What's the difference between sugar in fruit and junk food?

Everyone knows that sugar is an ingredient you should generally stay away from. It is digested quickly and gives your body a large amount of energy in a short period of time. If not used up right away, this energy will be stored by your body as fat causing weight gain. Taking in a high amount of sugar over a long period of time can also lead to type 2 diabetes. So the question is: why should you eat fruit when they have a lot of sugar but stay away from twinkies since they too are high in sugar? The answer is because sugar is just one ingredient of both foods. In addition to sugar, a piece of fruit has a lot of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fruits are not made up of empty calories. They have calories in addition to nutrients. The amount of calories also differs. A piece of fruit can have 80 calories compared to 150 calories for a twinkie that won't even fill you up. Junk food is high in sugar and lacks any vitamins, minerals and fiber. Junk food has no health benefits while a diet high in fruit has been shown to improve your health. For more information on understanding why sugar isn't healthy in large amounts, visit the Nutrition Guide. You can also see how others are avoiding sugar or share your own tips at the nutrition forums.

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