BUT, I am going to educate you on
a few things about it that I bet you never knew. From credible sources (AKA my nutrition
textbook etc) that you can trust to give you the right facts.
Before you keep reading, I want
you to thoroughly check out this website, just to open your eyes a bit:
http://www.sugarstacks.com/ (Check out the fruit section on the
website. Check out the veggie
section. Check out the snacks,
beverages, cookies etc.) Visually seeing
this opened my eyes. Wow.
Like I said, this post isn’t to
scold one bit! This is to educate you
and make you think a little bit more about what you’re eating. There is definitely a place for treats in
life, for sure! – I love treats – but they can’t be part of my everyday-regular
diet. Just want to get that out of the
way – I love to enjoy my sugary foods.
My brother, Dan, once said something that stuck with me. He said “You’ve got to treat, not mis-treat
your body”. Good stuff. He’s a smart cookie.
Okay, let’s dig a bit deeper.
First of all, did you know that
sugar is actually a carbohydrate? You
wonder why people shun white breads and white pastas etc etc…it’s because it’s
a simple carbohydrate…and it’s full of sugars.
If you were to compare white and whole wheat bread, you’ll notice that
one of the biggest differences is the sugar content.
Here’s a frequently asked
question about sugar:
Sugar in FRUIT compare to sugar in CANDY. What’s the difference? IS there a difference even?
Most fruits have fibre in them -
that’s why any doctor will tell you to eat an apple every day.
What that magically-wonderful fibre
does is regulate how fast that sugar goes into your bloodstream, stopping the
body from having a sugar spike like candy would, and stopping it from instantly
travelling to your hips and thighs.
This is why fruits and whole
wheat breads are so good for you. Yes,
they have sugar in them, but they also regulate how your body uses that sugar
and how fast your body uses it. That
sugar that is slowly absorbed into your blood stream can then be used at a rate
that your body needs. No sugar spike
like a chocolate bar would give you.
Plus, the sugars in fruits (and yes, veggies) are bundled up with water, vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants, which we all know are only positive
for your body.
This is how it works when there
is sugar in fruit, veggies and whole grains:
When the body breaks these sugars
down, it is synthesized (aka broken down and changed) in your liver. Because this all takes place in your liver,
your body doesn’t have that spike I was talking about. What that means, is that your body is less
likely to store it as fat.
Now, Canada’s Food Guide says
that we should have between 5-10 servings of fruit and veggies. How you allot them is your choice, but because
the sugar (even though it’s natural sugars) is higher in fruits, it’s best to
have more veggies than fruits.
Another thing to consider is that
fruit will give you energy because of that sugar content. So, while fruits are nutritious for you, time
them right in your day. Use them as a
snack or as an energy boost before and/or after you exercise. If you know that early afternoon you usually
get sleepy (don’t we all!), save your fruit servings for then. Or if you need that extra sugar boost in the
morning, have that fruit smoothie first thing in the morning.
Natural sugars aren’t evil. Fruit isn’t evil. We just need to think about them a bit. They’ll give us energy, but they’ll also attach
themselves to our butts if we’re eating too much of them throughout the day. Eating too many fruits could be the reason
you’re not losing that last bit of weight.
Try swapping a few of those fruit servings for veggies instead – lower sugar
content with all those nutrients we all need.
Best rule of thumb - Eat fruit in
the earlier part of your day if you can.
Or eat them before or after a workout to give energy or replenish the
energy you just exerted. Like I said,
they are full of water, vitamins, antioxidants, and lots of fibre – they’re
good for you and shouldn't be cut out completely – just know that they’re full
of natural sugars as well.
To sum up:
1. Fruit = very very good for you and should never be cut out of your diet because of sugars – just remember that they can have lots of natural sugars.
2. Veggies = also very very good for you – low sugar content
3. 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies every day – try to have more veggies than fruits
4. Time your fruit properly in the day. Use for energy when you need it.
Post any questions you may have about
sugars. Would love to answer anything
you are wondering about!!
Here’s to good choices and happy
people J
Naomi.