Is Sugar From Fruit Dangerous?

This is probably one of the most common questions.....

If I have diabetes/prediabetes is it safe to eat fruit? or will that spike my blood sugar?

For many, fruit can be a confusing area of nutrition. We are constantly being told to eat less sugar, but fruit has naturally occurring sugar. So is that ok? Is it dangerous? What should I do?

The reality is fruit contains natural sugars - a mixture of fructose, sucrose and glucose - that is balanced with fibre, small amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals. Where we run into trouble is when these sugars (fructose, sucrose and glucose) are extracted and added into foods or drinks that are high in calories but low in nutrition value (i.e. canned fruit, fruit yoghurts, pre-made smoothies). 

Most people with, with or without diabetes, would benefit from increasing their intake of fruit (and vegetables) over other types of carbohydrates.

Dr. Evan's 8 Tips for Eating Fruit 

• Eat whole fruits to get fibre, vitamins and minerals.
• Avoid fruit juice. Even natural fruit juice does not have the same nutritional quality as whole fruit
• Avoid dried fruit. Because the pieces are smaller we will eat more and increase blood sugar. Also, dried fruit has added sugar or other additives. 
• Canned fruits can be packed in syrup, so read the ingredients label carefully.
• Be careful with portion size
• Berries have the lowest amount of sugar per serving, while tropical fruits have the highest. 
• Pair fruit with other healthy foods like nuts, seeds, plain Greek Yogurt for a complete snack
• Try to select different colours of fruit to vary the type and also nutritional profile. 

If you are looking for help with meal planning, check out Dr. Evan's Frontline Diabetes Plan that includes a 7-day meal plan!