Sugar in Fruit

tigersword

diabetes, hat eating and strawberries

This is fructose sweetened and yes I mean, High Fructose Corn Death

Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. Stanhope KL, Schwarz JM, Keim NL, et al. J Clin Invest. 2009 May;119(5):1322-34. - cited from an article on about.com

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19381015

...overweight and obese subjects consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages providing 25% of energy requirements for 10 weeks...

The study above basically suggests that if you're obese, you probably shouldn't drink a fast absorbing liquid source of sugar that represents 25% of your calorie intake. That's about a 200g dose of sugar in 1 shot. That's about 5-6 cans of coke, consumed all at once.

This pretty much has zero relevance to typical fruit consumption.

This is offtopic.

A bit all over the place and untidy but I love that study, was an interesting read. Thanks for the link, vtach.

However, your numbers are off by far Sidesteal.

Based on the average female test subject (age 52, weight 84 kgs, bmi 29.4, body fat 43%) we're looking at around 1800~ cal on lightly active TDEE. %25 percent of that tdee in sugar is around 115 grams of fructose ~ 4 cups of orange juice. Fat gain on test subjects especially in males are surprisingly great (intraabdominal fat gain in men: +18.1% ± 5.1%, fat mass in men: +4.4% ± 0.8%). Excluding the beverages, they're on 55% complex carbs, 30% fat and 15% protein. Also it's worth noting that the females in the study are postmenopausal.

The study isn't about HFCS like vtach suggested either. The subjects were given their fructose (or glucose) dose in 3 servings with each meal. The beverage was fructose (or glucose) mixed in unsweetened Kool-Aid. 32 subjects, it's not too shabby considering how terribly hard it is to conduct any experiment on human subjects.

Foods and beverages in the US are typically sweetened with sucrose (50% glucose and 50% fructose) or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is usually 45%–58% glucose and 42%–55% fructose, rather than pure glucose or fructose. We have reported in a short-term study that the 23-hour postprandial TG profiles in male subjects consuming 25% energy as HFCS (55% fructose) or sucrose were elevated to a degree similar to that observed when pure fructose–sweetened beverages were consumed (19). Therefore, it is uncertain whether the adverse effects of sucrose and HFCS consumption are “diluted” by their lower fructose content relative to pure fructose. Additional studies are needed to compare the long-term effects of consuming HFCS and/or sucrose with 100% fructose.

If you actually read through all the supplemental data, you'd see that the average intake was actually 2412 kcal, ranging from 2200 to 2700, so it's between 140 and 170 grams of sugar. It's still an incredibly high amount of glucose or fructose, and incredibly unrealistic to typical consumption patterns.

vtachycardia

I eat loads more than 170g of carbohydrate,so is a gram of sugar not a gram of carbohydrates. Are fructose and glucose the same when it comes to diet?

xarge

If you actually read through all the supplemental data, you'd see that the average intake was actually 2412 kcal, ranging from 2200 to 2700, so it's between 140 and 170 grams of sugar. It's still an incredibly high amount of glucose or fructose, and incredibly unrealistic to typical consumption patterns.

Told you, it's a very untidy article. Easy to miss when it's only presented on page 12 of a 15 page long supplemental data. I still don't think 140 or 170 grams are unrealistic as the current estimate of added sugars in average American diet is at 15.8%~ I think this is an underestimation. And 140 grams scenario is highly possible for most of the overweight people on this site in their former eating habits. I don't refer only to fructose of course like the research, but added sugars in general. As the paper confirms:

However, recent reports (59–63) suggest that the sugar intake from beverages alone approaches or exceeds 15% of energy in adolescents and adults up to 40 years of age.

Sidesteal

Edit: nvm.

Sidesteal

However, your numbers are off by far Sidesteal.

You're right, my numbers were off, but Tigersword posted a pretty close approximation below. I still don't believe the study is very relevant given the dosage levels, but beyond that I don't fault you for posting it, it's an interesting study -- I just don't see it as being applicable enough for anyone to pinpoint fructose as anything evil, or to avoid fruit consumption.

psuLemon

I sometimes go over my calories and protein but not by a ridiculous amount. It try to keep it around 1200 calories a day but I'm not a freak about it if I go 100 or 2 over I dont beat myself up about it

Thanks guys!

I think the bigger question isnt the fruit you are eating but you may want to reconsider your calories. With less than 20 lbs to lose you shouldnt aim for more than 1lb per week. Additionally, if youre exercising then your calorie requirements are greater.

Acg67

diabetes, hat eating and strawberries

This is fructose sweetened and yes I mean, High Fructose Corn Death

Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. Stanhope KL, Schwarz JM, Keim NL, et al. J Clin Invest. 2009 May;119(5):1322-34. - cited from an article on about.com

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19381015

...overweight and obese subjects consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages providing 25% of energy requirements for 10 weeks...

The study above basically suggests that if you're obese, you probably shouldn't drink a fast absorbing liquid source of sugar that represents 25% of your calorie intake. That's about a 200g dose of sugar in 1 shot. That's about 5-6 cans of coke, consumed all at once.

This pretty much has zero relevance to typical fruit consumption.

This is offtopic.

A bit all over the place and untidy but I love that study, was an interesting read. Thanks for the link, vtach.

However, your numbers are off by far Sidesteal.

Based on the average female test subject (age 52, weight 84 kgs, bmi 29.4, body fat 43%) we're looking at around 1800~ cal on lightly active TDEE. %25 percent of that tdee in sugar is around 115 grams of fructose ~ 4 cups of orange juice. Fat gain on test subjects especially in males are surprisingly great (intraabdominal fat gain in men: +18.1% ± 5.1%, fat mass in men: +4.4% ± 0.8%). Excluding the beverages, they're on 55% complex carbs, 30% fat and 15% protein. Also it's worth noting that the females in the study are postmenopausal.

What kind of orange juice are you drinking with that amount of fructose?

According to the USDA database, 1 cup of OJ has 5.55 g of fructose and ~10g of sucrose. So around 10g of fructose per cup, which would be close to 11 cups not 4, unless you're drinking OJ spiked with with fructose

http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2392?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=

FoodandFitness

There is nothing wrong with consuming sugar from fruit, or any other source for that matter.

Carbohydrates have the least physiological importance compared to fats and proteins, so they are often reduced to a greater extent during a calorie cut. It doesn't mean that they are bad if you can fit it into your nutrition goals.

Hit your macronutrient and calorie goals and you can spend those calories any way you please.

xarge

What kind of orange juice are you drinking with that amount of fructose?

According to the USDA database, 1 cup of OJ has 5.55 g of fructose and ~10g of sucrose. So around 10g of fructose per cup, which would be close to 11 cups not 4, unless you're drinking OJ spiked with with fructose

http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2392?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=

Your OJ is a concentrate. Raw one in your agricultural library has 20.83 which is highly subject to the orange type and how many fruits are used to get one cup. Also the fact that a cup is 250ml whereas people usually drink in 'big glasses'. Either way, that wasn't the point. It's the fact that it's easy to see those numbers.

Guys, seriously, yes you're ripped and you're basically hunks but people don't live like you. Your average sugar intake is 25g, 30g? That's great for you. So yes, 200g is virtually impossible... For you and Sidesteal and Tigersword, not for people with bad eating habits.

caraiselite

berries have less carbs, so i usually stick to strawberries and raspberries. yum.

mom2dms

Natural sugar found in fruits are not as bad for you as if you'd eaten that same amount in table sugar...however, you want to be aware of what kind of sugar you are putting in your body.

Oddly enough...Bananas are SUPER high in sugar...

Acg67

What kind of orange juice are you drinking with that amount of fructose?

According to the USDA database, 1 cup of OJ has 5.55 g of fructose and ~10g of sucrose. So around 10g of fructose per cup, which would be close to 11 cups not 4, unless you're drinking OJ spiked with with fructose

http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2392?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=

Your OJ is a concentrate. Raw one in your agricultural library has 20.83 which is highly subject to the orange type and how many fruits are used to get one cup. Also the fact that a cup is 250ml whereas people usually drink in 'big glasses'. Either way, that wasn't the point. It's the fact that it's easy to see those numbers.

Guys, seriously, yes you're ripped and you're basically hunks but people don't live like you. Your average sugar intake is 25g, 30g? That's great for you. So yes, 200g is virtually impossible... For you and Sidesteal and Tigersword, not for people with bad eating habits.

The raw OJ doesn't break down the sugars, but I highly doubt the 21g of sugar is pure fructose. 200g of fructose ins't impossible but not easily achieved by most people, seeing as sucrose is only 50% fructose and HFCS is around that amount as well, so if you were just eating sucrose you'd need 400g to hit 200g of fructose.

Personally i've never tracked sugar, but i'm guessing my intake may be higher than 30g a day

xarge

The raw OJ doesn't break down the sugars, but I highly doubt the 21g of sugar is pure fructose. 200g of fructose ins't impossible but not easily achieved by most people, seeing as sucrose is only 50% fructose and HFCS is around that amount as well, so if you were just eating sucrose you'd need 400g to hit 200g of fructose.

Personally i've never tracked sugar, but i'm guessing my intake may be higher than 30g a day

Quoting myself below:

And 140 grams scenario is highly possible for most of the overweight people on this site in their former eating habits. I don't refer only to fructose of course like the research, but added sugars in general. As the paper confirms:

However, recent reports (59–63) suggest that the sugar intake from beverages alone approaches or exceeds 15% of energy in adolescents and adults up to 40 years of age.

My first ever comment was off topic about the paper rather than the thread. And either way, wasn't sugar sugar? I'm just kidding, I'm not opening that discussion back Acg.

tigersword

You really think average people consume over 1000 calories a day in sugar? USDA data puts consumption at less than half that, about 440 calories a day.

xarge

You really think average people consume over 1000 calories a day in sugar? USDA data puts consumption at less than half that, about 440 calories a day.

I 'think' indeed. Some of your reports seem to agree unless they're not reliable but I have the same source, your numbers are also under the same unreliability then.

As I don't have a lot of time, I only did a quick search and this is the report I got from the same USDA. The numbers belong to 2000 and kudos if it's fixed in 12 years and not get worse.

http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf

In 2000, each American consumed an average 152 pounds of caloric sweeteners, 3 pounds below 1999’s record average 155 pounds. That amounted to more than two-fifths of a pound—or 52 teaspoonfuls—of added sugars per person per day in 2000. Of that 52 teaspoons, ERS estimates that Americans wasted or otherwise lost 20 teaspoons, resulting in an average intake of about 32 teaspoons of added sugars per person per day.

ETA: I never said average person by the way. I said people with bad eating habits.
ETA2: As I'm going out to run, I need to ask before doing so. Where do 22k tons of sugar go as in wasted? How impossible is taking 180g of sugar when the average is 110-120g? Especially when it's reported (not saying it's absolutely true) that energy intake of 15-40 year olds from beverages only is at 15% which equals to 75 grams of sugar on 2000 cal. diet.

AlabasterVerve

When I followed the healthy-whole-grains-more-is-better fruit & veg plan of eating some days my sugar was over 150g even without any candy, soda or baked goods. There's people in this thread, losing weight which obviously means their calories are restricted that get close to 200g on occasion. And we're the ones watching what we eat and limiting our intake -- I have no trouble believing people are routinely eating a **** ton of sugar each day.

megsmom2

Peaches are in season, and fruit is a healthy treat. I'm eating peaches.

gramacanada

Your body doesn't need any sugar to function. I have never seen another 'diet lifestyle' program that has a category level for it. Fruit is FINE. Use vegetables more often but don't worry about it. I took it off my diary list. As long as you're not eating a lot of processed sugar. Let it go. I have a degree in fitness and nutrition. Not that that makes me an expert at all. Fruit sugar (fructose) does not have the same effect on your body as does processed sugar. Are you choosing between candy or fruit? That's where a lot of people go wrong. They figure if they both have sugar, which is better? Fruit is better. 5 grams of sugar is a teaspoon.

gramacanada

I eat loads more than 170g of carbohydrate,so is a gram of sugar not a gram of carbohydrates. Are fructose and glucose the same when it comes to diet?

Not if you get your fructose from fruit. That way you get the vitamins, minerals and fiber that goes along with that. Test subjects were given LIQUID forms of fructose, glucose sucrose. Well yes those will react differently in the body. They get absorbed immediately. fruit takes longer to digest, because it has substance. By the way 5 grams of sugar is about a teaspoon. And yea sugar is carbohydrate.

donnacrawfordcooper

Just putting in my own thoughts here, and I totally agree that fruit, and its benefits, are hugely important for a healthy diet. But I had been reading a few articles that had been discussing sugar as a drug. From these articles there had been some discussion on how fruit affected our bodies and in particular sugars affected us. There was some discussion on how fruit sugars held off the 'full' feeling after eating. This was thought to have been traditionally because from spring through to summer eating fruits would stimulate a need to fill up and continue eating while food is available in preparation for autumn/winter and the reduction of foods. I found myself agreeing with these ideas, because I do find myself hungry again after eating fruit. Now that fruit is available constantly we don't have the same needs that we did in the past and we don't need to prepare for hungry winters.

I'm beginning to ramble so I'll try to make my point here before I go off again. I still eat plenty of fruit but I try to think about what fruit I eat and particularly when I eat it. I prefer not having it last thing at night or at the end of any meal. This has certainly helped me eat healthier and feel fuller for longer.

toysbigkid

bump

angelar1022

The hat eating comment made me giggle