Have you ever wondered if fruits are too sugary to be healthy? You are not alone; the world is full of fad diets and popular yet illogical opinions. When you scroll through social media, you see countless posts claiming that eating fruits will spike your blood sugar or that bananas make you fat. It becomes overwhelming, especially when you’ve always been told that fruits are healthy.
So, what is it? Is fruit your friend or foe? The truth is, when it comes to fruits, the benefits far outweigh the sugar content. Let’s dig into the truth.
What kind of sugar do fruits really have?
The sugar that fruits contain is fructose, along with a bit of glucose and sucrose. But this is not it; let’s take an example of an apple. When you bite an apple, you get:
- Fibre: So, fibre is a type of carbohydrate that your body fully digests. It acts as a slow-release mechanism, which slows down the sugar rushing to the bloodstream. This also gives your body time to use the sugar efficiently.
- Water: fruit is mostly water, which helps you complete your daily water intake and keeps you hydrated. I also contribute to leaving you feeling full, so you avoid eating unnecessary food.
- Vitamins and minerals: fruits are loaded with important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Like vitamin C, which can be found in oranges, berries, and kiwis. This helps you keep your immunity boosted. Other than vitamin C, you get potassium, folate, and other nutrients.
- Rich in antioxidants: antioxidants protect your body from any damage. They basically help your cells to stay healthy. Antioxidants are the reason that gives the vibrant colour to the strawberry and other berries.
This is all that any fruit brings along: natural sugar, but with a package of nutrients and minerals. Now, let’s compare it with processed sugar, for example, in a cookie. First off, it’s added sugar; it’s been stripped from its original source and then added to the foods. These sugars do not come along with any benefits of fibre, antioxidants, or vitamins. So it’s clear that your body handles sugar from an apple better than sugar from an apple-flavoured drink.
Why are fruits actually your best friends?
When you understand the package deal that fruit brings along with it, it gets easier to understand why it’s good for you. Let’s explore some benefits that you can gain by regularly eating fruits.
- Better digestion: fruits like apples, pears, guavas, and pomegranates bring a lot of fibre. That automatically elevates the digestion in your body. And maintaining good gut health overall.
- Easier weight management: Fruits are relatively low in calories, so they make you feel full for a long time. It can help you feel satisfied without overeating. Reaching for an apple when you’re hungry is a much smarter choice than reaching for a bag of chips.
- You feel more energetic: the natural amount of sugar gives you a steady source of energy, without giving you a sugar crash that you get from processed sugar.
How to be a smart fruit eater
Like any reputable nutrition counselling professional would say, eat your whole fruit. There are some routines and best practices that you can follow to get the best out of the fruits that you consume.
- Choose whole fruit over juice: eat your fruit as a whole rather than juicing it, because when you juice your fruits, you are taking away all the fibre, and some nutrients also slip away with the pulp that you extract. So when you take juice, you are just drinking the sugar, and it will directly travel to the stomach, making you feel hungry.
- Stop eating fruits after meals: when you eat food after a meal, chances are that you end up feeling acidity in the stomach. Because when you take fruits right after your meals, they travel to your stomach and start decomposing with the foods that are already there from the meal eaten before. As a result, the stomach now needs to produce more acids, due to which the fruits decompose quickly, becoming more acidic and losing most of their healthy properties.
- Be mindful of dried fruits and smoothies: dried fruits are more concentrated in sugar than fresh fruit because they do not contain any water. A small box of raisins contains the sugar from many, many grapes. If you eat dried fruit, have a small amount and pair it with a few nuts to balance it out.
Smoothies, on the other hand, can be healthy, but only when they are made with complete fruits and taken in moderation.
Conclusion
Fruit isn’t something to fear; it is one of the most nourishing and satisfying foods that you can eat. Yes, you can contain sugar, but along with many essential nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. You can enjoy fruits mindfully, without guilt, if you take them in moderation. And if you have any specific goals, nutrition counselling can help you get to your goals as fast as you can.
FAQ’S frequently Asked Questions
Ques1. Can eating fruits every day increase blood sugar?
Ans. Not necessarily, if you take it in moderation or consult a professional to help get a diet plan that is tailored to your personal requirements.
Ques2. Can I eat fruit if I’m trying to lose weight?
Ans. Absolutely! Fruits are low in calories and high in fibre and water, making them a perfect snack for weight management. They help you feel full and satisfy your sweet cravings in a healthier way. Just avoid going overboard on high-calorie options like dried fruits or fruit juices.
Ques3. When is the best time to eat fruit?
Ans. It’s best to eat fruits between meals or as a light snack. Avoid having them immediately after a heavy meal doing so can cause bloating or discomfort. Morning or mid-afternoon are ideal times when your body can make the best use of the nutrients and natural sugars from fruit.