The Questions
Apples are packed with health benefits—but wait… aren’t they full of sugar? Doesn’t that sugar cancel out the good stuff? Aren’t we told to avoid high-sugar foods?
Yes, apples do have a lot of sugar. In fact, a medium apple has almost as much sugar as a Snickers bar.
No, the sugar in an apple doesn’t cancel out any of its health benefits.
And yes, we are told to avoid high sugar foods.
So, why eat apples, or any fruit, at all? Why does “an apple a day keep the doctor away” if excessive sugar consumption can lead to type 2 diabetes and a host of other health issues?
Great questions!
The Answers
It comes down to content vs. context.
Sure, fruit and the candy bars have nearly identical amounts of sugar—which would be their content.
But content is meaningless without context. What else is going on? What else is inside these foods?
Let’s take a quick look.
Not only does the sugar in apples occur naturally, but it is also packaged together with fiber, water, vitamins, and antioxidants. The fiber slows down the rate at which the sugar is absorbed, and the entire apple is a high-nutrient, low-calorie superfood that is gentle on blood sugar levels.
Conversely, the sugar in a Snickers bar is refined sugar added to the mix of fat and other ultra-processed ingredients. There is barely any fiber present to slow the rate of sugar absorption, which makes this candy bar (and most others) a low-nutrient, high-fat, high-calorie food that will cause your blood sugar to spike.
CONTEXT MATTERS.
A Few Numbers
We can also compare the glycemic index and glycemic load of these foods.
Some quick background info: the glycemic index (GI) measures how fast the body absorbs the sugar in a particular food. The higher the GI, the faster the absorption, and the worse the effects on blood sugar levels will be. Glycemic load (GL) uses the GI and also takes into account the actual amount of carbs in a particular serving size of food. Like GI, the higher the GL, the worse the food will be in terms of its effects on blood sugar levels.
A medium apple has a GI of 36 and a GL of 6 (both low).
A Snickers bar has a GI of 55 and a GL of 22 (moderate/high).
The Bottom Line
So, once again, context matters. When considering a food’s healthfulness, you must not just focus on a single component—you must focus on the entirety of the food. In Lifestyle Medicine, this concept is known as the Food Package.
So, knowing that context matters, go out and enjoy a crisp, juicy, and sweet apple, knowing that you are giving yourself the healthy boost you deserve.
If you’re interested in bringing this type of message to a wider audience, I speak regularly on topics related to health and wellness. You can learn more about my talks at https://stevepiriano.life/speaking/
I also explore similar topics more deeply in my books, which you can find at https://stevepiriano.life/books/ if you’d like to dive in.