We all know fruits are basically just sugar and carbs. They can be delicious for breakfast, afternoon snack, or even baked in delicious desserts. But can we eat too much fruit?
The benefits of these mighty juicy and refreshing plant foods are too many to list. Most fruit is packed with fiber to assist with digestion, antioxidants to protect us from stress, immune boosting properties, and so much more.
Berries are the healthiest fruits packed with an antioxidant punch similar to dark leafy greens. Berries offer potential protection against cancer, a substantial immune system boost, and a safeguard for the liver and brain.
The common misconception that fruit can be unhealthy stems from the idea that their natural sugars, fructose, can contribute to weight gain. Although, by taking a closer look at the research the results may surprise you.
Fructose from added sugars do appear to contribute to weight gain, high blood pressure, and declining liver function. The difference between the effects of added fructose and the natural occurring sugar in fruit, lies in the packaging.
In nature, fructose comes prepackaged with fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that appear to revoke the fructose effects. Consuming sugar in the form of fruit is not only harmless, but proves to actually be helpful for our bodies. Eating berries can blunt the insulin spike from high-glycemic foods like white bread or baked goods. This may be from the fiber creating a gelling like effect on the stomach that slows the release of the sugars. Or, perhaps it is from certain phytonutrients in fruit that appear to block the absorption of sugar through the gut wall and into your bloodstream.
In one study that was looking directly at the question, “Can you eat too much fruit?”. The researchers used 17 participants with directions to eat twenty servings of fruit a day (the equivalent to 8 cans of soda). The results ended up reporting beneficial outcomes with no overall adverse effects on body weight, blood pressure, insulin, cholesterol, or triglyceride levels.
America’s favorite fruits are apples and bananas with antioxidant power of about 60 units and 40 units, respectively. Mango hops in around 110 units. But none of these fruits compare to the richness of berries. Strawberries weigh in around 310 units, raspberries at 350 units, blueberries at 380 units, but blackberries blow us all away with 650 units of antioxidants per serving!
To test your favorite plant-based foods' antioxidant capacity just look at the color! The colors are the antioxidants. Shop for the reddest of strawberries, blackest of black berries, and the darkest broccoli you can find. The colors are the antiaging, anticancer antioxidants.
Looking for more ways to incorporate berries in your diet? Try a smoothie with spinach, oat milk, frozen berry mix, and honey.
Sprinkle some on morning oatmeal, bake a pie, or just eat them fresh!
Check out my recipe link for more ideas
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