Should fruit be included in daily sugar intake?

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  • BlancheHerbert2
    BlancheHerbert2 Posts: 3 Member
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    I seem to be going over my sugar intake everyday because of fruit. What should I do?
  • Lusoanglian
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    There seems to be a lot of myths around fruit on this site. Fructose is not the same as processed sugars found in cakes and ready meals. All foods contain sugar and my fitness pal has wrong values. I think it is ethically wrong to place this burden on people who already feel guilty about their weight and still have to worry about natural sugar levels. The only thing I use this app for is for counting calories and has served me well since April 2012.

    I have lost 50 kilos from April 2012 to May 2013 on a diet of fruit and vegetables some meat and virtually little extra carbs. I cut down on processed food and sweets, cheese, any processed meats. I grill, bake or poach all my food. If food can be eaten raw like vegs and fruit than I will. I have about 15 pieces of fruit a day like pears apples grapes melons persimmon kiwi etc. My sugars are always around 300% in excess of the recommended in the app. I'm healthy fit and better than for the last 20 years. On this diet I've kept my current weight of 66 kgs on this diet since May 2013 and now sometimes have cake every week.

    Fruit is good for you we evolved on it.

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  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Fructose is not the same as processed sugars found in cakes and ready meals
    It is if the sugar in processed foods is fructose, and the sugars in fruit are not only fructose but a varying proportion of glucose, sucrose and fructose.

    The same molecules are found in fruits and the sugar cane and sugar beet, so don't try to make out there's some magical difference.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    Fruits are high in fibre and contain lots of vitamins and anti-oxidants which keep us healthy.

    As for the sugar, I am sure our bodies process it in the same way as other sugars, but if you are exercising lots and keeping your calories low your body should burn up the energy you are getting from the sugars pretty quick.

    The real problem is eating foods which are high in sugar but low in nutrients. Like a glass of coke, more sugar then a bowl of fruit and no fibre or nutrients.

    I would not recommend eating 10 bananas is one day, but that would probably be difficult to do anyway.

    Just don't drink that coke, eat that cookie, and that ice cream sundae. ;)

    EDIT: Also the fibre in the fruit means your body will burn some of the sugar to digest it.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Fruits are high in fibre and contain lots of vitamins and anti-oxidants which keep us healthy.

    They have those things in moderate amounts, but they main thing they have is good PR, large advertising budgets and they taste good.

    Vegetables are much better on all counts. They're like fruit without the excess sugar. 100g of broccoli has 12 times the vitamin C of 100g of apple, 30 times the vitamin A, 4 times the calcium and iron, 50% more fibre, 8 times more protein (and a complete range of protein types) and 9 grams less sugar.
  • Lusoanglian
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    [/quote]so don't try to make out there's some magical difference.[/quote]

    Nutrition is not magic. It's common sense. Any pseudo science that aims at exploring reasons not to eat something is not worth exploring. Moderation is the word and not feeling guilty or obsessed about your food is the process for healthy eating. Fruit sugars are not the same as processed sugars.
  • PrincessTamyka
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    I have been wondering this myself...I am ALWAYS over my sugar allowance but when I go back over the sugar I ate most of it is fruit so I tend not to feel bad about it...I did get a tip though that usually competitors cut fruit and all over sugars completely when they are competing; however, if you are a noncompetitior attempting to lose weight you can eat fruit just try not to eat any after 2pm. So that is what I try to track-I love fruit and when I am hungry it makes me happy so I can't cut it out but I do try to eat it earlier in the day....
  • ameliahahn17
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    For me, it's gotten to the point where I just stopped adding fruits and vegetables to my daily intakes. I don't think the calories from raw, wholesome fruits and veggies should be counted at all.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,402 MFP Moderator
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    For me, it's gotten to the point where I just stopped adding fruits and vegetables to my daily intakes. I don't think the calories from raw, wholesome fruits and veggies should be counted at all.

    All calories count regardless of their source.. you can eat too much fruit and vegetables.