"Is the Morning Apple Too Much of a Good Thing?... Apples Are the Top Source of Sugar Intake for Koreans"

We hear the phrase "You should cut down on sugar" several times a day,

but in reality, many people do not know which foods are their main sources of sugar intake.

According to the latest National Health Statistics released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency,

the results were somewhat unexpected.

The number one food source of sugar for Koreans, on average, was apples.

Apples Top Sugar Intake List, Followed by Soda

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According to the latest National Health Statistics, which analyzed 6,802 people aged one year and older,

the main food sources of sugar intake in Korea as of 2024 are as follows:

1st: Apples

Daily sugar intake: 3.93g, percentage of total intake: 6.9%

2nd: Soda

Daily sugar intake: 3.55g, percentage of total intake: 6.2%

3rd: Milk

Daily sugar intake: 3.40g, percentage of total intake: 5.9%

Seeing apples at the top of the list, you might wonder, "Aren't fruits bad because they're high in sugar?"

However, experts offer a different explanation.

Rice Provides Energy, Pork Provides Protein and Fat

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It is also important to look at the main food sources of not only sugar, but also energy, protein, fat, and sodium.

For Koreans, the number one source of energy is non-glutinous rice.

The daily energy intake from non-glutinous rice was 428.5 kcal, accounting for 23.2% of total energy intake.

This was followed by pork (101.9 kcal, 5.5%) and bread (68.6 kcal, 3.7%).

Pork was also the top source of protein, with a daily intake of 8.82g, accounting for 12.3% of total protein intake.

Non-glutinous rice ranked second (8.02g, 11.2%), and chicken ranked third (6.99g, 9.7%).

Pork was also the top source of fat, with a daily intake of 6.75g, accounting for 12.9% of total fat intake.

Beef (5.20g, 9.9%) and soybean oil (4.00g, 7.6%) ranked second and third, respectively.

The main source of sodium was salt.

The daily sodium intake from salt was 490.4mg, accounting for 15.6% of total daily sodium intake.

Kimchi made from napa cabbage ranked second with 357.5mg (11.4%), and soy sauce ranked third with 325.8mg (10.4%).

"Blood Sugar Spikes Matter More Than Sugar Itself"

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Experts say that you should not judge foods based solely on their sugar content.

Oh Seungwon, Professor of Family Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital,

"It is difficult to compare fruits, bread, and soda on the same level as sources of sugar," he explained.

The key factors are the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL).

Apples have relatively low GI and GL values and are rich in fiber and antioxidants,

which means they raise blood sugar slowly.

In contrast, bread and soda are mainly composed of refined carbohydrates and liquid sugars,

which can cause abnormal spikes in blood sugar after meals.

Professor Oh emphasized, "Apples are less harmful to health than soda."

What Matters Is the Type of Sugar, Not Just Cutting Down

What this statistic simply tells us is that 'the natural sugars found in fruit and the sugars in processed foods and refined carbohydrates are not the same.'

Unconsciously consuming bread, soda, and processed foods can be much more dangerous for blood sugar management than eating apples.

Reducing foods that rapidly raise blood sugar rather than just cutting sugar intake might be a more practical approach to health management.