Can you get fat from fruit and veg?

Options
meesh202
meesh202 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know that all the health experts say that eating fruit and veg is good for you, so why do all the diets make you point or count calories? I also know that fruit has natural sugar called fructose and that can have an effect, but Veg!! Just wondering!!
«1

Replies

  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Options
    Yes if you eat too much of them.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    Options
    Yes, if you eat over your maintenance calorie allowance then it doesn't matter what you're eating, you will gain weight from excess calories.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,011 Member
    Options
    If most of your calories are coming from veg and fruit and your gaining weight, then you can contribute your weight gain to them directly........Saying that, it's pretty hard to do in most scenario's where protein, starchy carbs and fat make up the lions share for most people. For example I eat a ton of vegetable daily and 2 to 3 pieces of fruit and they only contribute about 15% of my total calories. But I guess i could blame the broccoli.
  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
    Options
    Eating too much of anything can cause you to be unhealthy and gain weight. I have a friend who is "under" weight but has a high percentage of body fat. The doctor told her she was "skinny fat". Oxymoron maybe but a real health concern!
  • jillica
    jillica Posts: 554 Member
    Options
    I suppose if you ate enough of them...

    FYI: For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate every three hours a variety of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, etc

    His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most -- not the nutritional value of the food.

    The premise held up: On his "convenience store diet," he shed 27 pounds in two months.

    For a class project, Haub limited himself to less than 1,800 calories a day. A man of Haub's pre-dieting size usually consumes about 2,600 calories daily. So he followed a basic principle of weight loss: He consumed significantly fewer calories than he burned. Despite his temporary success, Haub does not recommend replicating his snack-centric diet.
  • misty589
    misty589 Posts: 319 Member
    Options
    If you ONLY ate fruits and veg, you would not be getting all the nutrients you need. Counting calories and nutrients helps you to keep a balanced diet.
  • TeeferTiger
    TeeferTiger Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    If you consume 3000 calories worth of anything but only work off 2000 calories worth then yes, you're going to get fat, regardless of what it is you're eating.

    However, it's harder to get fat on fruit and veg because of the way they make you feel full when you do eat them. It would therefore be a lot harder to consume 3000 calories a day of fruit n veg than it would of Mc Donalds for example.
  • FabCheeky
    FabCheeky Posts: 311
    Options
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYlIcXynwE <----I really like this explanation of things and highly recommend this 3 minute clip. If you like it, you can watch most of the movie on youtube for free.
  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
    Options
    I suppose if you ate enough of them...

    FYI: For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate every three hours a variety of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, etc

    His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most -- not the nutritional value of the food.

    The premise held up: On his "convenience store diet," he shed 27 pounds in two months.

    For a class project, Haub limited himself to less than 1,800 calories a day. A man of Haub's pre-dieting size usually consumes about 2,600 calories daily. So he followed a basic principle of weight loss: He consumed significantly fewer calories than he burned. Despite his temporary success, Haub does not recommend replicating his snack-centric diet.

    HA! Sure but did they monitor his triglycerides, body fat content, cholesterol etc???
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Options
    You can get fat eating too much of anything. There is still sugar in fruits and veggies and any extra sugar your body isn't using, or more than your body requires to function, it will turn into fat. Same goes for any extra calorie. That's why it's important to just stick to your calorie goal, but still make sure you're eating healthy foods, and a VARIETY of foods, so you're getting many different nutrients.
  • koko65
    koko65 Posts: 33
    Options
    I suppose if you ate enough of them...

    FYI: For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate every three hours a variety of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, etc

    His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most -- not the nutritional value of the food.

    The premise held up: On his "convenience store diet," he shed 27 pounds in two months.

    For a class project, Haub limited himself to less than 1,800 calories a day. A man of Haub's pre-dieting size usually consumes about 2,600 calories daily. So he followed a basic principle of weight loss: He consumed significantly fewer calories than he burned. Despite his temporary success, Haub does not recommend replicating his snack-centric diet.
  • koko65
    koko65 Posts: 33
    Options
    :wink: oops sorry for 2 post . . . was wanted to say that your post was very interesting. =)
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    As hard as it may be to believe, fruits are not exempt from the laws of thermodynamics. Shocking, I know.
  • Cr357
    Cr357 Posts: 238
    Options
    If those cals cause you to be in an excess then yes.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Options


    HA! Sure but did they monitor his triglycerides, body fat content, cholesterol etc???

    Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they DID, and he improved in all of those categories.
  • Cfkearney
    Cfkearney Posts: 184 Member
    Options
    I know that there has been a concern about the sugars from fruits and vegetable and certain diets tell you not to eat or to limit them. In my opinion, and I'm not an expert, I don't think anyone is overweight because they just can't seem to lay off the fruits and vegetables. "I ate too much fruit as a kid and now as an adult I'm overweight because of that habit." I really don't think so. I think it's the over indulgence of the other food groups and more likely the snack or fast foods that we probably shouldn't eat but like to that is the cause. If you eat more calories than you burn you will gain no matter where those calories came from. If all you eat is fruits and veggies you would have to eat A LOT before over doing it. The sneaky thing you have to look for is when instead of eating the fruit and veggies you are eating the canned, juiced, or other altered state of the fruit or veggie. There tends to be added sugar in there, which can up the calories of an otherwise low cal snack.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    I know that all the health experts say that eating fruit and veg is good for you, so why do all the diets make you point or count calories? I also know that fruit has natural sugar called fructose and that can have an effect, but Veg!! Just wondering!!

    goes to calories in vs calories out. If you go over your calories with fruits and vegetables you will gain weight.

    Exactly, it's all about energy balance.

    If you are only eating fruits and vegetables I think it might be hard to eat too much because you'd be constantly full but you'd also be really low on your protein needs.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Options
    Calories in vs. calories out - so yes. If you eat 3000 calories of fruit a day every day and you're maintenance calories are lower than that, you will indeed gain weight. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie when it comes to gaining.

    In terms of body composition and being healthy, that's a whole different story. Balance is key.
  • ramonasowner
    ramonasowner Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    This was one of the reasons I couldn't get out of my own way, I thought i could have as much as I wanted. Then I started paying attention, I was slowing down everything. Do you know 3 freaking prunes is 60 cals for example!
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    Options
    As other said...yes...more calories in than out causes weight gain.

    However, it would be REALLY REALLY DIFFICULT to eat 2500 calories in fresh fruits and veggies in a day. By volume, they are generally the lowest calorie food out there...so the more you eat, the less room you have left for the less healthy foods.

    Ok...yes, sugarfree jello is less calories by weight than lettuce...but this is a generalization. :)

Categories