Sugar intake from fruits bad?
Hi,
Was wondering if anybody can post their thoughts on sugar intake from fruits? Are the sugars we get from fruits equally harmful as processed sugars?
I have been reading that excess sugar intake is one of the main reasons for heart diseases and was wondering if the sugars we get from fruits are bad or not.
Please provide your thoughts!
Thanks!
No.
No.
The sugar contained in fruits is sugar. It's no worse or better for you than the sugar you get from junk foods. HOWEVER, it's the things you get along with the sugar that matter. Fruits provide valuable nutrients whereas junk food with added sugar does not. Therefore, enjoy your fruit, in moderation, like everything else.
Sugar in fruits is naturally occurring and good for you in reasonable amounts.
The sugar from fruit is different from "other" sugars from junk food.
There are countless types of sugars, the two big ones which are fructose and glucose. Fruit has fructose.
Yes, fruit contains fructose and the sugar added to junk food is made of sucrose, lactose, and fructose (sucrose being the majority). My point is the reason sugar in fruit is better to eat than the sugar in junk food is because the nutrition that goes along with it.
edit: I meant to say refined sugar is made of lactose, sucrose and fructose. Sugar added to junk food could be refined or hfcs or whatever they chose to put in it.
don't forget fiber!
Cocaine is natural. Yeah, I went there.
yes I do believe celebs still do coke.. but most have turned to Weed aka maryjane which is also a natural substance but not necessarily good for weight loss :) Midnight munchies.... lol... It's been YEARS>>>>
Not at all, the sugar in fruits is natural and since when is natural harmful?
Isn't cocaine actually processed from a plant seed.
Your body needs sugar too. Best place to gat it is natural from fruits. Don't overdo it - obviously.
Your body doesn't need sugar. Your brain needs glucose, and there is a metabolic pathway for making glucose from protein.
Also, last time I checked, poison ivy was natural, I wouldn't recommend eating it. Manure is also natural, again, I'd recommend against eating it.
Fruit has fructose, but most fruit also has glucose- some fruits having more glucose to frcutose, some vice versa. Sugar (sucrose) is 50/50 fructose/glucose. It's not magically healthier than 'processed sugar'. Cooking food is a process. Unless you're raw foodist, you process food, you just do it yourself instead of a business. Sometimes it makes a difference, some times it doesn't.
That being said, fructose is not metabolized the same way as glucose, and there's been a number of studies that suggest high fructose consumption is linked to insulin resistance, which is a pre-cursor to diabetes.
Most of those benefits you get from eating fruit (vitamins, antioxidants, fibre etc) can be found in vegetables. There's more vitamin C by volume in bell peppers than orange juice (and as a side note, the pathway for vitamin C absorbtion is the same as glucose- so the higher your blood glucose level, the less your body can absorb the vitamin C).
So is fruit inherently harmful? No. But don't think because it's 'natural sugar' you shouldn't limit it.
I have yet to read a study where people became overweight/obese or had any health complications whatsoever from eating too much fruit.
Also, juice isn't fruit.
Eat your fruits kids!
My registered dietitian explained that sugar is sugar and they are all fine in moderation. She also said sugar does not cause diabetes. Your brain needs 130g of carbs a day. Your brain depends on glycogen because it doesn't burn fat or protein. If you didn't eat any carbs/sugars your body breaks down your muscles (protein) to make the sugar it needs. A handy pathway if you are in a famine and desperate not so handy if you want to keep your muslces and be healthy.
@bellerequin
I don't see anybody having written that everything natural is good for you. So I don't see why you ask not to eat poison ivy.
Given the choice between processed sugar and getting your sugar from fruits the better option is fruits is what everybody is saying n I believe everybody did say not to overdo it.
If you do not see the difference between processed foods n "home processing of foods" I won't even attempt to try.
Yes you get vitamins etc from vegetables. But if you are trying to maintain a lifestyle change eating habits getting all your bodies nutritional requirements within calorie limits. Having fruits n vegetables would be an easier way. Don't you think ?
Original Post by bellerequin:
Your body doesn't need sugar. Your brain needs glucose, and there is a metabolic pathway for making glucose from protein.
Also, last time I checked, poison ivy was natural, I wouldn't recommend eating it. Manure is also natural, again, I'd recommend against eating it.
Fruit has fructose, but most fruit also has glucose- some fruits having more glucose to frcutose, some vice versa. Sugar (sucrose) is 50/50 fructose/glucose. It's not magically healthier than 'processed sugar'. Cooking food is a process. Unless you're raw foodist, you process food, you just do it yourself instead of a business. Sometimes it makes a difference, some times it doesn't.
That being said, fructose is not metabolized the same way as glucose, and there's been a number of studies that suggest high fructose consumption is linked to insulin resistance, which is a pre-cursor to diabetes.
Most of those benefits you get from eating fruit (vitamins, antioxidants, fibre etc) can be found in vegetables. There's more vitamin C by volume in bell peppers than orange juice (and as a side note, the pathway for vitamin C absorbtion is the same as glucose- so the higher your blood glucose level, the less your body can absorb the vitamin C).
So is fruit inherently harmful? No. But don't think because it's 'natural sugar' you shouldn't limit it.
Great post, and very informed.
To the poster below who says the brain needs precisely 150 grams of carb per day..where did you read this, and..what happens if you don't? I mean..do you die? Does your brain shrivel up like one of Dr Phil's magical raisins?
I'm curious! My brain has just had to make do with 20 net carbs per day for the past three years almost exactly, with only 2 weekend days per month where I go wild and have anything I want.
My weight is awesome, I feel fine, and all the many medical tests I've had for unrelated issues show that my blood looks great, all my organ panels are fantastic, my vital signs are perfect, hormone levels and thyroid totally normal, etc. Hell, I haven't even had a cold in all this time.
I've had 4 surgeries for girlie issues in the past year, so I have had lots and lots of tests.
Other than the odd ovarian cyst or some endometriosis, a bartholin gland here or there, I'm healthy.
If I could blame any of that on my low carb diet, believe me, I'd run back to the cupcake bakery, but sadly..it has nothing to do with anything.
Fruit is not evil, but it is pretty much pure sugar, and as such, should be kept in reasonable amounts like any other food.
There's very little difference between HFCS and the sugar found in most fruits. Your GI tract does not sort them like dirty socks. If you drink fruit juice like Kool aid you'll get Kool aid results.
As a biologist I always feel compelled to approach arguments from all sides. Here is a link about animals that live mostly on fruits. How do you think they stay healthy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frugivore
If you prefer actual research then you can check the referenced links on the page.
My point is that no one really ever needs to worry about their fruit intake unless you already have a problem such as diabetes. To argue whether too much fruit is good/bad for you is akin to arguing whether too much water is good/bad for you.
Yes, you can die from drinking too much water. Water in excess is harmful.
But then what isn't then? Arguing about it is pointless because absolutely everything and anything in excess is bad for you. Water is no different. Fruits are no different. But the fact is that no one in normal circumstances is ever going to have to worry about getting to those levels.
