these nurses were teens).
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