WHY WE SHOULDN’T BE AFRAID TO EAT FRUIT

By Luke Hoffman

Raise your hand if you’ve been told and/or believe the following: “Fruit/fructose makes you fat” (Or something to that effect).

Essentially, a lack of understanding of the sugar known as fructose is the basis for this statement. For those that are not aware, fructose is a monosaccharide (aka. the simplest form of carbohydrate): mono (one) + saccharide (sugar) = monosaccharide.

Fructose is most notably responsible for the sweet taste in fruit and honey. In fact, the most common form of fructose in the modern day diet is seen in table sugar (sucrose), as sucrose is comprised of fructose and glucose molecules. We are also regularly exposed to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener used in high amounts in many popular fizzy drinks (Coca-Cola and Pepsi, for instance). Most commonly, we see a ratio of 55% fructose to 45% glucose in HFCS, but this can vary.

Photo by Amelia Bartlett on Unsplash

Let’s clear something up straight away. There are certain mechanisms specific to fructose metabolism that can lead to fat gain and negative health effects. However, the complexities of fructose metabolism goes beyond the scope of this blog. The take home point is that we only need to worry about fructose causing fat gain under the following circumstances:

(a) If someone is routinely over-consuming with regards to their daily calorie needs.

(b) If someone is taking in huge amounts of fructose on single occasions (fizzy drinks, agave nectar, fruit-loaded breakfast smoothies).

Here’s the trick to avoiding the complications associated with both of the aforementioned circumstances: CONTROL your calorie intake.

If someone is maintaining a calorie consumption that is resulting in a negative energy balance (that is to say that they are expending more energy than they are consuming), then consuming fructose (even in huge amounts) is unlikely to cause excess fat gain – as long as they remain in an energy deficit. If you are able to maintain this energy deficit you will be able to consume as much fruit as you want.

What’s important to realise is that there isn’t even that much fructose in fruit anyway. Thus, to actually over consume fructose from fruit is a very hard thing to achieve. For example, there’s only about 4.85g of fructose in 100g of banana (that’s about one moderate sized banana). We would need to eat somewhere between 14-18 bananas in one sitting to really see an issue (somehow I don’t see that happening very often). This does, however, vary between fruits – Medjool Dates, for instance, tend to have about 31.95g in every 100g, so be careful with this one.

Photo by Lotte Löhr on Unsplash

Simply looking at the three studies referenced below, we can see that, although there are certain negative health effects associated with high fructose consumption, the amount of fructose that needs to be consumed is substantial, and far beyond the amount that someone could or would typically consume in a day.

Of course, consuming HFCS-laden products in large amounts is not a wise thing to do, and a very easy way to see fructose intake sky rocket. Another issue is found in people cramming a week’s-worth of fruit into a blender and necking it for breakfast. Often people think they are being healthy here, but in actual fact this sort of thing should be avoided (by all means have fruit, but a handful will probably be enough here. Then fill in the rest with veggies).

So, why should we eat fruit? In short, consuming a varied amount of fruit will provide you with a plethora of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients – all of which are key for optimal health and bodily function. Not to mention the fibre content, which can aid in many things, from gut health, to toxin removal, to cholesterol management. Fruit is also a very good source of water, so it can aid in keeping you hydrated.

The bottom line: control your calories and eating fruit is not an issue at all. The next time someone tells you that fruit makes you fat, laugh in their face as you stick some fruit in yours!

About the author

Luke is a physique coach and exercise specialist, with a particular interest in physique development and improvement.

An avid student and educator, Luke is continuously developing his craft and growing his knowledge. Every time he takes to the gym floor, one of his key aims is to impart some level of learning to his clients to help them achieve their physique goals.

Building a great physique requires a steep learning process and efficient training, says Luke, whose clients might typically be seeking to lose fat or gain muscle.

Luke’s qualifications include: Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing (CYQ), Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training (YMCA), Paleo Nutritionist (International Alliance of Holistic Therapists), Resistance Training Specialist and Precision Nutrition – Level 1.

Check out Luke’s profile here

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