If you’re like most people, you enjoy a bite of fruit every now and then. And why not? Fruit is good for you, and packed with vitamins and nutrients right? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise to eat or drink just anything you find in the fruit section of the supermarket, or glut yourself on piles of your favorite oranges and mangoes and presume they’re only doing you good. When it comes to all fruits, there are a few rules everyone should keep in mind. Here are four to consider next time you’re craving some of mother nature’s candy.
Go organic when possible
While conventionally grown fruit is better than no fruit at all, organic almost always beats out conventional when it comes to doing your body good. This is because organic fruits contain few (if any) pesticides or chemicals when compared to their conventional counterparts.
Of course, going organic can be expensive. So if you can’t afford them every trip to the supermarket, what should you buy? According to the Environmental Working Group, here are some of the cleanest fruits you can eat as they have the lowest levels of pesticides:
- Avocado
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Grapefruit
The Environmental Working Group also lists these fruits as containing some of the highest amount of pesticides:
- Blueberries
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Cherries
Learn to love low-sugar fruit
That fruity sweetness comes from somewhere. Simply put, many fruits are loaded with sugar (mangos, grapes and even bananas, to name a few). And as we all know, too much sugar – even from fruit – can be damaging to your body.
So if eating fruit everyday is something you already do, try squeezing in some low sugar fruits such as avocado, coconut, and cranberry.
Avoid fruit fakeouts
When you spread jam on your toast, down a glass of orange juice or munch on dried fruits, you may imagine you’re doing your body good since you’re contributing to your daily five-a-day. Think again – you just fell victim to a fruit fakeout. Because they can be loaded with preservatives, added sugar, calories and even chemicals, none of these options should count toward your daily fruit intake. Do yourself a favor and avoid these candy-like fruit imposters, and stick with the real stuff whenever possible.
Fruit is not a main course
Those out there who like to eat only fruit for breakfast (you know who you are) need to know that this is a big fruit failure. Yes, fruit is good for you, is an essential part of your diet and tastes delicious, but it still needs to be integrated into your diet in a balanced way. Eating fruit as a main course can skyrocket your blood sugar levels which, if done consistently over time, can damage the blood vessels, pancreas and other parts of your body. Additionally, eating fruit as a main course can lead to gastrointestinal problems that can cause cramping, bloating and gas.
Want to learn more about how to incorporate fruit into a balanced diet? Feel that you need more advice on nutrition? Send us a message today.
