Concerned about the natural sugar in fruit?
The fructose found naturally in fruits is packaged with fibre and antioxidants, which may help to explain why people experience positive health benefits when they eat fruits. Adding berries to a meal can help blunt an insulin spike from high glycemic foods, for instance. The fibre in fruits can help slow the release of the sugar, and fruit phytonutrients can help inhibit the transportation of sugar into our intestinal walls and bloodstream.
Similarly, the fat found in whole plant-based foods comes packaged with health-promoting nutrients, such as fibre and phytonutrients. Nuts can help lower cholesterol and oxidation, as well as improve our arterial function and blood sugar levels. Just a few small servings of nuts a week may increase our lifespan and lower our cancer risk.
Fibre-packed foods like fruit are also filling. If you’re hungry for a snack, there’s a good chance you’ll feel satisfied after eating one large Golden Delicious apple, which contains 2 grams of fiber and 22 grams of sugar, 13 of which are fructose.
As a comparison, a 473-mL can of soda, contains 0 grams of fiber and 52 grams of sugar, 30 of which are fructose.
When eating whole fruit, it’s almost impossible to consume enough fructose to cause harm. Fruits also have significant chewing resistance. For this reason, most fruits take a while to eat and digest, meaning that the fructose hits your liver slowly. If you want to be 100% confident of controlling your sugar spike, simply consume a few nuts with your fruit - Include our Date and Almond, Raw Cashews and Almonds or Mixed Exotic Nuts with your next order of office snacks.
Remember as well – natural sugar found in fruits is better than refined sugar that is added to many snacks and foods off the shelf. Studies indicate that sugars consumed in their natural sources (fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products) do not impact health. But, when that sugar is removed from its original source to be refined and then added to sweeten other processed products, then minimizing our intake would be wise.
For more expert and detailed info on sugar, sugar spikes and how to balance your meals, have a look at the website of French biochemist and bestselling author, https://www.glucosegoddess.com