If You Avoid Eating Fruit Because it Contains Sugar- Think Again

Don’t be confused by the delicious sweetness of fruit. The sugar you find in an apple is very different from the sugar you find in a soda. That’s because they’re two different kinds of sugar. The sugar in a soda is added sugar, while the sugar in an apple — or any other kind of fruit — is natural sugar. 

What is the Difference Between Natural Sugar and Added Sugar?

Consuming natural sugar is completely healthy; these sugars are found naturally in fruits, grains, and dairy products. However, added sugar is a major health concern. These sugars are not in foods already but are put into them during the process of making and producing the foods. Added sugars can include anything from adding honey to Greek yogurt to a sports drink.

Learn about the risks of added sugars and why fruit’s natural sugars don’t endanger your health.

Examples of Natural Sugars

There are two main types of natural sugar, fructose and lactose. Fructose is the kind of sugar you find in fruit, whereas lactose is the kind of sugar you find in dairy. Both are naturally occurring. Both come with fiber or protein. 

The key with both fructose and lactose is that when you consume them, you consume them with other important nutrients, such as fiber in the case of fructose, or protein in the case of lactose. These nutrients help to stabilize your blood sugar levels, which prevents you from feeling hungry soon after eating.

Natural sugars in fruits and dairy products have a wide range of other beneficial nutrients, as well. The vitamins, flavonoids, and phytonutrients are just a few added reasons to choose natural sugars over added sugars.

Added Sugars Examples and Overview

Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared.  As the name implies, added sugars are processed forms of sugar, like high fructose corn syrup, that are added to certain foods when they’re being made. Because these sugars are processed and not natural, they’re not as good for your body.

Plus, unlike natural sugar, added sugars don’t come with other healthy nutrients. They’re simply empty calories that have no benefit for your body. In fact, consuming too much added sugar is likely to lead to weight gain.

This is why any nutritionist will tell you that it’s much healthier to eat an orange versus drink a glass of orange juice. The juice contains added sugars, the orange does not.

Reading the ingredient label on processed foods can help to identify added sugars. Names for added sugars on food labels include:

• •  anhydrous dextrose
  • brown sugar
  • confectioner’s powdered sugar
  • corn syrup
  • corn syrup solids
  • dextrose
  • fructose
  • high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
  • honey
  • invert sugar
  • lactose
  • malt syrup
  • maltose
  • maple syrup
  • molasses
  • nectars (e.g., peach nectar, pear nectar)
  • pancake syrup
  • raw sugar
  • sucrose
  • sugar
  • white granulated sugar

You may also see other names used for added sugars, but these are not recognized by the FDA as an ingredient name. These include cane juice, evaporated corn sweetener, crystal dextrose, glucose, liquid fructose, sugar cane juice, and fruit nectar.

Top Foods with Added Sugars (Empty Calorie Foods)

•  regular soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks
• candy
• cakes
• cookies
• pies and cobblers
• sweet rolls, pastries, and donuts
• fruit drinks, such as fruitades and fruit punch
• dairy desserts, such as ice cream 

These foods are high in sugar and low in nutritional value. They spike blood sugar, won’t satisfy hunger, lead to chronic inflammation, and contribute heavily to a list of chronic diseases.

Instead of reaching for a candy bar when you get the mid-afternoon snack attack, consider the natural sweetness of strawberries or grapes. Eat real food– as nature provided it- oh and don’t forget to try to eat organic- but that is another topic.