An increasingly common refrain with respect to diet is that sugar in all forms is bad for you. The topic of fruit or “overfruiting” arises with increasing frequency in all circles: patients, friends, family. It usually starts with “I think I eat too much fruit...” or “portion size matters with fruit because of how much sugar fruit has”. Fruit has recently developed a bad reputation with concern largely stemming from the amount of sugar fruit contains. Naturally, bananas, grapes, cherries, and mangoes bear the brunt of the attack because of their “higher sugar content per portion” compared to their less “sugary” peers, berries and melons.
So what do you need to know about fruit? Let’s break down the science.
All fruit contains two naturally occurring sugars, fructose and glucose. These sugars are found without any processing or when sugar is present without it being added. Milk is another example of a food that has naturally occurring sugar (lactose and glucose).
Comparatively, added sugar is any food that sugar has been added— a shortlist of examples includes: soda, tomato sauce, flavored yogurts/oatmeal, and candy. Natural vs. added sugars are not better or worse but they are digested and absorbed differently in the body. Fruit and milk, foods with naturally occurring sugar, contain fiber or protein, which allows that naturally occurring sugar to be digested and absorbed at a slower rate. Added sugars such as corn syrup and table sugar differ from fruit sugar as they are added to foods during processing, cooking or before eating. Our bodies metabolize these added sugars more quickly.
There is no need to take either type of sugar out of your diet. Let me repeat that. There is no need to take either type of sugar out of your diet. This blogpost is not about why fruit sugar is better than added sugar, but rather to create more awareness for people who are actually afraid of eating fruit because of its sugar content. That’s not to say that we won’t be writing a blog about added sugar…but for now, let’s get back to those sugars found in fruit.
The sugars in fruit, fructose and glucose, are needed by our bodies. Our bodies depend and rely on glucose for energy. Glucose should be thought of as the gas to a car, the fuel we need to think, move, and breathe. A serving of fruit is approximately 15-20g of sugar which is not excessive relative to the needs of the body. For perspective, our brains need a minimum of 120g of carbohydrates to function daily. Portion size does change depending on the fruit but even if it is an extra-large banana with 30g of sugar is still an appropriate amount of fuel for your body.
For comparison:
1 cup of tomato sauce = 10g sugar
Flavored instant oatmeal = 12g sugar
Flavored Dannon yogurt = 24g sugar
1 cup of milk = 12g sugar
As previously stated, natural vs. added sugar is not better or worse. The idea is to make room for fruit, no matter portion or size. In the Western world, a majority of people do not eat enough fruit.
The CDC reported in 2015 that 12.2% of respondents in a national survey met fruit intake recommendations (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6645a1.htm? s_cid=mm6645a1_w) . In addition, according to a Medical News Today article, exceeding a 2,000 calorie per day diet by only eating fruit a person would have to eat approximately 18 bananas, 15 apples or 44 kiwifruits each day (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ 325550#benefits-of-eating-fruit) . That’s bananas!!
Not only does fruit contain sugar that the body needs but it also contains other beneficial vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytochemicals. All whole fruit contains soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which are extremely important for GI function. A majority of our vitamins and minerals can be found in a variety of colored fruits (remember eat the rainbow!). Lastly, phytochemicals, chemicals or compounds that are found in plants that contribute to their color, taste, and smell, are extremely important for human health. There is evidence that indicates they can help with inhibiting cancer growth, inflammation, lowering blood pressure, eye health, and longevity (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fill-up-on-phytochemicals).
Simply put, consuming fruit daily far outweighs any concerns or risks associated with its sugar content.
When people overanalyze one nutrient instead of focusing on the entire picture, they can get caught up on insignificant factors such as how many grams of sugar and all of a sudden they are afraid of eating an apple! Vilifying entire food groups that humans have been consumed for tens of thousands of years is problematic, especially when the majority of our society doesn’t even ingest the recommended amount. Fruit is not the reason people don’t achieve whatever nutritional goals they may have in mind. If you are in eating disorder recovery it is never helpful to restrict or avoid an entire food or food group. So yes, feel free to have two bananas in one day.