Vaults - In Defense of Fruit!

Fruit’s gotten a BAD rap!

Everywhere I go, I’m bombarded with questions about fruit. Is fruit good for me? Should I eat fruit? Isn’t fruit too high in sugar? People are confused about fruit. What’s next? Is breathing oxygen soon going to be bad for weight loss?

How many times have you heard people say things like, “I don’t eat fruit; it contains too much sugar.” Yet these same people mindlessly gobble up several sushi rolls at one sitting that contain more sugar and sodium than an entire weeks allowance of fresh whole fruit.

Oh, I’m sorry, you didn’t know?

Well, guess what they use to make that sushi rice that you enjoy so much? Try one tablespoon of sugar (4g) for every cup of rice, along with two to three tablespoons of rice vinegar (5g of sugar per tablespoon). That’s about 20g of sugar in just one roll!

That apple or orange doesn’t seem so bad after all, does it?

So, why do I think that fruit’s gotten a bad rap? For starters, the majority of Americans barely eat 2 servings of fruit per day. So encouraging them not to eat fruit is a very bad idea when fruit is so much healthier than what they are eating.

Fruit vs. Fructose

Many people erroneously think that because fructose and added sugars are detrimental to their health that the same applies to fruit because it contains fructose. This is NOT the case.

It is true that some fruits are high in sugar (nature’s candy). However, these same fruits are loaded with water, fiber, vitamins, minerals and disease fighting antioxidants.

In addition, some fruits, like apples, have significant chewing resistance that forces you to eat them slowly and is very filling. All of these factors together cause a very slow and gradual release of fruit sugar (fructose) into the liver. As a result, this small amount of fructose is easily stored as liver glycogen (stored energy) and not fat.

This is not the case with fructose and other sugars that are added to foods. Fructose in processed foods or fruit juices is far more concentrated than anything found even in the sweetest fruits. This can lead to increased fat storage, a build up of triglycerides (a form of fat), uric acid and free radicals. These byproducts can damage liver function and increase plaque inside the artery walls.

So as you can see, eating fruit is NOT the same thing as eating added sugars that are found in practically everything you can buy in a bag, bottle or can.

Vegetables are not enough

Fruits and vegetables contain enormous amounts of disease fighting compounds. And while the nutrient density in most vegetables, especially the green leafy varieties, is higher than in most fruits, there are other beneficial compounds found in fruits and not vegetables.

For example, hesperidin and limonene are cancer-fighting antioxidants abundant in citrus fruits but not in vegetables. In addition, the top five sources of the carotenoid lycopene, which protects the body against cell damage, are all fruits: guava, watermelon, papayas, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are fruits too).

There are other powerful antioxidants like anthocyanins (responsible for the purplish hue in plant foods) that are found in both fruits and vegetables. But, honestly, when was the last time you ate purple potatoes, purple cauliflower, purple kale, and purple carrots. Yet these important plant chemicals are found abundantly in all types of berries, grapes, plums and pomegranates.

The research

Instead of worrying about fruit making you fat, you should consider the fact that eating more fruits (and vegetables) can help to prevent chronic disease, including many cancers, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and others. Besides, I have yet to come across a single study showing significant long-term weight gain by over-eating whole fruit.

The bottom line

My recommendation to my clients: eat a large variety of fresh whole fruits and vegetables. They are the foundation for a healthy body. Personally, I try to eat 4-5 different types of fruits everyday. You should too.

If you have major health issues you’re currently working through (such as emotional eating, more than thirty pounds to lose, diabetes/pre-diabetes, etc.), Dr. Del can help. Sign up for his latest free online training, Making Peace with Food, and a FREE one-hour Health Strategy Call at personalfitness.com