Sugar in Fruits and Veggies: reason to assess your intake

There's no denying the incredible health benefits that can be derived from eating fruits and vegetables. Their vitamins and minerals work to keep our bodies functioning properly, so eating them regularly is pretty crucial. We mustn't forget, though, that getting in too much of a good thing can be bad, and all-ntaural, healthy foods are no exception.

Excessive fruit and veggie consumption can have harmful effects, these being induced by factors such as overloading on a certain compound (from what I've read, this requires highly excessive intake) or from consuming too much fructose, the form of sugar found naturally in fruits and vegetables. (Though it's more prevalent in fruit, it's worth noting that veggies contain it, as well.)

Diets high in sugar have been associated with unwarranted weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease, so it's not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the sugar content of the produce you eat. This way, you can get an idea of which you may want to eat in lesser quantities or which you may want to alternate among to balance your sugar intake.  I'm not recommending that you ditch those higher in sugar (I wouldn't dream of giving up apples; they're a great source of fiber and diease-fighting phytonutrients!), but instead to cut back if you're taking in too much of the sweet stuff. It's best to get in a good variety of fruits and veggies, anyways!

Check out the breakdown below of various fruits and vegetables with their respective amounts of sugar: (Measurements provided by the USDA—decimal measurements have been rounded) 

*Please take note of the varying amounts

Vegetables' sugar content
- Spinach, raw, 1 cup (0 grams)
- Asparagus, cooked, 6 spears (1 gram)
- White mushrooms, raw, 1 cup of slices (1 gram)
- Brussels sprouts, cooked, 1/2 cup (1 gram)
- Cauliflower, cooked, 1/2 cup (1 gram)
- Broccoli, cooked, 1/2 cup of chopped pieces (1 gram)
- Kale, raw, 1 cup of chopped pieces (2 grams)
- Celery, raw, 1 cup of chopped pieces (2 grams)
- Red cabbage, raw, 1 cup of shredded pieces (3 grams)
- Onion, raw, 1/2 cup of chopped pieces (3 grams)
- White potato, baked, 1 medium (3 grams)
- Sweet yellow corn, cooked, 1 medium ear (5 grams)
- Green peas, cooked, 1/2 cup (5 grams)
- Carrots, raw, 1 cup of chopped pieces (6 grams)
- Sweet potato, baked, 1 medium (7 grams)
- Beets, cooked, 1/2 cup of slices (7 grams)

Fruits' sugar content (all raw)
- Avocado, 1/4 cup pureed (0 grams)
- Cucumber, 1/2 cup of slices (1 gram)
- Tomato, 1 medium (3 grams)
- Raspberries, 1 cup (5 grams)
- Kiwifruit, 1 2" fruit (6 grams)
- Blackberries, 1 cup (7 grams)
- Blueberries, 1/2 cup (7 grams)
- Strawberries, 1 cup of halves (7 grams)
- Watermelon, 1 cup of diced pieces (9 grams)
- Nectarine, 1 medium (11 grams)
- Grapefruit, 1/2 large (12 grams)
- Cantaloupe, 1 cup of diced pieces (12 grams)
- Peach, 1 medium (13 grams)
- Banana, 1 medium (14 grams)
- Pineapple, 1 cup of chunks (16 grams)
- Pear, 1 medium (17 grams)
- Apple, 1 medium (19 grams)
- Grapes, 1 cup (23 grams)

Easter Candy: the need-to-know

If you've taken a recent trip past the candy isle of your local grocer or convenience store, you've surely taken notice of the bunny and egg's annual return, lining the shelves in all of their pastel glory. With Easter now just a couple of days away, these goodies will soon be released from the cellophane-covered baskets in which they've been securely placed, but come Sunday, they won't find a safety zone in sight. While the chocolate bunnies can't control their fate, you can surely control yours— and in this particular case, fate is closely associated with a little something called will power.

It's not always easy turning down one of those vibrantly packaged treats, but knowing the amount of calories, fat, and sugar included in the candies that are likely to present themselves may help prevent you from going overboard on the marshmallow eggs (measurements based on a single-serving size):

Whopper's Robin Eggs: (8 pieces) 180 calories, 5 grams fat, 28 grams sugar

Russell Stover Maple Creme Egg: 110 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 18 grams sugar

Reese's Peanut Butter Egg: (1.2 oz) 170 calories, 10 grams fat, 16 grams sugar

Cadbury Caramel Egg: (1.2 oz) 170 calories, 8 grams fat, 15 grams sugar

Lindt Gold Bunny: (1.7 oz) 220 calories, 13 grams fat, 22 grams sugar

Peeps Chicks: (5 chicks) 140 calories, 0 grams fat, 34 grams sugar

Peeps Bunnies: (4 bunnies) 110 calories, 0 grams fat, 26 grams sugar

Twix Egg: 150 calories, 7 grams fat, 16 grams sugar

Russell Stover Marshmallow Milk Chocolate Egg: 110 calories, 3 grams fat, 14 grams sugar

Bunny Mix M&M's: (approx. 1/4 cup) 210 calories, 9 grams fat, 26 grams sugar

Lindt Chocolate Carrots: (3 carrots) 220 calories, 15 grams fat, 19 grams sugar

Peeps Hollow Milk Chocolate Egg: (1/2 package) 180 calories, 10 grams fat, 23 grams sugar

Milky Way Bunny: 150 calories, 7 grams fat, 19 grams sugar

Russell Stover Truffle Egg: 140 calories, 8 grams fat, 13 grams sugar

If you're interested in a some healthier, homemade Easter-themed sweets, check out some of the links below:

Copycat Peanut Butter Eggs

Homemade Marshmallow Chicks

Cadbury Creme Ice Cream Eggs

Baby Chick Macaroons

Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls (can easily be shaped into eggs)

Homemade Chocolate Bunnies

Wishing a happy Easter to all who celebrate!