The sugar in the fruits is rising. Is it bad for me?

An unpeeled fuji apple contains 12.1 grams of total sugars per 100 grams of edible weight, according to the Australian Standards Australian New Zealand Food Nutrients Database.

A peeled banana has 12.8 grams. A sweet mango has 12.1 grams. An orange has 8 grams, a yellow peach 7.4, a green pear 9.7.

This means that they have gram sugar levels for gram similar to those of some non-alcoholic beverages, such as Red Bull (10.8 grams) or Coca-Cola (10.6).

But in the fruit, this sugar contains a range of valuable compounds, including vitamins, minerals and probiotics. "There are a lot of beneficial compounds that we still do not really understand that are in a fruit," says Rebecca Stiegler, dietician at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.

Is all this sugar bad for me?

The sugar in the fruits is very different from the sugar in Coca-Cola.

In Coca-Cola, the sugar has been removed from its natural source and inserted into the drink – this is why it is called "free sugar". This means that it is digested faster and gets into your bloodstream faster.

Free sugar is strongly linked to health problems such as tooth decay, obesity, diabetes.

Natural sugar is not.

"If you are a healthy person and you eat fruit, you will not only get the sugars, but also minerals, micronutrients and fiber. And it's good for you, "said Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos, CEO of the Australian Diabetes Society.

So, should I continue to eat fruit?

Yes. In fact, you should eat more.

Less than half of Australians eat two of the fruits recommended by Australian dietary guidelines every day.

Why should you eat so much fruit? As there is strong scientific evidence that fruit consumption increases the risk of health problems.

According to the best research we have, each serving of extra fruit reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, stomach cancer, lung cancer and reduces the risk of obesity .

What about fruit juice?

If there is something to fear with sugar and fruit, it is the fruit juice, which contains all the sugar and little nutrients of the whole fruit.

"If you squeeze an orange out of its juice and simply drink the juice without the pulp and all the other fruit containing the fiber and macronutrients, it may not be as good for you," says Professor Andrikopoulos.