Eat Smarter - What about fruit?
One of the topics we're often asked about is fruit. Since fruit is high in sugar, is it okay to eat?
While fruit is high in sugar, it’s also high in fibre which helps to slow down digestion and stabilize blood sugar. You just have to make sure you’re eating the entire fruit (i.e. eat the fruit, don't drink just the juice) to get all of the benefits!
The fibre you get from fruit is also incredibly important for your microbiome and is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and metabolic syndrome.
Fruit is loaded with antioxidants that prevent and heal tissue damage, reduce inflammation, and keep you healthy.
Finally, fruit is a great pre-workout snack as it’s quicker to digest than other carbohydrates that have a lower Glycemic Index.
Here are some good guidelines to follow:
You should be aiming for 3-4 servings per day for optimal health. One serving is approximately 1/2 cup or a small piece of fruit. For example, one banana, one medium-sized apple, two plums, or half a cup of berries.
Like vegetables, make sure you're including a variety of fruits in your diet to get various phytonutrients and to increase the diversity of your microbiome. An easy trick is to shop for fruits and vegetables that are in season. This will help change up what you are eating and encourage you to try new options.
Make sure you eat the whole fruit and not just the juice! The fibre from the whole fruit will help to slow down the release of sugar and make you feel full for longer.
Another trick to slow down digestion and balance your blood sugar is to pair fruit with healthy fats and proteins. Have plain full-fat yogurt with berries, spread natural nut butter onto apple slices, or add some protein powder and nuts/seeds to your morning smoothie.
If you’re craving something sweet, having some fruit after dinner is a healthier option and might be enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Eat Smarter via VIIVIO
If you’re using the VIIVIO app, remember to record your fruit throughout the day to boost your EAT score!
Click on the “Plus” icon at the bottom of your home screen and then “Add Nutrition”. Choose the appropriate tab (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Snacks) and then tap bars to add servings of fruit.
Learn more about tracking nutrition in VIIVIO here and download VIIVIO here!
What are we finding in the research?
A common misconception is that you should avoid fruit if you have type 2 diabetes due to the high sugar content. However, as mentioned above, fruit doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much as you’d think due to the fibre content (provided you’re eating the whole fruit!). In fact, increasing fruit consumption has been shown to be associated with reducing the risk of diabetes.
In a prospective longitudinal study of over 180,000 participants, it was found that greater consumption of whole fruit was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, especially blueberries, grapes and apples. These results indicate that some fruits are better than others for reducing the risk of diabetes and a greater variety of fruit consumption is suggested.
Keep in mind that you should still follow the advice of a medical professional. If you have diabetes, we recommend talking to your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet.
