From a young age most of us are taught to eat as much fruit as we like. We are told it’s good for us, it’s high in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants – all of which are very good for us. However, often when there’s an upside there can be a downside as well, and fruit is no different. Fruit is high in a sugar called fructose. Fructose is metabolised in the liver, the problem with eating too much fruit in one sitting is that our liver is unable to process it fast enough and ends up converting the fructose from the fruit into fat.
This can also lead to health problems. Excess fruit has been shown to lead to a buildup of visceral belly fat that has been been linked to type 2 diabetes, which is fast becoming a problem in New Zealand for all ethnic groups. It is estimated over 1 million kiwis are pre-diabetic and are a high risk of developing the condition.
So should you avoid fruit altogether? No not at all – but it’s definitely about moderation, a couple of pieces of fruit per day is fine. You can also be smart about when you consume fruit. For example having a piece of fruit with breakfast or before training makes sense, but what doesn’t make sense is having fruit at night when you are sitting around before bed. There’s a much greater chance it will then be stored as body fat.
You can also be smart and choose fruits that are lower in fructose. Fruits such as; raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, kiwi fruit and grapefruit are all low in fructose. Go easy or avoid fruits higher in fructose such as dried fruits, grapes, bananas, apples and pears.
Like anything else not all fruits are created equal and by making better choices and having a little more knowledge will lead to less body fat and healthier you.
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