Fruit: Yes or No?

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  • MoveTheMountain
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    So....I'm currently trying my hand at cutting body fat by eating clean and weight training. One thing that continues to trouble me is whether or not I'm allowed to eat fruit. Some websites and my trainer say no. Other websites and others say yes. For instance, right now I'm enjoying a small bowl of freshly cut strawberries. I think some people would have a conniption if they found out I was eating strawberries while trying to cut. Any people who have gone through a cut shed some light on this issue?

    Fruit is awesome for you: high in nutrients, potentially anti-oxidants, etc. The downside is the sugar, so you have to monitor and manage your intake. I have half a cup of frozen blueberries every morning in my post workout shake - it's awesome.

    I don't reccomend snacking on fruit throughout the day... not sure that's going to help you. And yeah, someone mentioned staying away from fruit juice - definitely, unless it's post workout and you need the carbs. Fruit juice is pretty much just liquid sugar.
  • MoveTheMountain
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    Folks, white table sugar is "natural" sugar, too; it comes from sugar cane or sugar beets. Its chemical makeup is not changed during processing. Sugar is sugar. The bad thing about refined sugar, or processed foods containing sugar, is the AMOUNT of sugar we can too easily take in. The sugar in fruit is no healthier than the sugar in a twinkie; fruit just has a lot less of it. I'm a Type II diabetic and I have to limit my fruit intake, just as I do any other food containing sugar. Remember, too, that your individual metabolism is not the same as anyone else's. I've known people who do quite well eating plenty of fruit; I've also known people who ate plenty of fruit and couldn't lose an ounce until they reduced their fruit intake. Whatever works for YOU.

    Great answer.

    Here here...
  • raystark
    raystark Posts: 403 Member
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    They say its because they have sugars. Albeit, natural sugars, but to a lot of people any sugar is BAD.

    From the viewpoint of an insulin dependent type 2 diabetic like myself, yep.

    For other folk, not so much maybe.
  • Erykah3584
    Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
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    I say YES to fruits! Theyre delicious and nutritious!!
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Folks, white table sugar is "natural" sugar, too; it comes from sugar cane or sugar beets. Its chemical makeup is not changed during processing. Sugar is sugar. The bad thing about refined sugar, or processed foods containing sugar, is the AMOUNT of sugar we can too easily take in. The sugar in fruit is no healthier than the sugar in a twinkie; fruit just has a lot less of it. I'm a Type II diabetic and I have to limit my fruit intake, just as I do any other food containing sugar. Remember, too, that your individual metabolism is not the same as anyone else's. I've known people who do quite well eating plenty of fruit; I've also known people who ate plenty of fruit and couldn't lose an ounce until they reduced their fruit intake. Whatever works for YOU.

    Exactly!

    Those that have fruit as a staple and eat multiple servings will know when their triglycerides are sky high.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I know, all those super fat people eating apples and pears.

    I love fruit, I don't count the fructose sugar in it. Its not like eating a pack of Twinkies.

    If you eat enough fruit it can be just as bad as eating a pack of Twinkies.


    Something for everyone to consider.....................

    When I first went on Atkins and got to Phase 2 where you start adding in higher carb vegetables and fruit I went and got blood work done at my Dr's office..............

    I was eating A LOT of FRUIT and VEGETABLES.................my Triglycerides were sky high. The Dr sent me to a dietician and I was limited on the amount of fruit I was allowed to eat (replaced the fruit with lower carb vegetables).

    i was limited to eating no more than 3 servings of fruiter PER WEEK.

    You all need to understand that it is not merely about the "calories, no fat".....................sugar (AND YES THAT INCLUDES FRUIT) will raise your triglycerides - which leads to inflammation that causes heart disease.

    You were eating a lot of fruit and veg whilst on the Atkins??

    Yes, you start out eating protein and vegetables and then keep adding more vegetables, then fruits, then nuts, starchier foods, dairy and then grains - In that order.

    I followed the book phase 1 - phase 4 added in the foods in the order the book says and reversed Diabetes.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I know, all those super fat people eating apples and pears.

    I love fruit, I don't count the fructose sugar in it. Its not like eating a pack of Twinkies.

    If you eat enough fruit it can be just as bad as eating a pack of Twinkies.


    Something for everyone to consider.....................

    When I first went on Atkins and got to Phase 2 where you start adding in higher carb vegetables and fruit I went and got blood work done at my Dr's office..............

    I was eating A LOT of FRUIT and VEGETABLES.................my Triglycerides were sky high. The Dr sent me to a dietician and I was limited on the amount of fruit I was allowed to eat (replaced the fruit with lower carb vegetables).

    i was limited to eating no more than 3 servings of fruiter PER WEEK.

    You all need to understand that it is not merely about the "calories, no fat".....................sugar (AND YES THAT INCLUDES FRUIT) will raise your triglycerides - which leads to inflammation that causes heart disease.

    It's not true that eating enough fruit can be as bad as eating a pack of Twinkies. Yes if you ate enough fruit you might get as much sugar as that, but fruit also comes with a lot of fiber, vitamins, and water, which the Twinkies will not give you. I honestly don't know how you can even consider comparing the two.

    Some people's bodies may be more sensitive to the amount of sugar in fruit than others, and may therefore have to limit the quantities, but most people will be able to eat as much fruit as they want as part of a healthy diet.

    The fiber and water in fruit will fill you up quickly so it's not easy to eat more of it than you should (unlike junk food).

    Sorry but sugar = sugar............no matter the source it comes from. And too much sugar is not healthy, even if it is from fruit.

    When the Dr tells you that you have high triglycerides and you look baffled.............look back on these comments made by several other people backing up what I am saying.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
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    I recently dropped 2% in body fat over the course of eight weeks and yes, I did eat fruit. I just limited my portions, that's all. I will say that I definitely focused more on vegetables though.
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    For me,,,,the answer is only watermelon. Fruit in general keeps me hungry all day....but, being a southern girl, I have to have my watermelon....and only at night.

    But, I know that fruit is a must have in alot of people's diet plan....so, find what works for you.

    Wishing you luck in your continued journey of a healthier lifestyle. :flowerforyou:
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I like to think of fruit as "natures candy." as a treat every now and then.

    Yes, that is the way it was intended to be.
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
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    Fruit...YES!
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
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    Anyone that says no fruit is just silly :smile: I've lost and kept 100 pounds off fo a few years now and I never cut fruit from my diet. Not when I was losing weight and not now, nor would I. I eat way more than two servings a day but I do count the calories because it is food. Right now in Michigan we have an abundance of fresh fruit and I'm going to eat every day and as much as I want because it is good for me!
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    One lifestyle change suggestion i read from a DR suggested eating your frits before 2pm so your body has time to burn off the carbs before you go to be

    Who was that......Dr Oz? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: (I guess your body stops burning calories while you're asleep)
    When I first went on Atkins and got to Phase 2 where you start adding in higher carb vegetables and fruit I went and got blood work done at my Dr's office..............

    I was eating A LOT of FRUIT and VEGETABLES.................my Triglycerides were sky high.......

    While the link between dietary fat and blood lipid levels is tenuous do you really think eating fruits & veg could be the cause of problem? I have yet to read any credible information regarding lowering serum lipid levels that advocated cutting back on fruits & vegetables.

    Yes, it was the fruit and higher carb vegetables.

    I cut out fruit except for a couple times a week and triglycerides came into normal levels within 12 weeks.

    This was at the advisement of my Metabolic Endocrinologist who is also a registered dietician
  • toriaenator
    toriaenator Posts: 423 Member
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    fruit has fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. by no means should you deprive yourself of them (or anything for that matter!)
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
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    I like to think of fruit as "natures candy." as a treat every now and then.

    Yes, that is the way it was intended to be.

    I eat three, four or even five servings of fruit a day. It isn't just an every now and again treat, it is a part of my regular everyday diet and my track record with weight loss and maintaining that loss shows it works :smile:
  • Montanarush
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    strawberries, fresh without sugar, chocolate and other things that people dip them in, are low on the glycemic index. I'm on a low carb diet and I occasionally eat them. They are rich in Vit. C and lycopene. Other berries are good, too- such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and plums are good too. I only eat them early in the day though.
  • J_SHOE21
    J_SHOE21 Posts: 1
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    Indulge in fruit. Most are fiber loaded as long as you eat them with the skin. Yea you can get them in a pill form but its not the same. Thats what I was told by nutritionist last year when I was 200 lbs. They contain calories but at the same time they are more filling and help satisfy your sweet tooth. Fresh pineapples for dessert kills any kind of sweet tooth craving I have.
  • antsw123
    antsw123 Posts: 22 Member
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    Fruit is good for you and weightloss is about calories in vs calories out but do bear in mind your overall health

    Sugar is not just sugar. One of the worst sugars is Frustose.

    Fructose—including that from fruit—is also very detrimental, health-wise, to anyone who struggles with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol; all of which typically go hand in hand with overweight…

    Whole fruits, even though they contain fructose, are not nearly as problematic as fructose from added sugars. One of the reasons for this is believed to be because whole fruits contain high amounts of natural antioxidants, as well as other synergistic compounds that may help counter the detrimental effects of fructose.

    But very large portions of fruit daily cannot be recommended for most overweight people.

    Also the liver has to process fructose and goes into a frenzy whenever it gets a rush of it. Liver experts have said that people with a high fructose diet have been seen to have had the same damage as alcoholics.

    So with everything else a balanced diet will always be best.

    For anyone interested the fruits with the hishest and lowest frustose percentages are listed below:

    Over 7g per serving
    Figs, Apricots, Mango, Grapes, Raisins, Pears, Watermelon, Persimmon, Apple, Date, Blueberry Banana

    Under 4g per serving
    Limes, Lemons, Cranberries, Passionfruit, Prune, Apricot, Guava, Date, Cantaloupe, Raspberries, Clementine, Kiwi fruit, Blackberries, Star fruit, Cherries, Strawberries.

    Hope this helps.

    Ants
  • susankeiko
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    Eat the Fruit! It keeps me regulated!
  • ChaseAlder
    ChaseAlder Posts: 804 Member
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    I've been eating lots of fruit every day... I think it works

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