Fruit (Natural) Sugar VS. Processed Sugars

I have heard from many people they stay away from fruit because of the sugar content. It may be true that fruit has natural sugar, but how does it affect the body compared to processed sugar? Due to this misconception that fruit sugar can be bad for you I decided to explain the difference between fruit and processed sugar.

Both types of sugars are simple carbohydrates and are used for energy once the body breaks them down. Both fruit and processed sugar contain fructose and glucose. Fruit on average contains 40-55% fructose. Certain fruits can have more or less, but this is an average. Your standard table sugar is 50/50 on fructose and glucose.

Let’s go over how fructose and glucose are processed by the body. First, fructose is processed in the liver. Due to this an insulin response is not generated. Glucose begins breaking down in the stomach. Glucose breaks down rapidly and enters the bloodstream. When this happens, it is referred to as the “sugar rush” commonly associated with the feeling you get after eating sweets. Due to this insulin Is released to help metabolize and remove the excess glucose from the bloodstream. This process leads to the crash feeling “when the sugar wears off”. Other than the way fructose and glucose break down in the body, neither have any more of a benefit then the other.

Fruit has a significant advantage over processed sugar. Fruit contains fiber which slows down the digestion of glucose and in turn you avoid the insulin spike. Whereas processed sugar does not contain fiber to slow the process so you get the insulin spike. Processed sugar does not contain any real nutrition and has been associated with inflammation, disease and weight gain. Where fruit contains fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and water. Due to the water in fruit it can help prevent dehydration.

Fruit vs. Fruit Juice

Since fiber is the main staple in slowing down glucose digestion and initiating the insulin response. I thought this might be a helpful tip. Fruit juice can give the same response as processed sugar if the juice does not contain fiber. If you use a juicer or buy the juice from the store you may be removing that needed fiber to help prevent the insulin spike. The good news is fruit juice still contains important nutrients, which still makes it more beneficial then processed sugars.

Remember to check your food labels to see if there are added sugars in it. Look at the ingredients and see if it says sugar. Things like corn and other vegetables can be packaged using sugar. Sugar can be used as a preservative and a lot of canned fruits will be packaged in “light Syrup”. With all the natural sugar in fruit, why add more?