When it comes to embracing a lower sugar lifestyle, the topic of fruit and fructose confuses so many people.
Should you eat fruit on a low sugar diet? Will fructose make me fat? Aren’t all forms of sugar bad? How much per day is recommended? Which are high/low sugar fruits?
In my opinion, there is information overload out there on this topic so I’m going to try to make this blog as simple & succinct as I can!
So, as we know, fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit (and vegetables but to a lesser degree). So, should we eliminate fruit from our diet if we want to follow a low sugar diet? In my opinion, no, we shouldn’t.
Fructose has gotten a lot of bad press in recent years because we now know that eating too much of it can have a negative impact on our weight and heart health. However, it’s the concentrated, man made forms of fructose we need to be most wary of i.e. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Crystalline Fructose that can be found in soft drinks, juice drinks and sweets. Concentrated Fructose is not found in fruit, or anywhere else in nature. As a result, our bodies don’t recognise it and we digest it differently than the natural fructose found in nature, i.e. fruit.
Fructose naturally occurring in whole fruits is not isolated or concentrated, it’s bound to other naturally occurring sugars and is accompanied by natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and fruit pectin which allow our bodies to digest and utilise it in a more healthful way.
So, whilst we should limit our overall intake of fructose, we should not eliminate fruit from our diet. I would also encourage you not to buy into the latest ‘you can have any type of sugar as longs as it’s not fructose’ craze either. ALL forms of sugar are detrimental to our heath if over-consumed not just fructose.
That said, I do think it’s important to have an awareness of the varying sugar content of fruit and vegetables so you can choose wisely particularly if you have blood sugar issues and/or are trying to manage your weight. In my opinion, 2-3 portions of fruit per day will give you a good amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre without causing problems.
Sugar Content Of Fruit & Vegetables
In a nutshell, some fruits and vegetables contain higher amount of fast releasing sugars than others and so need to be eaten in moderation and in smaller amounts. These include starchy vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, swede, yams and sweet fruits such as bananas and grapes.
The table below will help guide you in terms of which carbohydrates (including fruits and vegetables) to eat more often and which to eat less often and in modest portions;
Carbohydrates – Better Choice Guide
| Grain/Seed based foods | Vegetables | Fruit | |
| Great Choice The slow release carbohydrates in this category are ideal choices because they are relatively low-glycemic foods which means they’ll keep your blood sugar levels stable so you’ll feel fuller and energised for longer. | OatsQuinoaPearl BarleyBulgur Wheat
Millet Amaranth
|
AsparagusBroccoliBrussels sproutsBean sprouts
Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Courgette Cucumber Fennel Green Leafy Vegetables Green Beans Kale Lettuce Leek Mange tout Mushrooms Onions (all types) Peppers Rocket Runner beans Spinach Spring onion Watercress
|
ApplesApricots (fresh)Avocado*Blackberries
Blueberries Cranberries (fresh) Gooseberries Grapefruit Lemon/Lime Pears Plums Raspberries Strawberries Tomatoes
|
| Good Choice The foods at this level will trigger a moderate glycemic response which means they’ll raise blood sugar levels at a reasonably steady rate provided they’re eaten in moderate amounts.
The foods in this category are nutritious foods but still need to be eaten in moderate amounts. |
Brown RiceWhole-wheat pasta/ noodlesWholegrain breadSoba noodles
Cous Cous |
AuberginePeasBeetrootCarrot
Butternut Squash Pumpkin Sweet Potato |
CherriesGrapesMangoesMelon
Nectarine Papaya Kiwi Peaches Pineapple Tangerines
|
| Adequate ChoiceMost of the foods in this category contain fast release carbohydrates so will raise blood sugar levels fast and provide only short term energy. Although the fruit and vegetables within this category do offer nutritional value, they need to be eaten in strict moderation to maintain healthy blood sugar balance. | White riceWhite pastaEgg/Rice Noodles | White PotatoesParsnipsSwedeYams
Sweet Corn |
BananasDatesDried FruitFigs
Fruit Juices Prunes
|
Elsa Jones is a qualified Nutritional Therapist & Author of Bestselling Book ‘Goodbye Sugar’.
