Fruit and Sugar?

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Wolferocks2
Wolferocks2 Posts: 23
in Food and Nutrition
Hmmmm... Imagine my surprise at realizing just how much sugar is contained within fruit. Combine this with the sugars in most food and a recipe for disaster (glucose levels) ensues. Not diabetic here but certainly borderline with a fasting level of 98. 7203097.png

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  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    You can still eat fruit, you just have to make good choices. Berries are lower in sugar - blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. Strawberries, however, are very high in sugar. Think of the more tart fruits and those are going to have less fruit - but they're also very good for you, antioxidants and cancer-fighting stuff! I'm sure you could google it and find which fruits do what for you, nutritionally. Bananas are high in sugar, apples aren't too bad, oranges are pretty high 'cause they're very sweet. Kiwi aren't too bad, also they're about 60 cals for ONE so be careful but they're also very very good for you.

    I would say just try to keep a variety so you're getting different nutrients from each one but so you're not eating the real high in sugar ones all the time.
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 480 Member
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    If you come to the end of the day and your slightly over in sugar, but all you've eaten is fruit, then don't worry about it. Alot of people will tell you otherwise and they may even be right in certain situations. However, overall, you would be eating healthy and that is the goal. I eat tons of fruit during the day and I'm usually a few grams over in sugar... and I've lost about 10 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks. I work out approx 4 days a week at an avg of 300 cals burned during workouts (I under-estimate my calorie burn during workouts).
  • lisabel87
    lisabel87 Posts: 152
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    But isn't it a better kind of sugar then the processed stuff we find in packages?
    I don't ever want to count my fruit sugars...that just seems wrong. I guess I'm in denial! But I do eat half a carton of strawberries regularly... hahaa
  • Wolferocks2
    Wolferocks2 Posts: 23
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    Sugar is, well, sugar, regardless of the form it comes in. The effect is digestion turns everything into glucose. Sugar/glucose intake is a must to monitor because in the end, all glucose is stored in cells with a normal functioning pancreas secreting proper insulin amounts. Storage is, in the cells wether it be protein, carbohydrate, sugar or fat.. Hmmmmm... Im sure something may be wrong in the long, drawn out need to just type! Research it I guess but most of all,, just have a good day!! haha:smile:
  • catgoodey
    catgoodey Posts: 15
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    getting your sugar from fruit is better than processed sugar because it takes time for the body to convert it to glucose, it's a lower GI so the energy release is slower especially if the fruit you eat is high in fibre (think pears, figs, apples, avocado). I see a nutritionist and she recommends combining the fruit with wholegrain, nuts or seeds in any one sitting as it slows the uptake of the sugar into the blood stream. best fruits according to her are apple, pear, pineapple (fresh), berries and cherries. of course another idea is to try raw vegetables instead of fruit like carrot sticks, mushrooms and salad leaves. best to steer clear of dried fruit as that does contain more sugar per 100g and is higher GI as no water to slow down the uptake.
    on the whole fruit is good for you! i eat alot of apples, strawberries and grapes and i'm losing at a slow but steady 1 to 2 lbs a week.
    hope that helps x
  • enovak218
    enovak218 Posts: 6 Member
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    Fruit/Starches/Milk are all carbohydrates and all breakdown into glucose...which then is pair with insulin in order to be absorbed into your cells. These "sugars" are natural and the foods they are found in are healthy for you. Your body needs carbs/sugar/glucose...it's your brains #1 source of fuel! Even if you where unable to do anything but lay in bed....your body needs 130g of carbs a day just to function....add in walking/talking/exercise ect... you need more carbs.

    Lets say you are on a 1800kcal diet...you would need about 15 carb servings in your day or 225g carbs. For every 100kcal less you would take off 1/2 a carb serving....so lets say you follow a 1600kcal meal plan....you would need about 14 carb servings or 210g carbohydrates. These carbs should be divided up into at least 3 daily servings and 3 fruit servings with the remaining being starches. 1 serving of dairy, starch or fruit/fruit juice are all equal to 15g carbohydrates.

    And fruit is fruit...apples, oranges, grapes ect....1 serving of each will contain the SAME amount of carbohydrate....15grams. So what you need to figure out is what is a serving size of fruit. For example 17 grapes, 1.25 cups of watermelon, a small (4oz) apple, 3/4c blueberries, 1/2 banana, 1 kiwi, 1cup raspberries, 1 (6oz) peaches. A serving of fruit is equal to 15g carbs/60 calories.

    As a registered dietitian I always encourage clients to eat everything in moderation....eat well balanced meals and incorporate all food groups!
  • msenior
    msenior Posts: 171 Member
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    Hi everyone, tgurlem218, please look into my food diary, because I am not losing and would love some recommendations. Cheers.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I'd recommend combining your fruits with protein and fats when you consume them. While they still break down to fructose and are sent to the liver to be converted to glucose for use in the body, the additional work of breaking down the protein and fat at the same time will slow the process so you don't get a blood sugar spike from eating it. Yes, sugar is sugar is sugar, but the vitamins and minerals in your fruits are at their best for working in the body when they come from fruits instead of supplements, so I say to eat the fruit. Just watch your blood sugar levels and work on keeping the glycemic load down with combinations of foods. IE: Eat your apples with some peanut butter. (Yes, there are some carbs and protein in peanut butter, but it is primarily a high fat food so it will lower the glycemic load of other carbs.)
  • msenior
    msenior Posts: 171 Member
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    Hiya, cheers for the recommendations, I have peanut butter in my cupboard, but just thought it was fattening.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Hiya, cheers for the recommendations, I have peanut butter in my cupboard, but just thought it was fattening.

    Anything can be fattening if eaten in excess. But with balance and moderation all foods can be a part of a healthy diet. The hard part is finding the right balance for the individual needs of each person. For someone with diabetes who is trying to control blood sugar, I recommend higher fat so they can use it to control the spikes in blood sugar from carbs. For someone with heart disease, I recommend lower fat to prevent some clot formation and decrease their risk of another cardiovascular incident. That's why I don't classify anything as completely a "bad" food, because depending on the circumstances, it may need to be a staple in someone else's plan because of their individual health needs.

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