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"  t&amp;#039;s been a week of sugar scares. A media frenzy erupted over the &amp;#039;surprising&amp;#039; news that some hot drinks sold by caf\u00E9 chains contain up to 25 teaspoons of sugar (seriously, did nobody ever taste them?). Plus we heard that warnings against saturated fat are not based on any solid evidence it actually is bad for us and sugar is the real culprit. So now sugar is under attack. And fruit is the latest witch-hunters&amp;#039; trophy. So is fruit bad for you?   Yes, fruit does contain sugar. But is this a cause for alarm and should we be thinking about eating less of it? We asked dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson Anna Daniels to separate the fact from fiction.   &amp;#039;Sugar in fruit is\u202Fintrinsic\u202Fsugar, which means it is within the fruit cells. Extrinsic sugar refers to sugar that has been added to food and it is this type that should be avoided, not intrinsic sugar,&amp;#039; she explains.   It is also important to remember that fruits vary in their sugar content. For example, blueberries have around 10g of sugar per 100g, but they also contain fibre, which slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. Apples have just over 11g of sugar per 100g, blackberries have 5g and watermelons 7g.   The sugar in fruit also increases as the fruit ripens. So a very ripe banana has a higher sugar content than one that is less ripe and may have as much as 21g sugar per 100g.    Think that sounds a lot? Not compared to packaged foods! Cheerios cereal, for example, has 20.9g sugar per 100g.\u202F   It&amp;#039;s a mistake to think that cutting out fruit from our diet is a wise option, says Anna, as it is a valuable source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.    &amp;#039;Also fruit is low in calories and fills us up, so by avoiding it a person may feel hungry and be more likely to reach for\u202Funhealthy\u202Fsnacks.&amp;#039;   The &amp;#039;Food Doctor&amp;#039; and nutrition expert Ian Marber cautions against misinterpreting sugar warnings. &amp;#039;People are viewing fruit sugar as they would the sucrose added to cakes and biscuits. It&amp;#039;s completely inappropriate to think of it in that way.&amp;#039;   Studies show that people who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, strokes and some cancers including mouth, throat, stomach, colon and lung cancers.    It is estimated that eating more fruit and vegetables is the second most important cancer prevention strategy, after stopping smoking, say the British Dietetic Association.   Cutting down on sugar is a good thing, advises Anna Daniels. But cutting down on plant foods isn&amp;#039;t. &amp;#039;These foods are high in many things such as antioxidants, polyphenols and antocyanins, all of which prevent disease.&amp;#039;    Instead she says we should cut down on free sugars like fizzy sports drinks and chocolate bars and look for hidden sugars in foods.   Remember also that the sugar in fruit juices is extrinsic sugar and the juice no longer has the fibre to slow sugar absorption. However, they are still preferable to a fizzy drink, as they do contain vitamins and minerals. And the NHS warns that drinking lots of sugary drinks has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and can also cause tooth decay.   Ultimately, experts agree that we should eat less processed foods and more natural plant-based foods. And that to us seems a more balanced approach than avoiding the fruit aisle in the supermarket!   More on prima.co.uk: Clever ways to eat more fruit and veg  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/healthy-living/a35014/seriously-now-fruit-is-bad-for-us/>