Fruit Sugars

sbussard
sbussard Posts: 32
edited September 24 in Introduce Yourself
I am trying to watch my sugar in take as much as possible especially sweets.

I have been trying to eat more fruit and I am noticing fruit does contain a lot of sugar, I have read that the better fruits for you are the berry family, grapefruits, pears, banana, etc.

I know fruit is lower on the glycemic index so I guess my question is, do I need to watch my fruit intake because of the sugars?

Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • beqy12
    beqy12 Posts: 569
    I also worry a lot about fruit sugars, too! Waiting to see the answers...
  • FutureMrsWanland
    FutureMrsWanland Posts: 47
    Bump
  • OpalFruitJam
    OpalFruitJam Posts: 114 Member
    Same! Although it has to be better than sugars in sweets I'm sure...!
  • jess1304
    jess1304 Posts: 47
    Nooo not at all. Fruit sugar is all natural and way different than processed sugar.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    As long as your sugars come from natural sources it isn't too much of an issue, keeping in mind that you should only be having a few servings per day anyway . . . so an entire bag of apples is out . . . I could eat an entire flat of strawberries or blueberries but still make sure to measure them as well . . . sigh.
  • LazyMogg
    LazyMogg Posts: 162
    Unless you have a medical reason for doing so then I don't think it's fruit sugar you should be wary of. Obviously, if you eat masses of fruit you're probably going to have some gastric discomfort and too much fruit acid is not good for your teeth but if it's a piece of fruit for a snack or as part of your meal then it should be fine.

    Fruit contains natural sugar in the form of fructose so it's not the same as consuming manufactured sweets - which will quickly raise your blood sugar and then cause a slump also very quickly resulting in you wanting more. Apples are good for satisfying a dip in energy levels and can also help lower cholesterol. Bananas are the great natural fast food and boost potassium (very good for people on steroids).

    Overall, I would say that eating fruit is by far better than eating sweets as it will give you necessary nutrients. However, you should count it as part of your daily plan as anything that constantly puts you over your limit is going to eventually add to your weight.

    Good luck! xx
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    If you have diabetes it could be a whole other story, but for most of us the sugars in fruits are well worth the benefits of the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients. My doctor (who got me started using MFP) told me to eat the fruit and avoid the candy. She also advised eating greenish bananas instead of really ripe ones because the sugar level is much lower and they're full of "resistant starch", and eating strawberries and blueberries for their nutritional value.
  • mayana2002
    mayana2002 Posts: 192
    If I eat 3 oranges and an apple I will be over my sugar limit... I am not thinking about it anymore... it is healthy!
  • Losing2Live69
    Losing2Live69 Posts: 743 Member
    I am diabetic and actually I called my dietician today to discuss this same issue. I have cut out refined sugar as much as possible. However, I do eat a lot of berries. My dietician told me fruit sugar (fructose) and milk sugar (lactose) are not the same as refined sugar. It is hard when you are paying attention to calories, carbs, fat, sodium, sugars.....its enough to drive you crazy!! If something is low fat then it is high in sodium. If it is low calorie it is high in fat. She told me not to be overly concerned with naturally occurring sugars. She said counting carbs is more important. I do know that right now, the food labels list total sugars and do not separate refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, etc from naturally occurring sugars. Just look for the refined sugars listed on the ingredients list. Here is a link someone showed me:

    http://www.reducetriglycerides.com/diet_triglycerides_sugar.htm

    It talks about the link between sugar and high triglycerides, but it has a lot of general useful information. I hope this helps.
  • misty1208
    misty1208 Posts: 90
    I dont count the sugar that comes from a natural source. I eat some fruit everyday and only watch the processed sugars.
  • sbussard
    sbussard Posts: 32
    Great information on the banana and that is how I prefer them, I don't care for them when they are ripe, I love them a bit greenish.

    Thank you :smile:
  • sbussard
    sbussard Posts: 32
    Thank you for the link and best of luck to you!
  • NHGirl23
    NHGirl23 Posts: 2,657 Member
    Agree with the other posters. I could never stay under my MFP allowance unless I skipped fruit completely. I wouldn't worry too much about natural sugar, but don't go crazy with fruit servings.

    I have always heard that the various berries (e.g. raspberry, black, blue, strawberry,etc.) are better than some of the higher sugar fruits (e.g. grapes, cherries, bananas). If you search online, look for fruits with the lowest "glycemic" load. These would be the best.
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