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Expert Q & A: Fruit is still considered healthy... right???
Written by Margaret Brown, RDN; a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist
Often in our quest for weight loss we have been misled to limit or eliminate high-quality carbohydrates such as fresh fruit, when in fact the opposite should be true.
Here are a few fruit facts:
- Fruit has many benefits - colorful fruits are loaded with antioxidants, fiber and healthy carbohydrates which can help us ward off cravings and provide us with energy. A serving of fruit may even satisfy a sweet tooth craving we thought we had.
- Fruit vs Juice - Error on the side of a fresh piece of fruit vs juice whenever you can. Juice can add up in calories quickly with 1/3-1/2 cup easily being 60 calories.
- If you are trying to lose weight, it is not unreasonable to eat 2-3 servings of fruit per day, even on a 1200-1500 calorie diet.
- If you have diabetes, eat fruit along with a little protein such as 1 TBSP of peanut butter or a mozzarella cheese stick to help mitigate the glycemic response.
- When making a smoothie be mindful of how much fruit is actually in that smoothie to help with calorie management. Are you tossing in 1 serving, or 4?
- But what about the sugar? While both are tasty, 1 TBSP of brown sugar contains the same amount of calories and carbohydrate as 1 cup of fresh raspberries. The fresh fruit offers fiber and more nutrients by far. Keep processed sugar in your diet to a minimum to help manage your weight.
Don’t forget to check with your Registered Dietitian (RDN) if you have further questions about fruit and how much you should eat.
Related posts:
Choosing Whole Foods for a Healthier You
Do I Need to Give Up Carbs for Weight Loss?
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I can't eat fruit. It upsets my stomach. I have no problem with vegetables. I have never been a "sweet eater." Is that why I can't eat fruit?
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1 ReactionMarilyn,
For people like us, I don’t find it helpful to make blanket recommendations for fruit consumption without mentioning that some people have gut issues with many fruits. I have found some I can eat with little discomfort. Perhaps you can keep a record of which fruit don’t seem to bother you. Eating those should satisfy taking advantage of fruits’s benefits. Good luck.
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3 ReactionsI can only handle fruit that’s been cooked or canned with a heat process.
I’ve been told it’s the tiny things we cannot see that disrupts my GI system and the heat kills them.
I love vegetables and can eat them raw or cooked. Cannot understand that!
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1 ReactionGlad to hear someone else cannot handle fruits. They have such a reputation as a "health" food that people think you are crazy when you say you don't eat them. However I have tuned them out. They don't know me. I know me and I eat what feels good and doesn't make me sick.
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