Is it true that sugar in fruits and berries is healthier than in desserts?
Text: Karina Sembe
In the summer cakes and chocolate fade into the background - finally, fresh seasonal fruits appear: strawberries are replaced by apricots, then comes the turn of peaches and raspberries, and by the end of summer - the period of grapes, watermelons and melons. Oddly enough, all this time, many supporters of healthy eating have been struggling with the desire to eat ripe fruit, seeing in them solid carbohydrates. We understand what the sugar contained in fruit differs from refined sugar and products with the addition of sweeteners, and find out the place of fruit in a balanced diet.
It is extremely difficult in one sitting to eat the amount of fruit, the sugar content is equal to a bar of milk chocolate
Sugar contained in berries and fruits and constituting the lion’s share of their energy value is called fructose. This is a close relative of glucose: they have the same chemical formula C6H12O6. For energy, our cells can use both. Although fructose tastes twice as sweet as glucose, both contain 4 kcal per gram. Of these two monosaccharides, sucrose is formed — simply put, sugar — and in the body it breaks down again into glucose and fructose.
In the chemical sense, there is no difference between "natural" and "artificial" fructose: their molecules are absolutely indistinguishable, have the same properties and behave in an identical way in the human body. In industry, fructose is mainly produced by glucose isomerization using enzymes. "Natural" fructose, which is found in fruits and vegetables, is formed in cells according to the same principle. Unlike glucose, fructose is absorbed by the intestines rather slowly, but it breaks down much faster. Part of the fructose is converted into glucose, which slightly increases the level of sugar in the blood. Fructose is almost completely absorbed by the liver cells, quickly turning into free fatty acids.
All those for whom a balanced diet is important have long ago learned that, say, corn syrup or sugar are not healthy sweeteners, but the reason is not that corn syrup contains industrially produced fructose, and sugar is a disaccharide. The case is mainly in quantity: the consumption of "natural" fructose in the same volume in the form of fruit will have the same effect. As we found out, fructose is processed into fat much faster than glucose, and in large quantities can significantly increase the level of triglycerides (fats) in the body. At the same time, of course, it is extremely difficult in one sitting to eat the amount of fruit, the sugar content is equal to the bar of milk chocolate, and by calorie content - the three Old Fashioned cocktails.
The concentration of naturally occurring sugars in fruits is significantly lower than in finished products with added sugar. Moreover, even producers of bread or sour cream are often not without sweeteners, so it is important to pay attention to the composition. As you know, an excessive amount of sugar entering the body can cause fatigue and apathy, and over time lead to tooth loss, obesity, and possibly osteoporosis. Since the matter is not in the origin of sugar, but in its concentration, this concerns not only table refined sugar, but also its supposedly “dietary” substitutes, as well as maple syrup, molasses and honey. It makes sense to limit the amount of sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltose and other highly concentrated "-toz" used in the production of beverages, confectionery and baking.
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women.
Of course, fruits are not solid glucose: they consist of water, fiber, and a number of useful vitamins and trace elements, which makes them an important part of a healthy diet. Many fruits contain phenols - antioxidants that can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, presumably associated with the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants join unpaired electrons on the outer electron shell of a free radical and remove it from the body.
Therefore, moderate consumption of fruits is of absolute benefit - it remains to find out the very "measure". The American Heart Association in this sense is more than democratic and recommends no more than 100 kcal (24 g, or 6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women and no more than 150 kcal (36 g, or 9 teaspoons) for men. On the other hand, only one glass of sweet sparkling water can contain more than 8 teaspoons of sugar, so exceeding the norm is a simple matter. The Association is silent about the allowable amount of "natural" sugar.
There are recommendations in the Network, according to which women aged 19 to 30 years are supposed to eat about two glasses of fruits and berries a day (that is, 400-500 g). Firstly, it is not known what justified such sex and age restrictions, secondly, the required amount of fruit depends on what kind of fruit you prefer: two glasses of bananas can contain about 35 g of sugar, or even more, in while the same amount of strawberries - up to 20 g.
Many coaches and fitness bloggers stick to the installation: "Fruits - only in the morning." Dietitians have different opinions on this. Some people think that fruit is best to eat snacks during the day and limit their consumption in the evening, others argue that in the morning and in the first half of the day our body is set up mainly to process proteins and fats, and towards evening it copes better with carbohydrates, so time fruit comes after lunch. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology showed that the maximum level of insulin production after a meal does not depend on the time of day, which means, contrary to popular belief, you can not be afraid of a long "insulin response" after a fruit eaten at night looking. In any case, in order not to get bogged down in all the variety of tips and recommendations until the end of the summer season, it is best to rely on your own feelings and enjoy juicy fruits and berries, observing the measure.
Photo: brostock - stock.adobe.com, Jiri Hera - stock.adobe.com, Alex Staroseltsev - stock.adobe.com