Like most food types it is all about MODERATION!
Fruit is good for you
Nowadays, there’s lots of conflicting views about the sugar found in fruit and whether fruit is a healthy choice for your diet plan. The bottom line is, fruit is healthy for most people, as long as it’s eaten in moderation (like all other foods).
The types of sugar in fruit
Fruit contains natural sugars, which are a mix of sucrose, glucose and fructose. Glucose is the primary food molecule, and can be used directly by the cells in your body. It’s broken down and turned into energy very quickly for our body to run off. Fructose, however, has to be converted into glucose before it can be used, and is metabolised by the liver at a much slower rate. This increases your blood level, and when it’s overloaded, can sometimes convert the fructose into fat.
Fructose and glucose
Both fructose and glucose stimulate a satiating hormone, making you feel full. However, as fructose stimulates it at a much slower rate, you don’t feel full as quickly. This could lead to you eating more than you need.
The two golden rules of choosing fruit
Stick to these two simple rules next time you look in the fruit bowl.
- Choose dark coloured fruits
- Choose thin skinned fruits
These types of fruits, e.g. berries, contain more antioxidants and nutrients that are good for you than most other types of fruit.
