According to the Daily Mail, many of us believe that eating fruit is good for our health, so we try our best to eat more fruit: always carrying an apple in our bag, keeping grapes and bananas on the table, and trying to stick to eating fruit salads. However, some people, because they eat too much fruit, end up causing some health problems, such as obesity and cavities.
Fruit, like food, contains calories
The health benefits of fruit are undeniable. It is rich in various vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, which help us prevent diseases. Fruit is so important that the UK government recommends people should consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. As long as you are healthy, eating more than 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day is not a problem, but if you are overweight or suffer from high cholesterol or diabetes, eating too much fruit is trouble. It might also be the reason why your weight keeps rising even though your diet is healthy.
One of the reasons is that people forget that fruit, like all food, contains calories. Karel Leros, an expert in metabolic medicine at Imperial College London, explains that the calories in fruit make you gain weight just as much as chocolate does. He says: "Some people like to eat more of this, some people like to eat more of that, but people who eat too much fruit are often health-conscious people. Some of my patients don't understand why they are gaining weight because they eat so healthily. I've found that they eat too much fruit and drink too much fruit juice, consuming 300 calories in just a few minutes."
It's not that these people lack self-control. Fruit is rich in fructose, which doesn't make you feel full. Ursula Arens, of the British Dietetic Association, explains that when we eat sugar, our body releases the hormone insulin, which tells the brain that we are full. She says: "High insulin suppresses appetite, but fructose does not trigger this insulin response, so the brain does not receive the message that you are full."
This means that when we eat fruit, we bypass this internal "stop button," which may be why some of us absent-mindedly eat one slice of melon after another or a large handful of grapes. Weight gain is not the only health problem associated with consuming large amounts of fructose. It also increases triglyceride levels, a type of blood fat associated with heart disease. Leros says: "We warn patients with high cholesterol to eat less fruit. Eating too much fruit increases triglyceride levels. Diabetics should also eat less fruit, as high levels of fructose can increase blood sugar levels."
Excessive fruit damages teeth
In addition, fruit can also damage teeth. Eating fruit releases sugar in the mouth, which can harm teeth. Fruit juice and smoothies are an even bigger problem because juicing or blending breaks down the fruit further, leaving more sugar in the mouth. Teeth are particularly vulnerable to acidic citrus fruits, as the acid can soften tooth enamel. Although the enamel hardens again after about 30 minutes, if you brush your teeth immediately after drinking orange juice, you will brush away some of the enamel, increasing the risk of tooth erosion.
Dried fruit has other problems, as it is not only high in sugar but also very sticky. Dr. Angeli Shahi, a dentist from Cheshire, UK, says: "Pieces of dried fruit can stick to teeth for a long time, eventually causing cavities." She says that raisins are just as bad for teeth as candy. She says: "This is a problem for children, as health-conscious mothers often give them raisins. We have noticed an increase in cavities in children."
Even those who do not consume excessive amounts of fruit may find that they gain weight unknowingly, because the sugar cube you add to your tea contains 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Fructose is also often added to many industrial products in the form of glucose-fructose syrup, such as carbonated drinks, yogurt, and cereal bars. A single can of carbonated drink can contain 30 grams of fructose. So how much fruit is too much? Unlike salt and saturated fat, there is no recommended daily intake for fructose.
Eat fruit in moderation
Ursula Arens, of the British Dietetic Association, points out: "If information were published that eating apples is unhealthy, many nutrition experts would come out to criticize it." But a new study from the University of Colorado might lead to new health guidelines. These scientists investigated 4,500 people with no history of high blood pressure and found that those who consumed more than 74 grams of fructose a day had an 87% increased risk of high blood pressure.
Although this is equivalent to 10 apples or 30 oranges, 3 large smoothies reach this amount, with one smoothie containing about 23 grams of fructose. In addition, it should be noted that bananas and some other fruits, such as strawberries, contain more fructose after they ripen, as some starch turns into sugar. The health secret now is to use a mixture of fruits and vegetables to achieve your daily 5 servings. Dr. Leros says: "Obese people or those with heart disease should limit themselves to one serving of fruit and four servings of vegetables a day. This way, you still get plenty of antioxidants, but your fructose and calorie intake are reduced." However, most people find that eating fruit is easy, and it should remain an important part of a healthy diet.
Glenys Jones, a nutrition expert at the British Nutrition Foundation, says: "Everything in moderation. Just as you decide not to eat cookies, you should consider controlling your intake when eating fruit." She sticks to having a banana and a glass of apple juice for breakfast, an orange in the morning, and an apple in the afternoon. She says: "If I really want to eat chocolate in the evening, I often eat raisins. Even then, I still limit the amount of raisins I eat."