In the world of weight loss, there are enemy camps galore: those who are Noaksies, and those who aren’t.
Those who do red meat, and those who swear by white. And then there people who eschew sugar. But what about the kinds that come in fruit – the ones you didn’t think were bad for you? Will fruit make you fat?
The Deal With Fruit
A large pear packs 23g of sugar – about a gram more than a KitKat. But before you throw your fresh produce away, let’s break down the different kinds of sugars. There are the sugars from fruit, which are naturally occurring, and the refined kind that you add to your coffee. They’re also naturally occurring (from the sugar cane), but factories put them through processes that strip its nutritional value and make it sweeter. (Dark, unrefined sugar is bitter.)
And when it comes to whether you should reach for the KitKat or the pear, consider this: in addition to fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, fruit contains tons of disease-fighting compounds, minerals and fibre. They’re rich in vitamin B2 and potassium. There’s even evidence that eating fruit can help reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and some cancers.
Read this: Confessions Of A Sugar Addict
How To Eat It
To reap the benefits without adding kilos, aim for three portions a day – each around 250kJ and 15g of carbs, says dietician and author of The F-Factor Diet Tanya Zuckerbrot. That’s about half a large apple, a three-quarter cup of blueberries, a medium peach, half a grapefruit or half a large banana. So, will fruit make you fat? Nah, not if you eat it right.
Keen to ditch sugar? Get started with the Women’s Health Shrink Your Sugar Belly all-in-one guide!
