1. Fructose: The Fruit Sugar
All fruits contain sugar--and sugar is nothing to be afraid of! Sugar is an important source of energy for our bodies, and it is natural and healthy to consume some sugar every day, preferably in the form of whole fruits and vegetables. The sugar in fruit is known as fructose. Fructose is slowly broken down in the body and does not cause the same wild fluctuations in blood sugar levels as table sugar (also known as sucrose) does. For this reason, diabetics are sometimes encouraged to use fructose instead of table sugar.
2. Vitamins and Other Nutrients
Remember, whole fruits are more than just sugar--they're also a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet, and should never be avoided out of fear of sugar.
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)is another matter altogether. HFCS is a highly refined product used to sweeten many commercially available candies, cookies, soft drinks and other sweets. Fructose is naturally twice as sweet as sucrose, and the sugars in high fructose corn syrup are very highly concentrated. Foods containing HFCS are usually full of empty calories, providing the body with sugar and fat and little else, and overconsumption of these foods leads to obesity, heart disease, tooth decay and diabetes. The nutritional profile of high fructose corn syrup bears no resemblance to that of real whole fruit, and HFCS should be avoided at all costs.
4. Fresh is Best
The sugar content in dried fruit or in fruit juice is much higher than in whole, fresh fruit. When a fruit is dried, the water is taken out, leaving the sugar in a highly concentrated little parcel, and when fruit is juiced the fiber is removed. The water and fiber content in whole, fresh fruit helps contribute to a "full" feeling, and it's easy to drink a lot of apple juice or snack on several handfuls of raisins or banana chips, inadvertently consuming a large amount of sugar in the process. Eating fresh, whole fruit is a perfect, natural way to limit your sugar intake. After all, how many oranges can you eat in one sitting?
5. High and Low
Some fruits are higher in sugar than others, and the easy and obvious way to tell is by taste--the sweeter the fruit, the higher the sugar. Some fruits that are high in sugar are dates, bananas, figs, persimmons, grapes and mangos. Lower sugar fruits include cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, passionfruit and strawberries.
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