Eating whole foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, is always encouraged, especially if you’re trading it for unhealthy options like pastries and candy. Fruits have phytonutrients that boost your health and antioxidants for cell health. They contain fiber, so even though they’re sweet, the fiber slows the absorption of the sugar in fruit. The nutrients in fruit also provide a wide variety of health benefits. You can eat too much fruit and that amount is determined by your body and circumstances. How much is enough and when does it become too much?
Start with a healthy diet that’s well-rounded.
If you’re eating all types of macronutrients in a well-balanced diet, you probably won’t experience a problem with eating too much fruit. The biggest potential for a problem occurs when you eat fruit to the exclusion of all other types of food. That is what fruitarian does. It’s a type of diet based primarily on fruits such as apples, bananas and oranges. It neglects many important nutrients. Eating too much fruit can also lead to problems with diarrhea and bloating. It can cause people with diabetes to have a rise in blood sugar levels, too.
What’s the recommended amount of daily fruit.
The American Heart Association recommends four servings of fruit every day. That’s about two cups. Their diet also includes a wide variety of other types of food, such as meats, fish, vegetables and vegetable proteins. It’s more important to eat adequate vegetables, than it is to eat adequate fruit. You need 2 ½ to 3 cups of vegetables every day. Your body will tell you if you’re eating too much fruit. It bloats and demands you spend more time in the bathroom.
Variety is important when it comes to fruit.
The rules are the same for fruit as they are for vegetables, vary your diet and make it a rainbow of color. Each color indicates different phytochemicals that improve your health, boost the benefits of other nutrients and act as antioxidants to protect cells. Berries, for instance, are good brain food, while apples are good for many parts of the body, including teeth. Including variety from bananas to berries and apples to avocados can ensure you get all the nutrients you should.
Choosing fruit over fruit juice is important, especially if you’re diabetic or prediabetic. The fiber in fruit slows the absorption of glucose to keep your blood sugar level and also helps fill you up, so weight loss is easier.
Throwing fruit into your smoothy can be exactly what you need to make it more palatable. Unlike juicing, putting whole fruit in the blender provides fiber and all the nutrients in the skin.
Don’t be fooled by yogurt with fruit added that you find in the grocery cooler. It normally has added sugar. Make your own fresh fruit and yogurt combo to ensure there’s no added sugar.
Try new fruit periodically. Dragon fruit, jujube, lychee, mulberries and mangosteen are a few more exotic fruit people seldom eat. Each type of fruit has different benefits for the body.