Is there a limit for fresh fruits and vegetables?

Kamalka
Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Hi,

I explode my carbs and suggar with one spoon of honey in the morneing and about 5-7 fruits/day. I would like to double this amount but have no clue on its impact on my weight. As an example, I press 2 oranges in the morning and eat 2 in the evening, that is already more than my suggested levels of sugar and half my carbs. Add bread, bananas, apples, honey, clementines, carrots, and cooked vegetables and I have more than twice the recommended level...or 4 if I double the amount. The weird thing is that if I was not recording my food intake, I would go for it as helthy food, but athletes recommend to pay strict attention to carbs as they transform into fat (my main goal is to lose fat, not weight). So can I go for it and get several like 2-3 bananas in a day, 3 apples, 4 oranges, 4 clementines and 3 carrots in addition to the courget, red pepper and eggplant cooked n evening meal or should I limit myself?

Replies

  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    I am in the same boat as you. Indeed, you need to cut carbs and mostly simple carbs like those in fruits. You might consider replacing them with vegetables. If you like carbs, then only complex ones like oat, brown rice etc are good and that too in moderation.
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    I am in the same boat as you. Indeed, you need to cut carbs and mostly simple carbs like those in fruits. You might consider replacing them with vegetables. If you like carbs, then only complex ones like oat, brown rice etc are good and that too in moderation.
    Totally agree. Fruit are so tasty, but the simple sugar causes spikes and more fat to be stored. I'm trying to make the switch to veggies too. Not so easy. Good luck.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    cut the bread...ya..I love bread but if you are trying to get lean got to give up the bread

    banannas are good but only eat 1/2 or at the most 1 a day

    cut the evening oranges to 1/2 or none
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    There definitely is a limit - especially with fruit.... Try focusing on eating more vegetables than fruit.
    Overall you should be having 7-13 servings of fruit per day - about 4 cups on average a day I would think... (depending on age, sex, etc).

    Most people probably couldn't eat too much vegetables though. I find that when I eat them I fill up really fast...especially when I eat raw veggies. Munching on carrots, celery, peppers, etc throughout the day really helps keep hunger at bay...
  • onvacation
    onvacation Posts: 24 Member
    I agree on there is a limit on too much fruit. I would stick to no more than 4 a day, but eat as many veggies as you can, specially dark green leafy ones!
  • kittyneutron
    kittyneutron Posts: 160 Member
    5-7 fruits sounds like a lot! Obviously everyone is different, but I personally get very nauseous from straight up fruit, and probably don't get enough of it for this very reason. Also, fruit tends to be high in calories as well. As others said, just up your veg more! The key is I think moderation in everything. That said, I remember a Weight Watchers counselor telling a participant who asked this same question, "You didn't get fat eating carrots and apples!" Just log your meals carefully and see what kind of feedback you are getting there and how you are feeling.
  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    5-7 fruits sounds like a lot! Obviously everyone is different, but I personally get very nauseous from straight up fruit, and probably don't get enough of it for this very reason. Also, fruit tends to be high in calories as well. As others said, just up your veg more! The key is I think moderation in everything. That said, I remember a Weight Watchers counselor telling a participant who asked this same question, "You didn't get fat eating carrots and apples!" Just log your meals carefully and see what kind of feedback you are getting there and how you are feeling.

    These days WW don't count energy from fruits. I know people on WW who eats something like 500cals from fruit which doesn't go into their pro point log book. Imagine if you relish two large bananas everyday!
  • Kamalka
    Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
    My father being arabic, I took the habit to stay in the sitting room after a meal and share fruits (there is never a dessert but we always cut fruits). I take the same habit with my wife. This is a quite important for mental health to sit together, talk while sharing an orange, grapes or whatever fruits (a salad bowl together). My wife is skinny fat (I mean she is so thin I see all her bones but has no muscle either) even though she eats about 10 fruits a day. Another way to say it is that she has no reserve to jump a meal, even for 2-3 hours, it would systematically destroy her day. She says she feels sick and tired if she does not get this fruit ratio. I lost 90% of the fat I wanted to lose but the last 3-4 kg tfor my abs are 10 times more difficult to lose for me. I will therefore try to switch to vegs...but yesturday was a rest day and I could not resist my wife's fruits while driving, my mom delicious 100% natural 500g fruit salad followed by my evening 2 oranges and 3 clementines:sad:

    To me, trying to control my fruit intake with my wife around is like trying to quit smoking with a smoker around...wonder if I would not incorporate a daily cardio exercise to compensate the excess...hope I do not require 5k/fruit :happy:

    So, starting monday, I will try brocoli, carrots (quite high carbs and sugar too) and celery during day time and see how my fat burning goes In summer I eat 3-4 small cucumbers/day but unfortunately hate them in winter. What other vegs do you get in your snacks?
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    bump
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Overall you should be having 7-13 servings of fruit per day - about 4 cups on average a day I would think... (depending on age, sex, etc).

    :huh:
    7-13?
    Try 2-3....
  • sheepysaccount
    sheepysaccount Posts: 608 Member
    Here's a good tip vor replacing veggies (if you absolutely want to have your fruits). Make a carrot salad. Grate carrots (3 or 4 should do the trick), grate one medium apple, add a bit of lemon juice and about a teaspoon of oil (to activite the carrot vitamin thingys) and mix. voila: fresh, slightly sweet, very healthy veggie salad. makes about 4 servings...
  • I would simply say sugar is sugar, period and will spike your insulin responce which will tell your body to store fat. I eat fruits but lower glycemic ones only, apples, blueberries, strawberries, sometimes a banana but only half of it, if you are going ot eat sugars maybe first thing in the am when your body utilizes it more for energy, One thing i try to do is to never have sugars after 6pm. I dont want to sleep thinking my body might be getting a signal to store fat overnight. :-(
  • Sixalicious
    Sixalicious Posts: 283 Member
    Here's a good tip vor replacing veggies (if you absolutely want to have your fruits). Make a carrot salad. Grate carrots (3 or 4 should do the trick), grate one medium apple, add a bit of lemon juice and about a teaspoon of oil (to activite the carrot vitamin thingys) and mix. voila: fresh, slightly sweet, very healthy veggie salad. makes about 4 servings...

    This sounds tasty. Thanks for sharing.
  • sheepysaccount
    sheepysaccount Posts: 608 Member
    You're most welcome. My grandma taught me that one ^_^
  • gazz777
    gazz777 Posts: 722
    I will bump with a comment...

    Here in Australia they promote the 2 fruit / 5 veg rule.

    I suppose they (the govt) paid experts to see how to cut back on hospital expenses ....

    That advice was probably born out of such research.

    That said, a friend of mine who is right into nutrition suggests I eat 2 serves of fruit a day.

    Hard !!! I LOVE FRUIT.

    I try for 4 fruit a day based on her advice (she is half my weight !!!) - that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

    Now, as for eating 10 veggies a day ... let's see about that !
  • Lorleee
    Lorleee Posts: 369 Member
    I will bump with a comment...

    Here in Australia they promote the 2 fruit / 5 veg rule.

    I

    I like this!
  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    I would simply say sugar is sugar, period and will spike your insulin responce which will tell your body to store fat. I eat fruits but lower glycemic ones only, apples, blueberries, strawberries, sometimes a banana but only half of it, if you are going ot eat sugars maybe first thing in the am when your body utilizes it more for energy, One thing i try to do is to never have sugars after 6pm. I dont want to sleep thinking my body might be getting a signal to store fat overnight. :-(

    Is there a medical evidence that suggests not eating sugar/carb in the night?
    According to CDC:
    Q: If I eat late at night, will these calories automatically turn into body fat?
    A: The time of day isn't what affects how your body uses calories. It's the overall number of calories you eat and the calories you burn over the course of 24 hours that affects your weight.
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/calories/index.html
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    There definitely is a limit - especially with fruit.... Try focusing on eating more vegetables than fruit.
    Overall you should be having 7-13 servings of fruit per day - about 4 cups on average a day I would think... (depending on age, sex, etc).

    Most people probably couldn't eat too much vegetables though. I find that when I eat them I fill up really fast...especially when I eat raw veggies. Munching on carrots, celery, peppers, etc throughout the day really helps keep hunger at bay...

    7-13 servings of fruit?!?!? My nutritionist recommends no more than 3 per day! It's sugar and carbs, your body doesn't process the sugar from fruit or the sugar from candy much differently: it's still sugar (just in different states/quantities).

    Veggies, on the other hand, you can eat a lot of those. I don't think you can really over do it on the veggies.
  • Kamalka
    Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
    Thank you guys. I noticed a complex set of interactions leading to my habits: used to run half marathons at least 3 times per week. After such efforts, you are hungry whatever you eat, so I use to eat fruits to avoit fat intake. Now I opt for 45 minutes runs (30 sec top speed, 30 sec low speed) and my protein shake is enough. I reduced my evening fruits to an apple and/or a pear....or grapes and cherry's season . I take my fruits closer to my evening meal so I am not hungry.

    In essence, I was having a fuit every time I wanted chocolate, which was happening 5 times/day. Now I would take an extra meal (cereals) if I was in such sutuation.

    For the 1/2 banana, I just don't see what to do with other half, so I would rather eat 1 banana for 2 days...and before doing my cardio :)

    It took me some time but I decreased fruits for vegetables...and I don't exceed carbs anymore! I would discribe my fruits intake as normal/optimum and we keep on cooking fresh vegetables every day (I don't feel good if I don't have them now, I really need them). My level of fat decrease slightly but to get it lower would mean special diet that I could not keep on a long run
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member

    For the 1/2 banana, I just don't see what to do with other half, so I would rather eat 1 banana for 2 days...and before doing my cardio :)


    eat the other half later that day or have it tomorrow (leave it in the skin and put it in a baggie)or freeze it and when you need it throw it in a smoothie
  • Fruit tolerance like carb tolerance is an individual thing.

    Most people can do well on far less carbs than they think, so its an easy reduction without stress.

    I would immediately stop "pressing" oranges in the morning if by that you mean squeezing out the sugar water and a few vitamins into juice and drinking it and at least just eat the whole fruit.

    In fact I would stop eating any carbs are breakfast at all, leave the rest of the day the same, and see how you do.

    I do not see any benefit, at all, to spiking your insulin first thing in the morning unless you just completed some massive workout.
  • I'm not sure about your macros. However, they could be over-carbed like you say. But without seeing that it's hard to tell. Also, are you exercising enough to get rid of the carbs after eating... There are so many factors.

    I eat around 60% of carbs each day with 20/20 on the rest. I've gained muscle and lost fat. But everyone is different and you have to do what works for "your" body!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    There definitely is a limit - especially with fruit.... Try focusing on eating more vegetables than fruit.
    Overall you should be having 7-13 servings of fruit per day - about 4 cups on average a day I would think... (depending on age, sex, etc).

    Most people probably couldn't eat too much vegetables though. I find that when I eat them I fill up really fast...especially when I eat raw veggies. Munching on carrots, celery, peppers, etc throughout the day really helps keep hunger at bay...

    7-13 servings of fruit?!?!? My nutritionist recommends no more than 3 per day! It's sugar and carbs, your body doesn't process the sugar from fruit or the sugar from candy much differently: it's still sugar (just in different states/quantities).

    Veggies, on the other hand, you can eat a lot of those. I don't think you can really over do it on the veggies.

    as a matter of fact, the body does process fruit sugar much differently from sucrose. Not that I recommend 13 servings of fruit for most people, but it's not the same. Do a little research on fructose and human metabolic process and you'll see that, while sucrose is taken up in the stomach and esophagus, fruit sugar (fructose) is processed mostly in the colon and small intestines, which takes longer to reach, and longer to pass through the cell walls, where it has to then be converted into glucose (glucose is also a simple sugar, and to make fructose into glucose, it has to be broken down into it's elements, which takes time).
  • Kamalka
    Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
    I'm not sure about your macros. However, they could be over-carbed like you say. But without seeing that it's hard to tell. Also, are you exercising enough to get rid of the carbs after eating... There are so many factors.

    I eat around 60% of carbs each day with 20/20 on the rest. I've gained muscle and lost fat. But everyone is different and you have to do what works for "your" body!

    I have theoritically 65% carbs on swim/running days but I usually have more proteins and less carbs than planned.
    I used to run 20km 5-6 times a week...the fact is that without carbs, no way to take long runs for me. But my cousin who is a professional short distance runner, told me two weeks ago that 2h is the maximum time our body can run without being rehydrated and long-distance runners should also take adapted gel, so it might be that I percieved a lack of energy from deshydratation (I drink huge amounts so I never thought it could be) and thought it was my carbs that were gone. I have succeeded once to run 40km (marathon) but he advised me to run two hours without eating anything, have a soup and run another hour one hour after the training to improve my performance...I will try that next year if I find enough time before an amateur competition.


    Now that I opt for smaller runs (II keep my half-marathon when weather is nice), about 45 minutes with high intervals, twice a week, go to the gym twice a week (2h with little cardio) and go for a swim (2km in a bit less than a hour) several times depending on weather to make it 6 trainings a week, the carbs I have through my healthy meals are sufficient (I am never hitting a wall or feeling no energy like I used to when I was running longer distances).

    As suggested, it might be a good idea to decrease carbs in the morning. I will check how it impacts my trainings.
  • katiefridley
    katiefridley Posts: 151 Member
    I say just go with what the myplate/food pyramid suggestion says. So, 2-4 servings. Keep in mind that a serving is a medium apple or half a banana.
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    Bump
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