This Fruit Contains More Sugar Than A Krispy Kreme Doughnut (But There's A Catch)

Nutrition Facts are based on scientific evidence and provided on packaging so that you can make informed food choices. However, it's not always easy when you're hankering for a snack. You may store bananas to keep them fresher for longer for just such an occasion, but that Twinkie in the cabinet won't last forever either. In some cases, you have to seek out the Nutrition Facts — they aren't stamped onto fresh produce, after all. Even then, the info only provides part of the equation. Such is the case with apples, which technically contain more sugar than a glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme.

The world-famous Original Glazed doughnut has been a hallmark of Krispy Kreme since 1937. On its website, the global chain provides nutrition information for its products. The Original Glazed doughnut contains 10 grams of sugar and 22 grams of total carbohydrates. According to the USDA's Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, a small apple contains about 20 grams of sugar and 24 grams of total carbs. That's already twice as much sugar in an apple compared to a glazed doughnut, and that amount only increases the larger the fruit gets. However, the fact that apples contain more sugar is deceiving in regard to which is healthier for a snack. It's only one small part of a bigger picture.

As a general rule of thumb, experts recommend that people reduce sugar consumption to prevent developing health issues such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, not all sugar is created equal. In fact, there are a few types of carbohydrate molecules: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Mono- and disaccharides are simple sugars because of their chemical structures, and their subtypes consist of added and free sugars.

With that in mind, it's easier to begin understanding that naturally occurring free sugars — such as those in fresh fruit like apples — have a different impact on the body than free and added sugars used to make processed foods like doughnuts. A review of research published in Nutrients found that the intake of excessive and prolonged added and unnatural free sugars, particularly fructose and high-fructose corn syrup, has a negative impact on the body. It impairs memory and cognitive function, leads to obesity, compromises cholesterol levels, and increases the prevalence of depressive symptoms.

Meanwhile, natural sugars have been associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. That's because the fructose in fruit (a type of monosaccharide) doesn't spike the body's levels of blood sugar and insulin as much as glucose (a monosaccharide) and sucrose (a disaccharide also known as table sugar). As a result, the sugar in an apple is the healthier option over the processed sugar added to Krispy Kreme doughnuts. On top of that, the 3.5 grams of fiber in a small apple aid with blood sugar and insulin spikes and help manage cholesterol.