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Is Fruit Healthy Or Not?

joelbrownwellness

The dose makes the poison.


closeup of colorful berries - blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Do you enjoy fruit?


I do. I eat a banana almost every morning with my breakfast.


For some reason, fruit gets attacked (especially from the low carb / low sugar camps) as a food that contributes to obesity and chronic disease.


But we’ve been told since we were little to eat our fruits and veggies, so what’s up?


Well, the truth is of course much more nuanced and depends on your personal situation.


What is fructose?


Fructose is the sugar found in fruits. It’s different from glucose in that fructose has to be processed by the liver to be turned into energy, glucose can be used by cells or stored in the liver, muscle and eventually fat tissue.


When we eat fruit, we get a big shot of fructose, which our liver has to deal with. Eating whole fruit is best because the fiber slows down the absorption of fructose, and eating fruit with a fat (like peanut butter) slows it down even more.


Fruit juice (fruit without the fiber) is just a massive sugar bomb. A glass of juice has as much sugar as a 7.5oz Coca Cola.


Fructose is also what you get a lot of in sweetened foods and drinks in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup. (See? It’s in the name.)


When we hit our bodies with a huge amount of fructose, it’s really hard on the liver. Fructose becomes fat around the liver, building up visceral fat which can develop into serious metabolic issues.


In fact, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is driven by overconsumption of fructose, and is becoming a chronic health issue in children.


When fructose is metabolised in the liver, it eventually breaks down into uric acid. Buildup of uric acid becomes chronic issues like gout, which can be very painful and hard to treat. (I’ve had friends with gout, it’s not fun.)


But issues like gout and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease are entirely preventable and largely reversible with simple diet and lifestyle changes.


So here’s the question I am sure you are all asking right now:


Does fruit cause all of these chronic health issues?


Short answer: No, probably not on its own.


Long answer: It can depend on your metabolic health, and how much other crap you are giving your liver to deal with.


If you are mostly sedentary, drink a lot of Coke, beer or wine on the weekends, and eat a Standard American Diet, fruit may be adding to the problem. (But let’s be honest, are you really eating a lot of fruit?)


If you are relatively active, eat a mostly whole-food, nutrient-dense diet, drink lots of water, avoid alcohol for the most part, eating a daily piece of fruit is probably just fine.


Fruit isn’t only fructose


Of course, real, whole fruit is more than just sugar.


It is fiber, but also nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium and Manganese. Things your body needs to make energy, build enzymes, and detoxify.


Some fruits have a much higher sugar content than others. Bananas, kiwis and apples all have relatively high sugar content, while blackberries and raspberries and cherries tend to have lower sugar.


For an active, healthy person, getting that boost of sugar from fruit can help fuel workouts or just a hectic day in the office.


Like I mentioned before, I would suggest eating fruit with a fat, like a nut butter. At the very least, eat your fruit last, after your protein, fat and fiber to slow the digestion of fructose.


Treat it kind of like a desert, you know?


How to add fruit into your day:

  • Eat an apple or banana at the end of your breakfast

  • Add berries to yogurt

  • Have sliced bananas with peanut or cashew butter as a snack

  • Choose lower-sugar fruits like berries

  • Add berries or half a banana to a smoothie


Finally, please, don’t be afraid of fruit. Overall, fruit is a nutrient-dense whole food that is very hard to overeat.

Do be cautious of high sugar, sweetened drinks, even fruit juice.


Your 6-month nutrition and fitness coaching program will dig deep and help you find ways to help you remove extra sugar and eat the foods you enjoy.


My goal is to help you be the best you possible! I give you the tools, support and accountability you need to live the life you want.



Ready? Let’s go!


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