Sugar is in so much of what we consume. In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off we must be diligent in reducing our sugar intake. When we are dieting we are keenly aware of the "bad" sugar and carbohydrate sources like junk foods, pastas, etc., but there may be one source that sneaks up on us and hinders our successful weight loss. Believe it or not it's fruit!!
Fruit has fructose, which is a type of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 27 grams of sugar per day for women and 36 for men. To put that into context, 1 cup of bananas has 18 grams of sugar. 1 cup of grapes has 22 grams of sugar.
For some of us a fruit smoothie is a go to beverage in the morning as part of our weight loss journey, but we should be very thoughtful and intentional about understanding what we are putting into our bodies. If you are using that banana to sweeten your smoothie it may also put you over the top on sugar consumption. Study your fruit and be intentional and purposeful about what you eat. Berries pack a powerful punch when it comes to antioxidants and nutrients and a cup of blackberries has 7 grams of sugar. Also pay attention to to fruit juices. Most of them are full of sugars and carbohydrates.
