March is National Nutrition Month: Don’t fear fruit
By Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD, Veterans Memorial Hospital
Sure, you have heard that eating a lot of sugar and sweet treats is not good for your health, but does this mean you should stop eating fruit? Fruit contains “fruit sugar” or fructose. The answer is no. Do not be afraid to eat fruit. In fact, I recommend that you eat three (1/2 cup) servings of fruit every day. Here are some of the benefits of eating fruit daily:
- Fruit contains dietary fiber, which keeps bowels regular
- Fruit’s fiber helps you feel full without a lot of calories
- Fiber in fruit is beneficial in stabilizing blood sugar
- Fiber can help to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Eating three servings of fruit daily will satisfy your sweet tooth
- Fruit is low in calories, so it helps you control your weight
- Fruit contains water, which keeps you hydrated
- Fruit contains phytochemicals; which are chemical compounds produced by plants
- Fruit is a good source of several vitamins
- Most fruits contain vitamin C, which is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, plus keeps teeth and gums healthy.
Choose whole or cut-up fruits, as they are good sources of dietary fiber for the reasons mentioned above. Limit your intake of fruit juices, as they contain little or no fiber, which means they can significantly raise your blood sugar level. This is particularly important for those of you who have diabetes.
Did you know that a single piece of fruit may contain more than 10,000 different phytochemicals? Each of these phytochemicals has a different but positive effect on your body. The more variety of fruit you eat, with different colors, the more you will benefit from these little powerhouses. Berries are an especially good fruit for improving blood flow, as their dark red, blue or purple colors contain an important phytochemical called Resveratrol.
Eating fruit can also help improve your mood, as fruit is one of the best foods for increasing the hormone Serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a “feel good hormone”. The calming effect of Serotonin can be experienced in less than 30 minutes after eating fruit. This hormone also plays an important role in regulating hunger.
Whether you are interested in one or all of the numerous health benefits you get when you nourish your body with fruit, don’t be afraid of the natural sugar content they contain. Those who avoid this carbohydrate-rich food will be depriving their bodies of nature’s natural healers. The fact that fruit tastes amazing is a bonus.
