Knowledge is knowing tomatoe is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
For today a bitter-sweet topic… Why do we avoid fruits ? I've been hearing lately that fruits make us fat, or that we can get diabetes if we eat fruit, because they have a lot of sugar. Let's break this down!
What's the link between sugar and fructose?
First, I want to point out that both fructose (fruit sugar) and glucose (pure sugar) are simple carbohydrates in already absorbable form for the body and they give the sweet taste of the food. Complex carbohydrates are those from cereals, legumes and starches, of which taste is not sweet, even if a potato has 2 times more sugar than an orange. Why don't we feel them too? Because our body was originally made to consume simple carbohydrates and we do not have receptors for the complex ones, which must be broken in the small intestine first to be absorbed by our body.
There is normally about a teaspoon of sugar in our bloodstream, and what we eat should lead to a gradual release of sugar in the blood, so as not to increase this volume instantly. Your body maintains the required dose of sugar, with the rest of it nourishing the body's cells, being their preferred form of food. But what do we do when there is too much sugar?
Among the regulatory mechanisms, we mention: glycogen deposits in the liver (to have for later, when the boss = the brain asks), burns taking place at cell level (through exercise), and … fat deposits .
Oh, but I don't want to get fat (I hear), I'm going to give up on eating fruits!
And to dispel this myth, fruits contain fiber , which are also slow carbohydrates. Fiber keeps fructose captive and gradually release it into the gut as it is digested. Fruits, in addition to fiber, are also linked to other elements, such as: aminoacids, enzymes and vitamins, while other sweeteners (white, raw, coconut sugar, syrups, canned fructose, etc.) don't come with the same characteristics and they immediately enter in the blood.
For those who don't have health issues with the stomach, have irritable bowel syndrome, or diabetes , fruits can be eaten without worry (5 servings a day, or even more) because they don't make you fat, eaten at the right moment and in the right way. That is: on an empty stomach and not as a dessert, and without combining them with other foods (in cakes, next to dairy, etc.)! Because fruits have a short digestion time between 30 minutes and 1 hour (gone through the stomach and digested by the small intestine), when the stomach is not empty (this can be even 3 hours after lunch, depending on what you ate) they ferment and turn into alcohol , which makes you fat!
The sweeter a fruit is, the highest the glycemic load, but it will still not reach the blood directly, but gradually. Fruit juices, on the other hand, lack fiber , which makes them much easier for the body to absorb and can raise blood sugar almost instantly.
Fruits do not cause bloating , the real cause is the imbalance in the intestinal microbiome, which has been changed by your diet into a predominantly pathogenic bacteria rich, which can cause disease (by eating protein and fat concentrated meals), and the bacteria that help with fermentation remained numerically inferior.
The benefits of eating fruit
Draining toxins from the lymphatic system . In short, the lymphatic system is the sewerage system of our body, where all the toxins that could not be managed by the body, due to its constant acidification, are collected. Fruits lead to alkalization and help us eliminate those metabolic residues from the lymph.
Helping you lose weight… yes! Eating fruit, as I advised (whole and raw, on an empty stomach and not mixed with other foods), consumes fewer calories than if you choose other options (like a chocolate croissant). Also, not having that glycemic spike given by sugar-rich foods, your blood sugar will stay flat and you won't feel like eating something so often.
Improving digestion due to the fiber in fruits, which is important for those with constipation. Eat fruits daily and your poo will "flow" easier.
Revitalizing and energizing , because fruits are the most compatible food with the human body: have short digestion (so we don't focus anymore 60% of the body's blood on digestion for a long time), they contain the favorite fuel of our cells and fructose gradually reach the bloodstream, in order for the body to be able to manage it with maximum efficiency. Plus, fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help regenerate our body and fight disease.
Also mentioning the remarkable results that have been found regarding the beneficial influence of fruits on heart, kidney and… even in the prevention of type 2 diabetes .
Recommendations
If you do not have problems with your stomach, colon or diabetes, eat whole fruits, preferably in the morning, even as breakfast, on an empty stomach. Don't hold back, you can enjoy fruit up to an hour before the lunch break. This also helps the body's detoxification process, which takes place in the morning (between 4AM and 12PM), as part of the body's circadian biorhythm.
Drink fruit juices only when you feel exhausted , to regulate your blood sugar and energize quickly. Do not drink them after a meal because they can easily ferment in the stomach, while other foods are being digested, and you can get bloated.
Smoothies still contain fruit fiber (it's true, a bit more damaged), which doesn't make them as sinful as fruit juices. Drunk in the morning, slowly and walked through the mouth so as not to spill all the contents immediately into the stomach, they are a wonderful source of energy. But watch out for the combination! If you make it with normal or plant milk, you risk fermention in the stomach, so my advice would be to see how your body reacts. The combination with green leaves is not perfect, but we can overlook it.
Take some probiotics for a month if you get bloated from raw fruits and vegetables, to - repopulate your gut flora with bacteria that help manage fermentation. You don't need prebiotics (probiotics' food) if you start slowly introducing fruit by fruit into your diet, because prebiotics are actually represented by… fiber .
Try to avoid fruits after meals, as a dessert , and eat them on an empty stomach, so as not to ferment and form alcohol (yes, that makes you fat)!
If you are not used to eating fruit, and you don’t have stomach, colon, or diabetes problems, start with only one type of fruit a day , so as not to mix their acidity and cause you digestive issues. Careful here! I mentioned that fruits could be acidic (some more than others), but the effect in the body is alkalizing.
Sources:
- A GUIDE TO SUGAR » + tips to reduce added sugars: https://www.pickuplimes.com/single-post/2019/02/10/A-GUIDE-TO-SUGAR-%C2%BB-tips-to-reduce-added-sugars
- Când, cât și cum combinăm fructele – partea 2 din 2: https://scoaladeslabit.ro/cand-cat-si-cum-combinam-fructele-partea-2-din-2
- De ce se spune că fructele îngrașă?: https://scoaladeslabit.ro/de-ce-se-spune-ca-fructele-ingrasa
- Tabel complet indice glicemic: https://www.danyelle.ro/tabel-complet-indice-glicemic.html
- How much fruit should we eat per day?: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-fruit-per-day#section4
- Nutrition Therapy Recommendations for the Management of Adults With Diabetes: https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/Supplement_1/S120.full
Lavinia Dinca
Nutritionist
English 
Română