Fruit full of sugar. You can eat them without – Dietetics – Articles |

Glucose, fructose – an injection of simple sugars

It is undeniable that fruits are a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. However, it is worth remembering that it is also a rich source of simple sugars. By supplying easily digestible sugars with the fruit, we lead to a sudden increase in blood glucose. As a consequence, there is a surge of insulin, which our brain interprets as a signal to re-enter food. This helps us to consume more calories during the day, and thus makes us gain weight.

How much sugar can you eat in a day?

The World Health Organization lists an excess of simple sugars in the diet as one of the main causes of the obesity epidemic. Therefore, the current standard 50 g of sugars added in a 2000 kcal diet, currently limited to only 25 g (5 teaspoons). Food manufacturers continue to abuse the addition of sugar to enhance and refine the taste of their goods. As a result, we do not even realize how much of it is in our daily diet, and there is definitely too much of it!

What does it look like inside, i.e. how much sugar can one fruit contain?

The sugar content of the fruit is largely related to its ripeness. The unripe parts of the fruit contain starch, which later turns into simple sugars. When determining the amount of simple sugars in fruits, we are talking about those that are fully ripe. Banana is one of the sweetest fruits, which we often and willingly reach for. A medium-sized banana (230 g) provides us with 34,5 g of sugar. Eating a banana after an intense workout will instantly replenish the energy in our body.

Compared to a banana an orange contains much less simple sugars. A fruit weighing 299 g has in its composition 23,92 g of sugar. Like other citrus fruits, it is rich in vitamin C, as well as minerals and organic acids. Oranges are extremely juicy fruits, thanks to which they perfectly quench our thirst on hot days.

Another fruit that often appears on our tables is apple. The content of simple sugars in 198 g of apple is approximately 6,5 cubes of sugar (25,5 g). However, unlike bananas and oranges, we can eat this fruit with the peel, which I encourage you to do. Dietary fiber, in which the aforementioned peel abounds, limits the absorption of simple sugars in the body. When you eat an apple, do not deprive it of its valuable skin, thanks to which you will not allow the sugar to be released too rapidly in the body.

Eating a bunch of grapes (140 g) will provide us with 25 g of sugar.

To eat or not to eat?

Despite the sugar contained in the fruit, we must not forget how many other nutrients, vitamins and minerals they provide us with. Let’s eat fruit, but with the head. Spread them out throughout the day, don’t eat everything at once. Remember, however, that it is worth reducing the consumption of fruit in favor of definitely less sweet vegetables. Remember that it is important to exercise moderation in everything.

The author of the article and photos is nutritionist Martyna Przybyłko.