Sweet Fruits - to be desired or not?

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In general, sugar in fruit is not bad for us. As a matter of fact, fruit contains a natural sugar, fructose, that is better even for diabetics. That's because the body digests fructose slower than it does sucrose or table sugar. Because of the slower digestion, fructose doesn't cause the same high glycemic swings as other types of sugars. In 2008, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition advised diabetics to use fructose instead of sucrose based on research studies.

Consider this: a 20-ounce bottle of soda contains about 225 calories, 60 grams of added sugar, (usually high-fructose corn syrup), and few nutrients. Also, a 50cl bottle of Coca-Cola contains about 210 calories, 54 grams of sugar. On the other hand, a cup of strawberries has 50 to 60 calories, about 7 grams of natural fructose, 3 grams of fiber, and loads of vitamin C and minerals -- all are agents of good health.

However, we have to watch which fructose we are getting. There is natural fructose and high-fructose corn syrup. The latter is not natural and will cause blood sugar to spike. This is something we also have to watch out for when buying canned fruit. Much of it is packed in that high-fructose corn syrup. If it doesn't say packed in natural juices, it is better to purchase fruits that are either fresh or frozen instead.

We still have to keep track of how much sugar we are consuming, even if it's largely fructose containing fruits. The American Heart Association recommends up to 24 grams of sugar per day for females and 36 grams for men. But we can easily exceed that if we don't make the right selections. For example, two cups of sliced bananas has 36 grams of sugar by itself. If we add in the sugar we are getting from the rest of our food, we are probably far in excess of what we should be eating each day.

Is excess sugar bad?
Obviously, as we've known since elementary school, excess sugar can cause tooth decay. Also, it causes weight gain and increases the triglycerides in our blood stream. That has been shown to increase the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke.

Side Notes: The high-fructose fruits include apples, cherries, mangoes, watermelon and pears. Low-fructose fruits include honeydew melon, cantaloupe, bananas, blueberries, strawberries and oranges.

Caution - is the name of the Game

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