Eating Fruit in a Nutshell

Fruits are an essential part of our diets and come with a variety of benefits. Fruits can improve our health significantly and provide us with a number of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Although fruit does have sugar, it is natural, and it also contains high amounts of fiber which helps with digestion. Fruits like apples and oranges contain polysaccharides which act as slow-release energy sources and do not cause sudden spikes in our blood glucose levels. This makes them a great snack between meals and can help to balance out an otherwise sugary diet.

“I heard bananas are bad for you because of the high sugar. Is this true?”

The short answer is no. However, nutrition is highly individualized, so the answer is a bit more nuanced. To begin, let’s take a look at the sugar content of fruit.

The sugars found in fruit are fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Fructose and glucose are monosaccharides, the basic building block of any carbohydrate. Sucrose is a disaccharide composed of 2 monosaccharides. A sucrose molecule is composed of one molecule of fructose and glucose.

The total sugars in any fruit (or vegetable) are a sum of the fructose, glucose, and sucrose found in the fruit. A banana has 12 grams of sugar, equal to 3 teaspoons. 5 grams are from fructose, five from glucose, and two from sucrose.

Let’s talk about fructose, a sugar of concern for some people.

Although it is almost identical to glucose, fructose is metabolized primarily in the liver. Some research indicates that excess fructose consumption may lead to weight gain and insulin resistance.

However, a review of observational studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that increased fruit consumption is tied to lower body weight and a lower risk of obesity-related diseases.

Why? Because fruit is not just fructose!

The fructose in fruit is packaged with fiber. Fiber is one of the main reasons to eat fruit. It slows down the absorption of sugars in the body. Besides taming the effects of sugars, it helps promote satiety (that feeling of fullness and satisfaction). Lastly, it improves the diversity of our gut microbiome.

Most people do not eat enough fruit. The USDA recommended intake is 1.5 – 2 cups, yet less than 13% of Americans consume this amount. We’re talking about two fruits a day, which Betr recommends!

Eating fruit has a number of added benefits. Apart from being an excellent source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they also contain dietary fiber which can help to improve our digestion. Eating fiber helps to move food through the digestive system and can aid in removing waste faster.

Fruits are also low in calories and fat, making them a great addition to any weight loss plan. Eating fruits can help to reduce the risk of certain diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Eating a wide variety of fruits is recommended for a healthy, balanced diet. Allowing yourself to try different fruits can help to increase the amount of vitamins and minerals that you consume. It is important to note that fruit should not replace other foods in your diet, as a variety of plant-based foods is beneficial for overall health.

Tip: It is okay to enjoy more than one type of fruit at snack times. Feel free to mix level 1 fruits to fit your preferences. When preparing your combos, aim for a similar portion to that of most of your snacks and of course, eat until full and satisfied!