Last week, I got an email asking about sweet fruits like pineapples and grapes and if their sugar content could be harmful.
I did some research and decided to share it with you readers.
You have likely received volumes of information about sugar as it relates to health. It’s pretty common knowledge that refined sugar—such as the sugar found in sodas, candy, chips and cereal—is bad for you.
This added sugar can be very harmful and can cause weight gain and potentially lead to more serious things like diabetes if left unchecked.
But…what about fruit?
Some information out there advises that you avoid fruits, since they are high in sugar. However, just like there is good and bad cholesterol, there are good and bad kinds of sugar. Fruits are whole foods, so they are full of natural sugars, in addition to the vitamins and minerals that are packed into every orange, apple, grape, banana, and so on.
The debate about whether fruit is good or bad for you still goes on, but most research points to fruits being largely beneficial even when it comes to sugar intake. The sugar contained within fruit is naturally occurring, so although fruits are high in sugar, they are not likely to cause any harm. This doesn’t mean that fruits are incapable of making you fat; that’s a case for energy balance, not food source.
Also, understand that whole, raw fruits are not to be confused with fruit snacks, fruit gummies, fruit concentrates, fruit juices or dried fruits. Whole, raw fruits are unprocessed and contain all the vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that are good for you, while processed fruits do not, or contain less.
Fruits are nutritious
It is understandable that some would cringe at the mention of fruit. Take an apple, for example. If you knew beforehand that an apple had just over 20 grammes of sugar in it, you might think twice about eating one right? That is a lot of sugar to be consumed in one sitting. But you must remember that it is naturally occurring sugar, not added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
The type of sugar also matters. Over half of the sugar in an apple is fructose, and you could end up with too much in your system, causing it to be harmful to you. The other side of that coin is this: it would be physically impossible to eat enough apples to take in enough sugar to get a harmful amount of fructose.
Also, not all fruit sugar is fructose. Some fruits have a mix of both fructose and glucose, both of which are processed a little differently by the body.
The verdict on fruit
If you look at the research done on refined sugar, fruit, and other types of sugar, the evidence is pretty overwhelming. Although whole fruits have a high amount of sugar, the fact that it’s natural sugar and digests slowly tells us that there is no harm in eating fruits. You get the sugar, but you also get vital nutrients to help your body in a variety of ways. The dietary fibre slows down digestion and has a huge impact on the glycemic index/load of the fruit. Therefore, the key to consuming fruit is not in
cutting it out of your diet completely, but knowing when to eat them and which fruits are the best ones to consume in accordance with your goals. Some of the best fruit to eat, especially when you are looking at weight loss, are: kiwi, apple, watermelon, avocado, grapefruit, coconut, pomegranate, cantaloupe or any melon, papaya, orange, peach, banana, mango, cherry and plum. Also, do not forget that you can incorporate limes and lemons in your daily meals.
So go ahead friends, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Eat your fruits!
If you need help with building muscle or losing body fat, shoot me an email: emmersoncampbell@gmail.com
Stay tuned, friends.
