Sugar from fruit - is it as bad for weightloss???

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paigebolling
paigebolling Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Since tracking my foods, I've noticed that I seem to always go over my limit for sugar for the day but it mostly comes from fruit?? Is naturally occuring sugar going to hender my weightloss as much as processed sugar would?
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Replies

  • skb32881
    skb32881 Posts: 105 Member
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    I'm definitely not an expert but I don't think it hinders your weight loss. Fruit is one of the best things you can eat and I've lost plenty of weight eating tons of fruit :). And most things I've read (here and elsewhere) say the same thing. I was concerned when I first joined MFP and my sugars were always WAY over the limit but I just learned to ignore it.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    I've never heard of anyone being obese from eating too much fruit.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Neither processed sugar nor sugar from fruit will hinder weight loss if you are in a calorie deficit.
  • amaion17
    amaion17 Posts: 27 Member
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    i would avoid fruit juice though. fresh fruit is awesome, i do not think this is a problem.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I'm not expert but from what I understand healthy sugar is okay.. I always go over my sugar amounts because I try to have lots of fruits daily.
  • LeanMeanFitnessMachine
    LeanMeanFitnessMachine Posts: 659
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    The benefits of fruit far outweigh the cons. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, cancer fighting properties, anti aging properties, hydration, low calorie - why wouldn't you want to eat fruit! Its natural and unprocessed sugar, so go for it!

    Just remember: everything in moderation.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    The benefits of fruit far outweigh the cons. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, cancer fighting properties, anti aging properties, hydration, low calorie - why wouldn't you want to eat fruit! Its natural and unprocessed sugar, so go for it!

    Just remember: everything in moderation.

    what are the cons?
  • cas1960
    cas1960 Posts: 1
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    Two fruits daily, Two starches Daily, Two Proteins Daily and Four vegatables daily; A winning long term combination ;)
  • spacedebris
    spacedebris Posts: 10
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    Just go easy on mangoes and pineapple
  • Ilisidi
    Ilisidi Posts: 43 Member
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    I think you are ok if you are eating the fruit, the fibre, vitamins and other good stuff is way better than processed alternatives - however I do try to avoid fruit juices because if I'm going to take the sugar hit I want to know I am getting all the benefits that the fruit(s) can offer.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    The previous responses are generally confusing two separate issues, health and weight loss.

    Health: Sugars from fruit are far healthier insofar as fruit also contains other benefits, fibre, minerals etc.

    Weight loss: 100 calories worth of sugars from fruit will have exactly the same effect on your weight loss as 100 calories of refined.

    BOTH refined sugars AND high-sugar content fruits need to be eaten in moderation to control total calorie input.

    While losing weight, I ate more veg than fruit, now I'm on maintenance I'm upping the fruit again.
  • paigebolling
    paigebolling Posts: 65 Member
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    Thanks guys!!! Lots of good advice! I was so discouraged because I would review my food diary at the end of the day and most things were great and then I would see my sugar intake and it was way over the limit. And I could not believe how many calories and sugars bananas have!!! I could eat them all day and before I found MFP would eat 2 or 3 sometimes! But everyday I have been under my calorie goal and I never eat back the calories that I have earned through exercise, seems counterproductive to me. So good news for me and apples I guess!! :wink:
  • LeanMeanFitnessMachine
    LeanMeanFitnessMachine Posts: 659
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    The benefits of fruit far outweigh the cons. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, cancer fighting properties, anti aging properties, hydration, low calorie - why wouldn't you want to eat fruit! Its natural and unprocessed sugar, so go for it!

    Just remember: everything in moderation.

    what are the cons?

    Just what she said about the sugar. & some (like grapes) can be a little high in calories. But those are very minor, nothing serious.
  • fatguyweightloss
    fatguyweightloss Posts: 145
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    Fruit does provide vitamins/fiber but compared to other foods they do not provide a lot of nutrient density. http://www.fatguyweightloss.com/real-nutrient-densities-of-foods-we-eat/

    I normally stick to berries all the benefits but much less sugar compared to the bred to be sweeter apples/oranges/bananas/grapes/pineapple/etc. I find that these just raise my blood sugar to much in the end just making hungrier...
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
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    The Number 1 cause of Obsecity in America is...... Apples! :)


    Fruit is all good
  • cdevous
    cdevous Posts: 2 Member
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    Sugar from fruit is delivered in fiber, and therefore is absorbed more (much more) slowly than refined sugar. A higher rate of change in blood sugar will precipitate a higher level of insulin production, which will lower blood sugar to the point where you get hungry.

    So while it is true that 100 calories of fruit = 100 calories of C&H, the latter is likely to make you hungry faster, which will lead to snacking, which will lead to calorie surplus, which will cause weight gain.

    Eat all the fruit you want.... but continue to count calories and stay in deficit or even. It's what will help you succeed in the long run.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    The previous responses are generally confusing two separate issues, health and weight loss.

    Health: Sugars from fruit are far healthier insofar as fruit also contains other benefits, fibre, minerals etc.

    Weight loss: 100 calories worth of sugars from fruit will have exactly the same effect on your weight loss as 100 calories of refined.

    BOTH refined sugars AND high-sugar content fruits need to be eaten in moderation to control total calorie input.

    While losing weight, I ate more veg than fruit, now I'm on maintenance I'm upping the fruit again.

    I get what you're saying, the theme of this is weight loss, as a person loses bodyfat they will improve health indicators. I think priority is getting down weight then cleaning up your diet.
    Trouble is, when someone starts moving to a healthier diet, it's tempting to go from eating cakes and biscuits and chocolate and sweets, straight onto sweet fruits.

    Far better to completely forget the sweet stuff for a while, eat a load of salad and vegetables every day, and go back to having small portions of the sweeter fruits when you're out of the habit of having sweet stuff every day. While there are benefits in having some fruit, it's easy to "waste" calories on fruit sugars, when you could be eating foods that are more sustaining.
  • fatguyweightloss
    fatguyweightloss Posts: 145
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    I get what you're saying, the theme of this is weight loss, as a person loses bodyfat they will improve health indicators. I think priority is getting down weight then cleaning up your diet.

    or you could just clean up your diet and eat healthy and be surprised when weight just comes off :)
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    I've never seen someone gain weight from eating apples :) I don't really count my sugar ( i make a yummy smoothie with my juicer and TONS of fruit and veggies, the sugar in a serving is something like 34g, and there are 2 servings-but it's all fruit sugar so i'm not worried)

    You know what to look out for? Bamboo. I've never seen a skinny panda. :D
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    My opinion is,for example, as you probably know, people who make a big change in their diet, usually relapse and gain the weight back. Things need to be done gradually.
    Depends on the person. Cake and biscuits, for instance, I haven't had more than once or twice in the last 12 months. I didn't say to myself "never again" I simply told myself that just for now I'd be filling up on healthier things.

    Had some cake at Christmas, absolutely hated it. It was sickly sweet and disgusting, doubt I'll ever eat it again. Not because it's something I have forbidden myself to eat, but simply because my tastes are now more sophisticated.
    This is why i recommend staying under your calorie limit, eating what you want, this will make it easier. Of course exercise, and work on getting the weight down. Then work on cleaning up your diet. I still have some weight to lose, I do personally work on making semi healthy choices, but if I want a piece of junk food and it fits in my calories, I'll eat it.
    Me too, though I'd have to do a pretty stiff workout to get enough calories for junk food.

    Some people are saying "eat all the fruit you want, it's healthy" and I'm sure you'll agree that you simply cannot do that, nor that it's a good idea to get a large proportion of your daily calories from sugar, whether it's from fruit or refined sugar.

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