If I were to take a poll the general consensus would be that fruits are healthy, after all they are real whole foods. Everyone would agree that fruits are both healthy and convenient. They have been referred to as nature’s fast food because they are easy to carry and prepare. However, because of their high sugar content, you may wonder if they are healthy after all.

I have written in the past about the harm that excessive sugar intake has on your body. That would include table sugar (sucrose), and high-fructose corn syrup, both made up of half glucose, half fructose. So, your conclusion might be that because added sugars are bad for you, fruit which contains fructose must be bad as well.

That conclusion would be wrong, that is a misconception. Fructose is only harmful if consumed excessively, and it would be difficult to get that from fruit. There is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern. Eating whole fruit, it is almost impossible to consume enough fructose to cause harm.

Fruits are full of fiber, water, and have great chewing resistance. Consider an apple, it takes a while to eat and digest one, because of that, fructose would hit your liver slowly. As well fruit fills you up, eating a large apple would satisfy most people. One large apple contains about 23 grams of sugar, 13 of which are fructose.

Compared to a 16-ounce bottle of Coke, which contains 52 grams of sugar, 30 which are fructose, and the fact Coke has no nutritional value, fruit is the better choice. As mentioned above a large apple would fill you up, Coke on the other hand has little ability to make you full and people would not compensate for the sugar by eating less food.

When fructose hits your liver fast and in large amounts, as is the case when you drink pop, it has adverse effects over time. When you eat an apple, the fructose hits your liver slowly and your body is able to easily metabolize the sugar. Whole fruits take time to chew and digest.

Nutrients are important to your health, and fruits are heavily laden with them. Fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are found in fruits. Fiber, especially the soluble kind has many benefits, including reducing cholesterol, and due to slowed absorption of carbs and feeling full, can help you lose weight.

Most fruits are high in vitamin C, potassium, and folate, which most people don’t get enough of. There are so many varieties of fruits, but to maximize the health effects, go for the ones with skin. The skin of fruits is usually rich in antioxidants and fiber. The fruit with the most skin is berries, because of that they are considered healthier than large fruits. The darker berries have the most benefits. Consuming more fruit may lower your risk of developing serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Fruit for people with digestive issues or those on a very low carb or ketogenic diet, needs to be avoided. If you can tolerate fruit and not on a low carb or keto diet, increase your fruit consumption. They are real whole food, filling, high in nutrients and are beneficial to your health.

Now, let me address fruit juices and dried fruit. My followers know my motto is “read labels”, most fruit juices on the market are not real fruit juices. They consist of water mixed with fruit concentrate and contain a whole lot of added sugar. Even if you get 100% real fruit juice, drink it in moderation. The amount of sugar in fruit juice is equivalent to that of a sugar sweetened beverage. That fact, along with the absence of fiber and no chewing resistance to slow down consumption, make it easy to take in a large amount of sugar in a short period of time.

Dried fruits are very high in sugar, and it’s easy to eat large amounts of them. Smoothies are somewhere in the middle. If you put a whole fruit in the blender, it’s much better than drinking fruit juice. Still, eating the whole fruit is best.

Smoothies land somewhere in the middle. However, putting whole fruit in the blender is better than drinking fruit juice. The bottom line here is eating whole fruit is best.

In conclusion, if you can tolerate fruit and not on a low card or ketogenic diet, fill your shopping cart with whole fruit. Try eating more whole fruits as part of a healthy diet and enjoy their health benefits.

Until next time,

Peace, Love, and Blessings 💖