Why Fruit is Healthful, Even Though it Contains Sugar
• Sugar in fruit is far less likely to cause a high rise in blood sugar than sugars added to drinks or foods.
• Fruits contain soluble and insoluble fibre that binds to the sugar while it is in your intestines, delaying absorption and blunting the rise in blood sugar levels.
• Fruits help people control weight by making them feel full earlier so they eat less. One apple contains 23 grams of sugar and is more filling than a
16-ounce bottle of cola that has 52 grams of sugar.
• The sugar in fruits is combined with antioxidants that help to block inflammation that damages cells.
• Fruits lower high blood pressure and blood sugar levels and reduce oxidative stress in diabetics. On the other hand, sugar added to foods is associated with increased risk for high blood pressure.
My Recommendations
• Try to replace most of the processed foods in your diet with foods in their natural state: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and other seeds
• Avoid sugar in liquid forms, including fruit juices.
• Restrict foods that have had sugars added to them.