Fruits are known as nature’s sweet for a purpose: They’re our largest supply of sugar in minimally processed complete meals. So when the low-carb weight loss program gained recognition, fruit got here below scrutiny by scrupulous dieters on the lookout for a dietary edge. We all know fruit is an effective supply of useful nutritional vitamins and minerals, however many individuals marvel: Is the sugar in fruit unhealthy for you?
Learn on to get a greater understanding of the sugar in your fruit and whether or not not it may be a priority for you.
Is Sugar in Fruit Unhealthy for You?
Briefly, no, you in all probability shouldn’t remove that every day banana. Specialists do need you to devour much less sugar, however it’s best to attempt to slash added sugar, not the naturally occurring sugars from fruit and dairy. That’s as a result of pure sugars additionally include fiber, which slows down your physique’s absorption of that sugar and subsequently helps steadiness blood sugar ranges.
As an alternative of axing fruit, strive slicing down on sugary drinks reminiscent of sodas, lattes, power drinks, and sports activities drinks, in addition to refined carbohydrates reminiscent of cookies, desserts, and candies. In comparison with a few of these sugar bombs, fruit’s sugar content material doesn’t come shut — and it’s actual, nutritionally superior meals.
Nonetheless, moderation is essential as a result of the sugar in fruit continues to be sugar.
Can You Eat Too A lot Sugar from Fruit?
Typically. Naturally occurring sugar in fruit is best than refined sugar, however it’s nonetheless doable to overdo it: “For individuals who have a powerful sugar habit, or who need to drop extra pounds, you possibly can truly overindulge in [fruit] if you happen to’re consuming all of them day lengthy,” says Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN.
Researchers like Dr. Robert Lustig affiliate fructose to “alcohol with out the thrill.” The essential argument: Glucose can be utilized by any tissue within the physique, however solely the liver is liable for processing fructose, which, keep in mind, is the primary supply of sugar in fruit.
When confronted with fructose, the liver has two decisions: It could possibly convert fructose into glucose to gasoline different tissues, or it will possibly convert the fructose into fats and retailer it. For those who usually eat greater than sufficient energy, guess what alternative your liver makes? That’s proper: It’ll retailer extra fructose as fats.
This isn’t good as a result of over time, this fats can accumulate within the liver and drive up your danger for insulin resistance and sort 2 diabetes.
Is Sugar in Fruit the Similar as Common Sugar?
The sticky sweetness you get pleasure from from a crisp apple comes from fructose, the primary (however not the one) sugar in fruits. Fruits include a mixture of sugars — for instance, an apple comprises 6 % fructose and three % sucrose by weight. Sucrose is what we generally know as desk sugar, and it’s made up of fructose and glucose models (molecules) joined collectively.
As soon as eaten, you possibly can digest each sucrose and fructose into glucose, which your mind and physique makes use of as gasoline — and glucose is what leads to your bloodstream and raises your blood sugar. Whereas sucrose will be shortly digested into glucose to spike blood sugar, fructose is extra difficult.
Pure fructose doesn’t increase blood sugar very a lot, making it a well-liked sweetener for diabetics. After all, that doesn’t give it a free cross.
When Ought to You Keep away from Consuming Fruit?
The proof in opposition to fructose collected by well-intentioned researchers like Dr. Lustig is partly why it’s possible you’ll encounter sugar-phobic of us. However take into account that even Dr. Lustig, who goes on document calling sugar “poisonous,” informed the New York Occasions he wouldn’t advise slicing out fruit.
Principally, if you happen to’re involved about your sugar consumption, it’s possible you’ll need to take into account avoiding fruit when it’s been extremely processed — that apple juice isn’t the identical as consuming an apple, and also you might not be getting the identical ratio of helpful fiber in comparison with the apple.
Additionally, be cautious of dried fruit. Dried fruit does include fiber, however at a a lot decrease quantity, which makes overeating a extra possible prospect.
How A lot Sugar Is in Fruit?
Nonetheless concerned about reaching for lower-sugar fruits? Right here’s a chart that will help you perceive how a lot sugar is in 20 standard fruits:
*Chart displayed from least sugar to most sugar by grams.
Fruit | Weight | Cals | Carbs | Fiber | Sugar* | % sugar by weight |
Avocado (½ cup, sliced) | 73 g | 117 | 6.2 g | 4.9 g | 0.5 g | 1% |
Raspberries (½ cup) | 61.5 g | 32 | 7.3 g | 4 g | 2.7 g | 4% |
Strawberries (½ cup) | 72 g | 23 | 5.5 g | 1.4 g | 3.5 g | 5% |
Blackberries (½ cup) | 72 g | 31 | 6.9 g | 3.8 g | 3.5 g | 5% |
Watermelon (½ cup, diced) | 76 g | 23 | 5.7 g | 0.3 g | 4.7 g | 6% |
Apple (½ cup, sliced) | 54.5 g | 28 | 7.5 g | 1.3 g | 5.7 g | 10% |
Cantaloupe (½ cup, diced) | 78 g | 27 | 6.4 g | 0.7 g | 6.1 g | 8% |
Peach (½ cup, sliced) | 77 g | 30 | 7.4 g | 1.2 g | 6.5 g | 8% |
Pear (½ cup, sliced) | 70 g | 40 | 10.7 g | 2.2 g | 6.8 g | 10% |
Honeydew (½ cup, diced) | 85 g | 31 | 7.7 g | 0.7 g | 6.9 g | 8% |
Blueberries (½ cup) | 74 g | 42 | 10.7 g | 1.8 g | 7.4 g | 10% |
Grapes (½ cup) | 46 g | 31 | 7.9 g | 0.4 g | 7.5 g | 16% |
Grapefruit (½ cup, sections) | 115 g | 37 | 9.3 g | 1.3 g | 8 g | 7% |
Kiwi (½ cup, sliced) | 90 g | 55 | 13.2 g | 2.7 g | 8.1 g | 9% |
Pineapple (½ cup, chunks) | 82.5 g | 41 | 10.8 g | 1.2 g | 8.1 g | 10% |
Plum (½ cup, sliced) | 82.5 g | 38 | 9.4 g | 1.2 g | 8.2 g | 10% |
Orange (½ cup, sliced) | 90 g | 42 | 10.6 g | 2.2 g | 8.4 g | 9% |
Cherries (½ cup) | 69 g | 43 | 11 g | 1.4 g | 8.9 g | 13% |
Banana (½ cup, sliced) | 75 g | 67 | 17.1 g | 2 g | 9.2 g | 12% |
Mango (½ cup, sliced) | 82.5 g | 50 | 12.4 g | 1.3 g | 11.3 g | 14% |