Fruit Sugar Warnings Debunked?

For years, many diets have claimed that eating fruit is just as bad as eating candy, because of the sugar - but that may not be the case.

Most American adults consume toxic levels, or more than 50 grams of added sugar, each day. What many don’t realize is that not all sugar works the same way in our bodies—and where that sugar comes from is likely far more important than how many servings you consume.

An Addicted Nation

Research has shown people who consume large amounts of refined sugar undergo changes in the brain similar to those found in cocaine addicts, and for similar reasons. Toxins exist all over in nature, and yet humans regularly consume many of them without becoming sick or addicted.

For example, coca pickers have chewed on coca leaves, used to make cocaine, for thousands of years without any problems with addiction. That’s because the leaves themselves aren’t the problem. When refined, however, the cocaine in those leaves becomes highly addictive and dangerous.

Refined sugar works similarly: The more processed it is, the more addictive it becomes and the health problems it can cause are just as serious.

In the case of refined sugar, overconsumption can lead to obesity and complications from diabetes. The addictive changes it can lead to in the brain, primarily a reduced pleasure response to eating sugar, leads to an increased desire for sugar intake. This can create a dangerous cycle.

Fight the Addiction With Fruit

Unlike refined sugars, the sugar you get from fruit comes in more moderate doses, with fiber to slow digestion and nutrients and antioxidants to counteract some of its toxic effects. In fact, studies have shown people can eat as much fruit as they want without adversely affecting blood sugar or weight, and without any threat of becoming addicted. Simply put, the sugar must be refined in order to be dangerous. In some cases, eating more fruit can even help stabilize diabetes patients.

So next time you have a choice between a candy bar and a piece of fruit, think twice if you impulsively reach for the candy. You might be addicted to the sugar, and fruit might be your first step in taking charge of your sugar cravings for once and for all.

Additional source: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-sugary-foods-addictive/