Sugar in fruits and the effect on diets and weight

Many of us made a resolution to eat more fruits and vegetables in the New Year. But there's a common belief the sugar in fruits can hurt your diet. Tonight, Consumer Reports details the truth behind sugar in fruit, and how it affects your health and weight.

The sugars in a piece of fruit and a candy bar are basically the same.

But your body processes the sugars in fruit differently, in part because of the fiber.

It helps slow down the release of sugars into your bloodstream, plus "You also get plenty of vitamins and minerals by eating fruit. Studies have shown that it can help with weight control and protect against some cancers and heart disease," said Trisha Calvo of Consumer Reports.

In fact, Consumer Reports says most people should eat more whole fruit.

"When experts talk about limiting your sugar intake, they're talking about added sugars - those found in cakes, candies, and soda," Calvo said.

But what about the sugars found in fruit juice?

Calvo adds, "The sugars you get from fruit juice are almost as bad as the sugars that are added to food. Although juice has vitamins and minerals, most lack the fiber found in fruit, so the sugars are digested quickly."

And smoothies can be tricky.

Some are made with fruit juice, yogurt, or sorbet, which could contain added sugars.

Consumer Reports suggests checking the label on any store-bought fruit smoothies for added sugars.

And a new rule going into effect soon will help you spot added sugars.

The Food and Drug Administration is adding a line to the nutrition facts labels just for added sugars.

Over the course of a day, aim to keep your total number of added sugars to under 37 grams for men, under 25 grams for women.

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