Fresh Fruit.....good or bad!!

SquishyVicki

Hi all - I try to eat lots of fresh fruit and veg for their nutritional value but am worried about the level of sugar in them. I don't eat a huge amount (for example I have had an apple and a banana today) and its normal for me to have 2 pieces of fruit a day and 3+ of vegetables but even this is taking me well over the sugar levels in MFP.

I am curious as to what others do to counteract this as I do not want to stop eating fruit as this change for me is a lifestyle change not a 'diet' that I am following for a few months to loose a few extra lbs and therefore cutting fruit out altogether seems to be an unhealthy solution.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! Vicki xx

channa007

When it comes to added sugar, women should consume no more than 100 calories a day, which is about 6 tsp., and men should consume no more than 150 calories a day or 9 tsp. When comparing measurements, 1 tsp. of sugar is equal to 4 g. However, MayoClinic.com suggests eating a diet rich in foods with naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits, because they provide your body with essential nutrients. Adults should get at least two to three servings of fruit every day. Satisfying a sweet tooth with fresh fruits versus candy or baked goods is a healthy choice. If you are buying canned or frozen fruit, read the label and go for varieties packed in water or their own juice rather than syrup.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/394197-is-the-sugar-in-fruit-bad-for-you/#ixzz1Xkyn4bpS

rockylucas

I cannot imagine any healthy lifestyle or eating plan which would encourage you to cut down on your fruits and vegatables and replace with something else :P If you are concerned about high levels of glucose, perhaps stick to the two pieces of fruit per day and go with veggies the rest of the time. (I am sure you know all about getting protein with the rest of your diet, etc)

TMcBooty

natural sugar is fine

ASPhantom

I love my fresh fruit. Can't live without it. Even the new "My Plate" guidelines recommend half of your plate for each meal to be fruits and veggies. Think a quarter of each meal to be fresh fruit.

Misslissa16

What if you ate fruit with more fiber in it? Pears are great for the higher fiber content in their skin and are perfect right now in terms of flavor (at least here in Calgary, anyway). The fiber might help to counteract some of the sugar but not sure if MFP will show that. Just something to consider. Good luck.

ibbray04

I don't consider fruit sugar to be in the same category as refined sugar. I pretty much live on fruit over the summer and I lost 15 lbs since June. Here is what I normally bring home to the office for the day (last couple of weeks/fruit changes depending on the seaseon):

Spinach salad with red pepper and feta cheese
1 cup of blueberries
1-2 plums
1 pear
1-2 nectarines

We also usually have fruit at home after dinner, which my kids consider a dessert.

Pandorian

When my sugar is coming from fruit with all the micro-nutrient benefits I don't care about tracking the sugar (no underlying issues to lead to restricting sugar) but if it's added sugar then I do try to limit it to what MFP has provided as a sugar goal.

dmpizza

My doctor said its almost always better to get nutrients from actual real food. Just make sure to keep track and exercise. I have heard that small amounts of exercise after eating help keep blood sugar lower.

jonesbrookea

The new government standards suggest at least 3 to 4 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. A balance between starchy, leafy, etc. is good, but I definitely aim for the 4-cup mark. Nutrition is necessary! DId I mention I have colleagues in the Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences program at my university?

brinsy

yeah id like to know this too, like how much fruit is too much? a fruit salad and a yogurt for brekkie-surely that makes me go over my sugar allowance.

run2bfree

Hey Vicki,

I downloaded a list of food from BodyBuilding.com as I am following (close but not to a T) Jamie Easton's 14 week program. Its going GREAT by the way (you can probably see my food log) but anyways - one thing that I constantly read is NOT to eat fruit after 2pm as the sugars just stay in your body, they don't burn off therefore they turn into fat..

I have been very careful about weighing and measuring fruit. I typically go half of a normal serving. I try to stay away from Bananas (I used to eat them everyday) and limit my strawberries and green grapes. I have been eating lots of apples, blue berries, boysenberries or the fruit with the least of amount of sugar. I also blend my fruit in the morning with greek yogurt. That alone typically uses up ALL my sugar allowance for the day...

So for example today; I am had greek yogurt (honey) with 1/2 c strawberries (which was three med berries) and 1/2 c blue berries blended with protein powder.

I'll have for snacks - apple in AM and celery with PB in the PM

lunch today is 3.5oz of chicken, 1c of rice and 4oz of Trader Joe's mixed medley of veggies. (don't forget the tapitio!)

Your veggies are something alot of the eating plans I've ready say you can have lots of.. not fruit.

anyway - i ramble.. so I hope that's helpful.

Crystal

Marquettedominos

Hi all - I try to eat lots of fresh fruit and veg for their nutritional value but am worried about the level of sugar in them. I don't eat a huge amount (for example I have had an apple and a banana today) and its normal for me to have 2 pieces of fruit a day and 3+ of vegetables but even this is taking me well over the sugar levels in MFP.

I am curious as to what others do to counteract this as I do not want to stop eating fruit as this change for me is a lifestyle change not a 'diet' that I am following for a few months to loose a few extra lbs and therefore cutting fruit out altogether seems to be an unhealthy solution.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! Vicki xx

Just for a bit more info if you're interested in exactly how it all works.

Its down to differences in how they're processed.

You have Sucrose (Normal sugar) & Fructose (Found in fruit).


Sucrose is a 50-50 combination of Glucose & Fructose. Glucose is what our bodies run on, your brain, muscles etc everything is converted into that in the end. The problem is, Glucose is absorbed very quickly into the blood stream. When the level of glucose in our blood stream rises to quickly our bodies reaction is for our pancreas to release a hormone called insulin & mop it all up where it will then store it in our muscles and Liver for energy to use later.

When our blood sugar level rises to quickly though, our body overeacts. It sends out to much insulin & mops up to much sugar from our blood. To little sugar in the blood = hunger very quickly.

So the problem with Normal sugar is simply the fact that it makes people to hungry. People dont feel satisfied after they eat it...so they eat more..and more..= to many calories & their bodies dont really need the energy. Its just overeacting because of getting to much at one time.


Fructose however is different. Because our bodies do not run on Fructose, it has to be converted into Glucose in the liver before we can use it. That way the speed its released into the blood stream (If its needed) is much more controlled...the pancreas wont overeact...it wont release to much insulin & you wont get hungry straight away.