The sweeter the fruit, the more sugar it contains! Some fruits are not sweet, but they are full of sugar!

In? Have you kept your sugar intake under control today?

These days

When we talk about sugar, we think of weight gain, acne, and high blood sugar.

So some people are particularly cruel to themselves

Even sugar needs to be controlled

No matter what's going on here or there

So, have you controlled the sugar intake of fruits?

Some fruits look harmless

But the sugar content is ridiculously high

There are also fruits that taste sweet.

The actual sugar content is very strict

Did you know?

Always remember that the sweetness of fruit does not equal the sugar content!

The sweetness of fruit is a complex "comprehensive indicator" that is determined by the " sugar-acid ratio ", " sugar type " and " sugar content ".

For example, the sugar content of watermelon is about 7%-8%, which is not high. However, due to its high fructose content, low organic acid content and high sugar-acid ratio, its sweetness is very prominent.

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The type of sugar also greatly affects the sweetness. The main sugars in fruits are glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Taking sucrose as the standard, fructose is 1.7 times sweeter than sucrose; sucrose is second; and glucose is only 0.7 times sweeter than sucrose.

Pears and winter dates are good examples. Pears are mainly composed of fructose, and taste sweet and delicious, even though their sugar content is only about 13%. Although winter dates have a sugar content as high as 27.8%, they are mainly sucrose, so they may not be sweeter than pears.

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Organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid in fruits, as well as tannins with a certain astringent taste, will also affect the sweetness.

For example, the total sugar content of hawthorn can reach 25.1%, but it is rich in organic acids such as hawthorn acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, etc. The high content of organic acids masks the sweetness, making the hawthorn taste sour and astringent.

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Modern agriculture is also making the sweetness of fruits exceed imagination. For example, after genetic modification, Sunshine Rose grapes taste almost "purely sweet without sourness".

This method of increasing sweetness by changing the sugar-acid ratio also makes our understanding of the sugar content of fruit more complicated.

Now that you know the truth about the sweetness of this fruit, can you still judge which fruits you eat have a high sugar content?

In life, some fruits taste sweet but the sugar content is not high. They are very suitable for those who want to enjoy the sweet taste but control their sugar intake.

strawberry

Strawberries are known as "sweet low-calorie angels". The reason why strawberries are sweet is that fructose accounts for more than 50%, but its actual sugar content is only 6.1 grams per 100 grams , which is low in sugar among fruits. Its GI and GL values ​​are low, which is more friendly to people who are losing weight and diabetic patients.

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cantaloupe

Hami melon has a sugar content of 7.7 g/100 g and a relatively high potassium content of 190 mg/100 g. Potassium is not only essential for maintaining the body's electrolyte balance, but also has the effect of lowering blood pressure when high blood pressure is caused by consuming high-sodium foods.

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mango

The sugar content of mango is about 7 grams per 100 grams , but its nutritional value cannot be underestimated. Mango is rich in beta-carotene, up to 4060 micrograms per 100 grams, which can not only protect the eyes, but also improve rough skin.

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Some fruits do not taste sweet, but in fact it is because their sweetness is masked and their sugar content is surprisingly high, making them the invisible high-sugar "killer" in the fruit world.

hawthorn

The sugar content of hawthorn is as high as 22 grams per 100 grams , which is higher than many sweet fruits. It contains a large amount of citric acid, malic acid, and pentacyclic triterpene acid (maslinic acid) , which dilutes the sweetness of sugar.

In addition, hawthorn is mostly eaten in the form of candied haws or sugar snowballs, which are already covered with sugar, so the sugar content is even more frightening...

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pitaya

Dragon fruit is also considered a "healthy fruit" by many people, but its sugar content is not low, about 13.3 grams of sugar per 100 grams . The sugar content of dragon fruit is mainly glucose, which is relatively low in sweetness, and it contains more organic acids, which neutralizes the sweetness.

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Ginseng Fruit

Many people think that ginseng fruit tastes like cucumber, but its sugar content is not like cucumber at all. The sugar content is as high as 21.1 grams per 100 grams. As the storage time increases, the sucrose content continues to increase.

Its sweetness is relatively light because ginseng fruit contains a variety of organic acids, such as malic acid, citric acid, etc. These organic acids balance the sweetness to a certain extent.

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From sweet but low-calorie strawberries to hidden high-sugar hawthorns, each fruit has its own unique sweetness secret.

Whether you are pursuing the taste of fruit or for the purpose of controlling blood sugar and weight, learning these scientific fruit selection techniques will allow us to make wise choices that suit us while enjoying the deliciousness of fruit!

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table Standard Edition 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Beijing: Peking University Medical Press, 2020.03.

[2] Yang Yizhen, Zhang Xuan. Breeders are cracking the code of fruit sweetness[N]. Xinhua Daily, 2024-06-12(011). DOI:10.28872/n.cnki.nxhrb.2024.003217.

[3] Li Wensheng, Yang Yuan, Shi Lei, et al. Study on the correlation between sucrose, reducing sugar, soluble sugar and sweetness in fruits [J]. Northern Horticulture, 2012, (01): 58-60.

[4] Wang Jianyu, Wang Zhenlei, Lin Minjuan. Analysis of soluble sugar and its components in different jujube varieties[J]. Heilongjiang Agricultural Science, 2019(8):115-119.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty