03 Mar Is Sugar In Fruit Bad For You?

We all know that consuming too much sugar can negatively impact our health, contributing to weight gain, diabetes, inflammation, and premature skin ageing. But what about the sugar found in fruit? Is fruit sugar bad for you, or is it different from the added sugars found in sweets, cakes, and processed foods? Many people are confused about whether eating fruit supports a healthy diet or sabotages it. While the body processes all sugars in similar ways, the bigger picture around natural sugar from fruit is more complex, and worth understanding before you cut fresh fruit from your diet.

You can book a complimentary call with us today to find out how we can help you reach your ideal weight and maintain it long term.

Unlike most sources of sugar like cake, chocolate, biscuits and sweets, fruits contain many nutrients that are beneficial for health. Most fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are also amongst the best sources of antioxidants, nutrients known to protect cells from damaging free radicals.

As a team of nutritionists, we are all for encouraging consumption of fresh, natural and unprocessed foods. Therefore, most healthy people can enjoy a moderate amount of fruit as part of a healthy diet. So why is there so much confusion around fruit?

IS FRUIT BAD FOR YOU?

We are all different and when it comes to optimising your nutrition, there is no one size fits all. When we are working with clients in clinic, there are circumstances where we may advise a client to cut fruit out of their diet completely.

The two most common reasons are:

For Weight loss. For some (but not all) of our weight loss clients, we recommend cutting out fruit temporarily while we focus on a ketogenic (very low carbohydrate) diet. This can be a very effective way to focus the body on using our stored fat as a main source which in turn accelerates weight loss. Fruit can be reintroduced into the diet as part of a maintenance plan once the desired weight has been achieved.

To manage type 2 diabetes. When we work with type 2 diabetics we will typically recommend cutting out fruit. Type 2 diabetics have become unable to effectively regulate their sugar levels. Therefore minimising them in the diet, in any form, is an important part of their dietary strategy.

If you aren’t sure whether or not fruit should be included in your diet, it’s worth getting advice from an expert. You can schedule a complimentary 25 minute call with us and find out how we can support you in improving your health, diet and lifestyle to lose weight and optimise your health.

HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN FRUIT?

Some fruits contain significantly more sugar than others. For example, 100g grapes contains the equivalent to nearly four teaspoons of sugar whilst the same amount of raspberries contains the equivalent to just one teaspoon. Other considerations to take into account are that when you eat fruit and what you eat it with can have a significant impact on how it affects your blood sugar levels. Among the fruits with the least sugar are avocados, which contain only about 0.7 grams of sugar per 100 grams, and lemons, which have around 2.5 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Other low-sugar fruits include strawberries (4.9 grams per 100 grams), raspberries (4.4 grams per 100 grams), and blackberries (7 grams per cup) . On the other end of the spectrum, fruits like mangoes, grapes, bananas, and cherries are known for their higher sugar content. For instance, a cup of mango pieces can contain about 23 grams of sugar. Here’s a guide to working out how much sugar is in food.

6 RULES OF HEALTHY FRUIT EATING

• Choose fruits lower in sugar such as berries, coconut and grapefruit.
• Only eat bananas, grapes and mangoes occasionally as they are fairly high in sugar.
• Avoid eating dried fruits and drinking fruit juices due to their particularly high and concentrated sugar content.
• Limit fruit to a maximum of two portions per day. A portion is one medium sized fruit or 80g.
• Have fruit with your meal – eating it with a combination of protein and fat will slow the absorption of sugars.
• Eating fruit after your workout is a good idea. Your body is likely to use the sugar to replenish the sugar stores in your muscles (known as glycogen).

Unless it’s been advised that you do not consume fruit for health reasons, or because you are on a carbohydrate controlled weight loss plan, moderate amounts of fruit can and should form part of a healthy diet. Just make sure you limit your intake, choose lower sugar fruits and eat fruit alongside other food.

It’s also important to consider the overall quality of your diet and your individual health goals when deciding how much fruit to eat. While fruits are a natural source of sugars, they also provide essential hydration through their high water content, making them a satisfying choice that can help curb cravings for less healthy snacks. If you’re aiming to improve gut health, remember that the fibre in whole fruit feeds beneficial bacteria and promotes good digestion. For those with specific health conditions like insulin resistance or PCOS, personalised guidance from a nutrition expert is especially crucial to achieve the best results.

WHICH FRUITS HAVE THE LEAST SUGAR?

(Amounts are per 100g)

• Avocado – around 0.7 g sugar.
• Cucumber – around 1.7 g sugar (technically a fruit).​
• Lime – around 1.7 g sugar.​
• Lemon – around 2.5 g sugar.
• Tomato – around 2.6 g sugar.

BERRIES & CURRANTS

• Cranberries – about 4 g sugar.​
• Raspberries – about 4.4–5 g sugar.
• Strawberries – about 4.9–7 g sugar (around 8 g per 8 medium berries).
• Blackberries – about 4.9–7 g sugar per 100 g or per cup, depending on measure.
• Red/white currants – roughly 7–8 g sugar.

WHICH FRUITS HAVE THE MOST SUGAR?

(Amounts are per 100g)

• Dates (dried) – around 63 g sugar per 100 g (very concentrated source, even small portions are high).
• Grapes – roughly 16–17 g sugar per 100 g.
• Figs – around 16 g sugar per 100 g (fresh; dried figs are higher).
• Plantain – about 14–15 g sugar per 100 g (ripe).
• Mango – around 11–14 g sugar per 100 g.
• Pomegranate – up to about 14 g sugar per 100 g.
• Cherries (sweet) – around 13 g sugar per 100 g.
• Banana – about 12–13 g sugar per 100 g (a medium banana is usually 15–17 g total sugar).
• Pineapple – around 11–12 g sugar per 100 g.
• Lychee – around 15 g sugar per 100 g.
• Persimmon – roughly 12–13 g sugar per 100 g or about 21 g per fruit.
• Passion fruit – around 11 g sugar per 100 g.

WORK WITH US

We are a team of qualified nutritionists who specialise in weight loss. We can support you in overcoming your weight challenges, achieving your goal weight and maintaining it long term. You can use this link to book in for a complimentary call today. This is an opportunity to talk through your challenges with a qualified nutritionist and decide together whether one of our Intelligent Weight Loss programmes is right for you. Or contact us to request a copy of our brochure and we will get back to you soon.

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