Fruit

[Matt Render]

Hey there

I'm curious to know about how people here incorporate fruit into their diets.  For a while I avoided fruit due to the high sugar content. Do people here eat fruit? If so how much, and what kinds? What about dried fruit? Are there certain types of fruit to avoid/ certain types to eat more of? Or is it best to avoid fruit altogether?  Id love to hear as specific responses as possible in terms of what your diet regimen is like and how much fruit plays a role in it or not. 

 

 

Thanks 

[Julian Aldag]

Why would you avoid fruit?  My main carbohydrate sources are fruit and tubers (Potatoes, Sweet potatoes etc).

[Matt Render]

Many people avoid it because of its high sugar/ carb content and insulin spikes which lead to fat gain. Do you limit how much fruit you eat or moderate it somehow? Put me in front of  fruit and I kind of  lose my shit. haha 

[Jennifer Marie]

I started limiting fruit because too much would irritate my gut. I didn't notice any other benefits though (no fat loss, for example, and no change in energy levels), so as long as you're not eating a thousand calories of strawberries in a sitting, you're probably fine. 

[Mikey Cunanan]

For most people, fruit tends to serve them better as snacks as opposed to a part of a meal. This helps to prevent spikes in blood sugar throughout the day.

Depending on your goals and body type, you may need to adjust your fruit intake accordingly. 

-If you have difficulty losing fat then try to keep a 5/1 vegetable to fruit ratio.

-If you have a fast metabolism, you can of course eat more fruit since you will most likely burn it off quickly.

[Julian Aldag]

On 7/2/2018 at 7:17 AM, Mikey Cunanan said:

For most people, fruit tends to serve them better as snacks as opposed to a part of a meal. This helps to prevent spikes in blood sugar throughout the day.

...?   I'm no biochemist, but if you wanted to make the argument to eat fruit by themselves (instead of apart of a meal) to limit blood sugar spikes, then I dont think you understand how how glycemic load works.   I often eat an apple as my carbohydrate source with my egg-breakfast. Thats an amazingly balance meal.    
Unless you have some metabolic issues: try counting your calories, choose carbohydrate sources from whole (unprocessed foods) and eat them with balance meals, and you'll be fine!    
Both low Carb/High fat & High carb/low fat diets work if calories are taken into consideration. 

[Thomas Hanssen]

On 1.7.2018 at 7:01 PM, Matt Render said:

Many people avoid it because of its high sugar/ carb content and insulin spikes which lead to fat gain. Do you limit how much fruit you eat or moderate it somehow? Put me in front of  fruit and I kind of  lose my shit. haha 

Insulin spikes doesn't lead to fat gain. It just a hormon with a bad rep that puts glukose in your cells. Fat gain comes if you eat more energi than your body uses...Be it from fruit or other sources of food.

Im with Julian on this. An apple to a balanced meal with fats and protein is a good way to go. Its filling and nutritional and doesn't pack a lot of kcals. 

Have a big bowl of sweet strawberries on their own and I am in a insulin coma for an hour, but hey its summer  

 

 

[Mikey Cunanan]

2 hours ago, Julian Aldag said:

...?   I'm no biochemist, but if you wanted to make the argument to eat fruit by themselves (instead of apart of a meal) to limit blood sugar spikes, then I dont think you understand how how glycemic load works.   I often eat an apple as my carbohydrate source with my egg-breakfast. Thats an amazingly balance meal.    
Unless you have some metabolic issues: try counting your calories, choose carbohydrate sources from whole (unprocessed foods) and eat them with balance meals, and you'll be fine!    
Both low Carb/High fat & High carb/low fat diets work if calories are taken into consideration. 

Actually I am very familiar with glycemic load. Your recommendations seem to be based of an athletic individual, such as you or I, in which fruits can be a great way to fuel the body. This of course fits your body type and goals.

Someone who is overweight with considerable weight to lose, who usually will have less than optimal digestive abilities may need to limit their fruit intake. This of course affects other body systems in many ways that are beyond the scope of this forum. For example, fructose is processed differently than other sugars and can potentially cause irritability when eaten with other forms of sugars.  

If you re read my post, I did not recommend this for every individual. Only for individuals with extra weight/fat to lose. 

This of course will vary from situation to situation. I personally enjoy an apple with my meals too, since my caloric needs are likely different from the next person. 

So, with that said It’s up to a persons own experiences and body to determine when to eat fruit. Some have sensitivity to it and others are fine.

[Suzanna McGee]

On 7/2/2018 at 5:49 AM, Jennifer Marie said:

so as long as you're not eating a thousand calories of strawberries in a sitting, you're probably fine. 

I don't think many people need to worry about this... Not even me, and I eat A LOT of fruit... 1,000 calories of strawberries is over 7 lbs (3.3 kg) of strawberries... wonder who does it in one sitting? I have a pound of blueberries and a pound of bananas for lunch, and I am pretty full.

People are so scared of fruit, but it is the best nutrition we can consume. And not worry about the sugars, because they come with vitamins, phytochemicals, and fiber. It doesn't really create any big insulin spike. Doctor Neil Barnard successfully heals diabetes and overweight patients with fruit and plant-based diet. 

It's hard to overconsume calories when you eat fruit. Unless it's dried fruit, of course... but if you eat fresh, you will get full before you reach any huge amount of calories. 

Sometimes, when I am with clients, I snack on fresh apples through the morning hours. I eat about 2 pounds of apples. It's only 500 calories, so by lunchtime when I get home for lunch, I don't feel like starving, because my tummy is nicely full.

So, people, your mom was right, eat your fruits!!!!! Don't be scared of it by all the protein and weight loss propaganda... it will nourish you, fill you and give you great energy, for health and training.