Fruit Is Not Your Friend

But Lily, Fruit is all-natural! It’s a whole food! It’s part of Canada’s food guide!

Yep, I’m afraid the jury is out. Even though all of the statements above are true, the facts still stand…Fruit Is Not Your Friend.

Stay with me here, because this information may be the key to unlocking your fat loss journey.

Fruit Is Not Your Enemy, But It Is Not Your Friend.

Fruit is high in sugar. Fruit will cause an insulin spike which, over time and repetition leads to fat gain and risk of diabetes.

Fruit is said to be high in fiber, which is true in comparison to fruit juice. Let’s be clear, whole fruit is a SIGNIFICANTLY better option than fruit juice, but neither one is great for weight loss.

We Know High-Fructose Corn Syrup Is Bad, But We Still Think Fruit Is Good.

Fruit sugar is known as fructose. Fructose is processed in the liver, and overeating fructose filled foods can lead to excess fat storage and, in extreme cases, fatty liver disease. Fructose also interferes with our leptin production. Leptin is the hormone that tells us when we’re full. This means that overeating fructose can cause our brains to be slower at telling our bodies that we’re full, which usually means we eat more.

This happens most often with extremely high doses of fructose like High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in pop. When we drink pop with a meal we're more likely to overeat because Leptin fails to tall our brain when we're full. It's less risky in smaller fructose doses like fruit but, ever had a clementine…then three more?

What Fruit Is Worth It?

Berries, particularly dark berries have been shown to have enough benefits to outweigh the negatives. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have enough fiber and antioxidants that they are worth adding to your meal plan. They are also lower in sugar than many other fruit options. I would however recommend sticking to a ½ cup or less per day, ideally within three hours of exercise.