mind articles

Fruit - can we ever have too much of a good thing?

Generally amongst healthy eating literature fruit and vegetables are inseparable like bangers and mash. But you may have read articles from health professionals telling you to restrict the amount of fruit consumption for fat loss. 

Why, isn't it a case of the more you eat the healthier you will be?

In the following article I will examine the distinction that may need to be made in some instances - again we need to be specific in terms of whether we are eating to be healthy or eating supportively for optimal fat loss.

Positive benefits to fruit
Fruits are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, photochemicals and anti-carcinogens.

But: current research however shows a steady decrease in these properties over the last 50 years due to poor soil quality, pesticides, sprays, early picking and gassing. It is important to consider that fruit is generally seasonal and there were times when we may not have had access to certain varieties unlike today when it is flown all over the world and grown year round. 

Specifics
Let's begin with kids. I believe there should be no restrictions - put it everywhere, make it as appealing as possible for snacks to keep them off the junk (garbage) food alternatives. 

For overweight people too much fruit can be a problem. Why?
Many people are currently overweight due to insulin resistance (called syndrome X) which results from the body being constantly in a state of elevated blood sugar levels. One reason is through the consumption of excessive sugar and grains (particularly the processed variety - white bread).

The trick for fat loss and constant energy throughout the day is to minimise the rush of sugar in the bloodstream. This can be achieved by eating the piece of fruit with a source of protein like cheese, eggs, yogurt, nuts and seeds which slows the release of the sugars and adds a more thermic (requires energy to digest) component to the meal.

In the short term for those people I recommend temporarily reducing fruit consumption to berries because of their high vitamin & antioxidants as well as apples and melons, and watching out for high starchy fruits like bananas. 

How much?
The current government recommendations are 3 pieces of fruit a day, which is probably a good figure. It is important however to still consume a protein with it to keep energy constant.

Tips for fruit consumption

1. Fresh, local & organic is best (watch out for overseas, fruit that has been sprayed for longer life, given dyes - sorry, those beautiful Californian navels are sprayed orange to look that good.) Also they have been in cold storage for a long time leading to a decrease in the nutritional content.

2. Fruit if eaten after something heavy (e.g. meat dish) can be a problem fermenting in the gut - leads to gas etc.

3. Fruit juice is a different story it's really just pasteurized sugar! Unless freshly squeezed & consumed soon after.

Now remember if you are overweight don't limit your vegetables though, most people do not eat enough. We are all a bit different when it comes to the right amount of proteins / carbs / fats. 

A good guide to begin with: fill half your plate with vegetables (so far in my research I have not come across too many cases of a broccoli overdose).

As a conclusion: fruit and vegetables are different, and therefore should be treated as two different food sources.

Craig Burton