OpenTube

The truth about sugar in fruit - and why you shouldn’t avoid it

ZOE Clips

11,680 views

Fruit is naturally high in sugar, but does that mean you should avoid it? The answer is more nuanced than you might think.

In this clip, Professor Tim Spector and Professor Sarah Berry explain why the sugar in whole fruit affects your body differently from fruit juice. They explore how fibre and the structure of whole fruit can slow the release of sugar, helping to avoid the sharp blood sugar spikes and dips associated with juice.

You’ll also learn why fruit contains more than just sugar, including fibre, vitamins and beneficial plant compounds that can support your health — and why there’s no need to fear the natural sugar found in whole fruit.

Watch the full episode here: The 5 foods you’re eating every day that a...
Subscribe to ZOE’s main channel here: @joinzoe

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook | https://amzn.to/4amfIMX
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati | https://amzn.to/4blJsLg
The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati | https://amzn.to/4aBakbR
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector | https://amzn.to/4amZinu
Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector | https://amzn.to/4hU1Df5
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector | https://amzn.to/4l9oXat

Free resources from ZOE:
The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt | http://ZOE.com/snacking-2026?utm_medi...
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra | http://ZOE.com/hertility?utm_medium=z...
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint | https://ZOE.com/brainhealth?utm_mediu...
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health | https://zoe.com/2026?utm_medium=zoe_p...
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition | https://zoe.com/freeguide?utm_medium=...
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks | https://zoe.com/gutguide?utm_medium=p...
Better Breakfast Guide | https://zoe.com/breakfastguide?utm_me...

13 Comments

@nazeeniranfar2616 1 month ago

Thank you all 🙏🏻

@RazzaLableTM 1 month ago

Simple carbohydrates ferment mich faster than complex carbs that need yeast to digest. The yeast ferments glucose and fructose at a rate that is to fast for our liver to manage. The Fruits having their own built in enzimes are healthy only in the absence of yeast.

@homomorphic 1 month ago

Good caveat by Tim. Yes, it is a good idea to avoid very high fructose fruits like grapes, overly ripe bananas, overly ripe figs and dates, some mango varieties, etc.

I have a granny smith apple every day, and that is an awesome choice

@eyedeegee19 6 days ago (edited)

There's truth in the old adage: An apple a day keeps the doctor away... it's because of pectin. I eat greenish bananas, granny smith apples, guavas, blueberries, and strawberries on a regular basis.

@pete49327 1 month ago

So I should reconsider bananas of which I eat 2 or 3 daily because of higher glucose spike? So confusing because I specifically switched from apples to bananas because of superior nutrients compared to apples, in addition to being cheaper and more consistent with taste/texture. Bananas beat the pants off of apples same portion size with potassium (358 mg vs 107), magnesium (27 vs 5), folate (20 vs 3 ug), vit C (8.7 vs 4.3). Fiber is near equal at 2.5 g avg. Enjoyed the show, thanks.

@syedsiraj20 1 month ago

Natural fruits are not toxic for human consumption only hybrid fruits are toxic for human consumption loaded with poisonous pesticides fertilizer chemicals coating polishing ect

@syedsiraj20 1 month ago

Fruits contains natural fructose hybrid fruits contains synthetic glucose which harmful for diabetic patients consume only non hybrid fruits organic fruits ancient fruits only

@RumplStiltskin-r6e 1 month ago

This guy is compromised. And the woman is just clueless. Can we talk insulin, ketones as fuel, and metabolic syndrome instead of the taste of a smoothie? I would love to see a debate between them and Zoë Harcombe or Annette Bosworth. You don’t need fruit or vegetables; compared to meat, eggs, and fish, they provide nothing essential. NOTHING. But their adverse effects are lifelong (or more clearly, lifeshort).

@i_DaveJ 1 month ago

“Food is there to be enjoyed” - that says a lot about her credibility

@plaguedoctor1544 1 month ago

You people, and most commenters (even the MDs) will do triple corkscrews on barbed-wire over a fire to try and justify eating carbs as "healthy." We are NOT DESIGNED to eat carbohydrates in bulk, frequently, and year-round. Chronic and obsessive consumption of non-citrus/berry fruits, starchy vegetables, grains, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and alllll of the refined sugars causes tremendous metabolic disease.

@herbbowler2461 1 month ago

Please do research.
Unless filtered OJ still retains soluble fiber. That's the fiber that slows the absorption of sugar. And oranges don't contain much sugar, unless it's added. The sugar in an orange is fructose which is far sweeter than any other sugar. So even a sweet tasting orange doesn't contain much sugar.
And some oranges are quite tart.
Fresh squeezed raw OJ is healthy.
It's one hell of a lot healthier than pasteurized milk!