I have been getting this question a lot lately. “Should I limit my fruit intake?” “Isn’t fruit high in sugar?” “Isn’t too much sugar bad?”
These are all very valid questions. Realistically, majority of people are not meeting the recommended intake of fruit per day which is 2- 3 servings. With this in mind, rarely are people eating too much whole unprocessed fruit. Additionally, fruit is high in fiber which is important for digestive health as it helps with bowel movements and acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics feed and keep alive the beneficial bacteria in our gut which is responsible for a majority of our immune system and even affects our mood. Fiber also aids in balancing blood sugar, keeping us full for longer, and can also help lower cholesterol naturally. In addition to fiber, fruit provides a plethora of natural vitamins and minerals such as folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene (the precursor needed to make vitamin A in our bodies), potassium, and phytochemicals.
What the heck are phytochemicals? Phytochemicals are bioactive chemicals produced by plants that can have various beneficial effects in the body to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and cancers. Some of these are antioxidant effects (eliminating free radicals from the body), increased production of enzymes that help rid the body of carcinogens (the bad stuff that leads to various cancers), protection of our DNA from mutations, halting the reproduction of cancer cells, as well as killing cancer cells. The powerful actions of phytochemicals are some of nature’s best gifts to us and are are truly incredible! With all that in mind, there are clearly a TON of benefits from eating fruit.
Having said that, there are of course occasional times when certain sugars and fibers in different fruits can contribute to digestive troubles such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and other IBS like symptoms. This is why it is important to work with a registered dietitian who can help figure out if you are having any issues digesting fruits and help make recommendations for other safe fruits for you to consume in the meantime. Very rarely on healthy diets should you limit fruit due to their many beneficial properties and the fact that most people do not eat enough of them.
There are certain medical conditions where people will have to take into consideration the sugar content of fruit such as diabetes to manage blood sugar and adjust insulin if needed. In general, fruit would not necessarily be limited or removed but would just need to be counted as a carbohydrate if doing carbohydrate counting with insulin medication. Pairing of carbohydrates (such as fruit) with protein and/or fat in general helps with balancing blood sugar and something I recommend for all my patients regardless.
Additionally, whole fruits are typically high in fiber which also helps slow the digestion and absorption of sugar helping with blood sugar control. In summary, majority of people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables so typically people do not need to limit their fruit intake and should aim for at least 2 – 3 servings of fruit and 2 – 3 servings of veggies per day.
I hope this post was helpful and informative! If you are having digestive issues or have a medical condition you need more nutrition guidance for, please feel free to schedule a free call here to see how I can help.
