3 ms·

I also didn't think the problem was fruit, but rather things like HFCS-sweetened sodas. A banana or an apple has about 100 calories, but a 12 ounce can of soda

by dabent 17y ago

I also didn't think the problem was fruit, but rather things like HFCS-sweetened sodas. A banana or an apple has about 100 calories, but a 12 ounce can of soda has about 150. I know people (I was one) that will drink 32 ounces (about a liter) of soda just at lunch but won't have more than 2 pieces of fruit a day. There's also the fact that the apple or banana have fiber and other nutrients the sodas are missing. The sodas (or often other HFCS-rich foods) don't have.

keltex 17y ago
Agreed. If you actually watch the video it's the HFCS that's the major source of fructose, NOT fruit.
Goladus 17y ago
Yeah, at one point Lestig points out that generally fruit is ok because the amount of fructose in fruit is relatively low and accompanied by lots of fiber and micronutrients. Fruit also tends to be more expensive so you can't eat as much even if you wanted to. A mango is a sweet and not particularly fibrous fruit, and it's only about 15% sugar. According to nutritiondata.com, A pound of mango pulp has about 65 grams of sugar. That would probably cost about $7.00 prepared (you can get them sliced fresh at Whole Foods). According to thedailyplate, a 20oz bottle of Pepsi, which feels expensive at $1.25 as you can get liter bottles for only slightly more, has 69 grams of sugar. And like I said, mango is not a particularly low-sugar fruit. Pineapple is 8.5% sugar and the bromelain makes your mouth hurt if you eat too much. Apples 10.5%.
msluyter 17y ago
Actually, a banana has about 200 calories, 23g sugars, and a fairly high glycemic index: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2 http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1... That's why a lot of the paleo diet folks avoid them.
- dabent 17y ago
  That's 1 cup, mashed. I looked up 1 medium banana: http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-banana.htm http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-banana.htm Edit: To note that I still do see your point about why certain diets avoid them. I think of bananas as the 3 Musketeers Bar of fruit. :-)
chipsy 17y ago
Sweetener control becomes a lot easier if you elect to add it yourself: For example, to keep my own cravings at a minimum I've moved towards a combination of fruits and individual sugar packets, or more often noncaloric sweeteners, for sweetening. The sugar packets are 5g each(as are sugar cubes), which means you would have to dump eight of them in your coffee to make it as sweet as a 12oz Coke(40g). Nobody dumps in eight sugar packets into plain coffee - they buy a sweetened coffee beverage instead, which is about as sugary as the Coke and costs more to boot. Candy bars and cookies are similarly difficult to portion control, because, again, they're overconcentrated.

by dabent 17y ago

keltex 17y ago

Agreed. If you actually watch the video it's the HFCS that's the major source of fructose, NOT fruit.

Goladus 17y ago

Yeah, at one point Lestig points out that generally fruit is ok because the amount of fructose in fruit is relatively low and accompanied by lots of fiber and micronutrients. Fruit also tends to be more expensive so you can't eat as much even if you wanted to. A mango is a sweet and not particularly fibrous fruit, and it's only about 15% sugar. According to nutritiondata.com, A pound of mango pulp has about 65 grams of sugar. That would probably cost about $7.00 prepared (you can get them sliced fresh at Whole Foods). According to thedailyplate, a 20oz bottle of Pepsi, which feels expensive at $1.25 as you can get liter bottles for only slightly more, has 69 grams of sugar. And like I said, mango is not a particularly low-sugar fruit. Pineapple is 8.5% sugar and the bromelain makes your mouth hurt if you eat too much. Apples 10.5%.

msluyter 17y ago

Actually, a banana has about 200 calories, 23g sugars, and a fairly high glycemic index: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2 http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1... That's why a lot of the paleo diet folks avoid them.

dabent 17y ago
That's 1 cup, mashed. I looked up 1 medium banana: http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-banana.htm http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-banana.htm Edit: To note that I still do see your point about why certain diets avoid them. I think of bananas as the 3 Musketeers Bar of fruit. :-)

chipsy 17y ago

Sweetener control becomes a lot easier if you elect to add it yourself: For example, to keep my own cravings at a minimum I've moved towards a combination of fruits and individual sugar packets, or more often noncaloric sweeteners, for sweetening. The sugar packets are 5g each(as are sugar cubes), which means you would have to dump eight of them in your coffee to make it as sweet as a 12oz Coke(40g). Nobody dumps in eight sugar packets into plain coffee - they buy a sweetened coffee beverage instead, which is about as sugary as the Coke and costs more to boot. Candy bars and cookies are similarly difficult to portion control, because, again, they're overconcentrated.