Is fruit fattening?

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palomster
palomster Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I always hear about how fruit is loaded with sugar and that it's something to avoid when losing weight.

But I also hear how fruits are also essential because they also encourage weight loss.

Would I be correct to say that the sugar in fruit isn't the same as the sugar in, for example, a soda? I've also heard that the sugar fruits contain, since it's naturally produced, is actually necessary to your body for maintaining adequate levels of blood salts and sugar.

I'd like to rule out the misinformation. I have my doubts that all sugar is created equal. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    The only thing that encourages fat is a surplus of calories, that's any food eaten above maintenance.

    I eat close to 100g+ sugar from various sources, not just fruit. Not only have I been able to lose weight, I've lost a considerable amount of fat. To lose fat the best thing to do is

    Moderate calorie deficit
    Good amount of protein
    Resistance training, ideally weightlifting
    patience
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Sugar is sugar whatever it's source. Fruit sugar comes along with lots of vitamins and minerals that are contained in the fruit. What makes you fat is eating more calories than you burn those calories can come from fat, protein anywhere. You could eat just sugar and as long as you eat below the calories required you would still lose weight. I eat tons of fruit and as you can see it's not stopped my weightloss.

    Ignore all the unscientific this food is evil rubbish. Food is neither good nor bad it's just food. DOn't get carried away with one part look at your whole diet. Just aim for a balance diet within your calorie goals and you'll lose weight and get good nutrition. Don't deprive yourself have the occasional chocolate bar or ice cream within your goals and that's it.
  • emilyyyrussell
    emilyyyrussell Posts: 11 Member
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    fruit and vegetables are the most valuable foods you could put into your body. i eat hundreds of grams of sugar from fruit every week and am maintaining my healthy slim figure. ps, i dont exercise. check out freelee the banana girl on youtube. although the way she eats may be considered excessive, it will show you that fruit is not fattening in the slightest!
  • hiphopbunnie
    hiphopbunnie Posts: 37
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    some fruits are worse than others. like bananas, grapes, watermelon, pineapple are a lot more sugary than apples, pears and berries. i think fruit is still a good thing to include in your diet but you still have to be careful about which ones you're eating and how much.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    Sugar is sugar whatever it's source. Fruit sugar comes along with lots of vitamins and minerals that are contained in the fruit. What makes you fat is eating more calories than you burn those calories can come from fat, protein anywhere. You could eat just sugar and as long as you eat below the calories required you would still lose weight. I eat tons of fruit and as you can see it's not stopped my weightloss.

    Ignore all the unscientific this food is evil rubbish. Food is neither good nor bad it's just food. DOn't get carried away with one part look at your whole diet. Just aim for a balance diet within your calorie goals and you'll lose weight and get good nutrition. Don't deprive yourself have the occasional chocolate bar or ice cream within your goals and that's it.

    Pretty much this...

    Fruit has essential vitamins. Fruit tastes good. There is no reason to restrict fruit from your diet. Restriction of any sort can often lead to unhealthy behaviors and relationships with food. If you want to enjoy fruit, do so, but do so within your calorie budget. :)
  • Erinelda
    Erinelda Posts: 96
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    I eat mostly fruit and dairy and I am losing weight fine. Even the so called worse fruits, I have been known to have a mini watermelon for breakfast. The only problem with it is running out of calories slightly sooner than if I had say 2 grapefruits instead/
  • MzFyreKitty
    MzFyreKitty Posts: 93
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    I eat 3 servings of fruit a day and have lost 130 lbs... fruit is nutritious and good for you. If one is diabetic, they can eat lower carb fruit (less fructose) and still comply with their diabetic regime.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Surplus in calories is what causes weight gain.. whether it comes from candy, fruit, or spinach. If you have issues with sugar, then Fructose will cause issues the same way sucrose will... Fruit also provides good nutrition so it is good to have. All things in moderation (unless medically contraindicated)...
  • confetticupcake
    confetticupcake Posts: 30
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    No.

    Sugar is sugar is sugar. Calories from fruit are the same (for weight purposes, anyway) as calories from fish & brown rice.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    Since last summer when I started losing weight, I've eaten more fresh fruits than ever before. To me they are an essential part of my new healthy eating lifestyle. Many fruits are good fiber sources, too.
  • VeganCappy
    VeganCappy Posts: 122
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    Fruit is, in general, the healthiest food you can consume. It is loaded with over 10,000 nutrients, has a low effect on your blood sugar, provides you with a very healthy ratio of fats, proteins, and carbs, and will satisfy our natural sweet-tooth.

    Thousands of people have completely cured themselves of type II diabetes eating a high fruit diet. It is ironic that fruit has been demonized, especially to diabetics. The medical community has gone so far as recommending a high fat diet to diabetics. But this is folly because it is the fat in the pancreas that causes insulin resistance, not blood sugar.
  • JoannaEngel84
    JoannaEngel84 Posts: 49 Member
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    Yes, sugar is sugar, but sugar in most fruit also comes with essential vitamins and fiber so it is better than just drinking a soda which essentially has no nutritional value.
  • marythompson54
    marythompson54 Posts: 1 Member
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    If it fits into your macronurtrient goals (Protein, carbs and fats), it won't make you gain any weight. The only way you will gain weight is if you're in a calorie surplus. Fruit is digested differently than a complex carb like oats, and the "high sugar" might cause the misconception that it will make you gain weight. There are so many micronutrients and various health benefits to fruit, if you can fit it into your cals/macros, then do it!!
  • ronbo62098
    ronbo62098 Posts: 59 Member
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    A simplified chemistry explanation for the OP:

    Fruit sugar is fructose - a monosaccharide (simple sugar).
    Another simple sugar is glucose (also from plants).

    Table sugar (sucrose) and sugar used in soda (high fructose corn syrup - HFCS) are a bonded pair (disaccharide) of fructose and sucrose.

    It's all the same "stuff" as far as your body is concerned. The only minor difference is your digestion breaks the sucrose/HFCS down into simple fructose and glucose before it uses it.

    Given the above, sugar is sugar. Fructose is no better or worse than any other kind, and it doesn't "encourage" your body to do anything - it's just fuel for your body.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    Only if you eat more than you burn off.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    I always hear about how fruit is loaded with sugar and that it's something to avoid when losing weight.

    But I also hear how fruits are also essential because they also encourage weight loss.

    Would I be correct to say that the sugar in fruit isn't the same as the sugar in, for example, a soda? I've also heard that the sugar fruits contain, since it's naturally produced, is actually necessary to your body for maintaining adequate levels of blood salts and sugar.

    I'd like to rule out the misinformation. I have my doubts that all sugar is created equal. Thoughts?

    Eating more food than your body needs is fattening
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    There is no such things as a "fattening" food...eating too much food is "fattening"...but there is no one particular food that is "fattening" in and of itself.
  • 1FearlessFighter
    1FearlessFighter Posts: 114 Member
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    the sugars in fruits are WAY healthier than all the sugars found in artificial processed junk. even if you eat the same number of calories and sugar from an apple and some synthesised piece of crap in a plastic wrapper that probably contains all sorts of chemicals that mess up your hormones and may lead to weight gain in the long term , im all in on natural healthy whole foods
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    the sugars in fruits are WAY healthier than all the sugars found in artificial processed junk. even if you eat the same number of calories and sugar from an apple and some synthesised piece of crap in a plastic wrapper that probably contains all sorts of chemicals that mess up your hormones and may lead to weight gain in the long term , im all in on natural healthy whole foods

    I raise your run on sentence with 4 twinkies. 4 twinkies vs the same calories and sugar content as fruit. Difference? Fruit will probably have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The sugar will be digested the same. My body doesn't care where it comes from. If I've already gotten the necessary nutrients my body needs, there's nothing wrong with twinkies within my calorie goal.

    If you're getting your daily nutrients (aka all the vitamins, minerals, etc) that your body needs, there's nothing wrong with any food. You can label it, demonize it, maybe even put some devil horns on it, it doesn't matter. Calories in vs out for weight loss. Balancing your nutrient intake for health.

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