Why 'quitting sugar' shouldn't mean quitting fruit

We all know added sugar isn’t great for us and we should limit our intake. Easier said than done! However, we sometimes mistakenly believe that less sugar means we should avoid eating fruit as part of our regular diet – or that we should cut it out entirely. Sound like you? Then you could be missing out on important nutrition. Everybody – especially those on a plant-based diet – should be taking advantage of fruit’s natural goodness.

It’s time to clear up some confusion and stop demonizing fruit sugars. Here’s why you should start loving fruit again.

1. ‘Free sugars’ are the ones to watch

The World Health Organization recommends no more than 12 teaspoons of sugar per day for a healthy adult – that’s less than 10 percent of your total energy intake. However, these guidelines are not referring to the sugars in fruit. They specify ‘free sugars,’ those that are refined and added to processed or semi-processed foods. They also include the sugars in honey, syrups and processed fruit juices or concentrates.

Although all sugars deliver the same amount of calories in their natural or processed state, the health risks of eating sugars are linked to overconsumption of ‘free sugars’.

2. The sugar in fruit is processed differently by our bodies

Fruits come with much more than just sugar – they’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which are essential for good health.

The fiber is what separates naturally occurring sugars from ‘free sugars’ – it has been shown to effectively slow down the absorption of sugar into our bloodstream. This is also why fruit juice counts as a ‘free sugar’ (because it lacks the fiber), and why we should consume natural sugars as part of a ‘whole food’ rather than ‘processed food’ diet.

3. Dried fruit can be good, too (when used responsibly)

Dried fruits have many of the same nutrients as fresh fruit. Some, like dates, can be a great way of getting whole food sweetness and fiber into your cooking – for example with healthy snack brownies.

But dried fruits are more concentrated in natural sugars because the liquid has been removed, and it can also be easy to overeat them. Dried apricots are great as a snack, but you need to keep an eye on how many you consume in one sitting.

If you have the choice, pick fresh fruit as a stand-alone snack instead.

4. The fruits you don’t want to miss out on

Now that you’re ready to love fruit again, here are a few that really stand out for their nutritional value.

Raspberries and blackberries
Packed with fiber, vitamin C and a range of antioxidants for health and anti-inflammatory effects. Dark red and purple fruits are basically beacons of antioxidants calling you in.