by Fruit is often considered one of the healthiest foods, and there is widespread encouragement to eat more of it. However, extreme nutritional trends have emerged in recent years that pit fruits at other ends of the food divide, challenging the narrative that all fruits are generally “healthy.”
For sugar-free, ultra-low-carb ketogenic carnivores, most fruit is off the table, while raw-food vegans sometimes eat a majority-fruit diet.
“Fruit has been a trending topic of conversation in nutrition, for a significant period of time,” said registered nutritionist Sarah Keathley of Top Nutrition Coaching News Week.
“Many argue that fruit is unhealthy, while others claim that eating a raw fruit-only diet has great health benefits.
“Let’s set the record straight once and for all. Fruit is healthy and should be eaten in a well-balanced diet. It has many vital benefits, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.”
Kathleen said News Week that potassium and folate in fruit may help the nerves and cells of the body to function, and tissues to grow.
She said antioxidants—beneficial compounds that reduce inflammation in the body—such as vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids and polyphenols can reduce the risk of many diseases and help the body’s repair and healing process. She added that fruits are an important source of fiber, which helps support the body’s digestive system for good gut health.
However, despite the general health benefits of eating fruit, the experts have spoken News Week Agreed that some fruits were less healthy than others.
“Grapes, bananas, mangoes and pineapples are all high in sugar compared to berries and plums, which tend to have a lower sugar content,” said registered nutritional therapist Alli Godbold of Feed Your Health News Week.
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She added that because all fruit contained some sugar, it was “probably best to eat them at mealtimes with other foods, rather than as stand-alone snacks” to avoid spiking blood sugar. Fluctuations in blood sugar can increase the risk of certain diseases, especially type 2 diabetes.
Holistic nutritionist Nicole Taylor, a lecturer at the Institute for Optimal Nutrition, agreed: “Tropical fruits such as pineapple and banana tend to cause a higher glucose spike.
“This is due to the higher carbohydrate content against fiber … For those who want to optimize their blood sugar balance – which I recommend for most people – I usually do not recommend more than half a banana per day.”
Taylor said that instead of adding bananas to smoothies, people concerned about their blood sugars could use avocados to add creaminess but not sugar to their drinks.
“When it comes to portion sizes in fruit, I recommend limiting tropical fruit to a few times a week,” said Taylor.
So, tropical fruits are high in sugar and nutritionists recommend limiting them – but not all fruits, and all three nutritionists enthusiastically recommended one category.
“Berries top the list for being the healthiest fruit to eat on a regular basis,” said Keathley. “This is because they provide higher amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber than other fruits.”
Blueberries are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and good for blood vessel health, Keathley said, while blackberries and raspberries are high in fiber which is also great for digestive health.
“Berries are particularly nutrient-dense, as well as being lower in sugar,” said Godbold. “They are a good source of antioxidants and, I recommend, should be eaten daily as part of a healthy diet.”
“I usually recommend an unlimited amount of berries,” said Taylor. She said blueberries contained compounds that were great for the brain, and cherries were very high in vitamin C and rich in beneficial phytonutrients.
“Citrus fruits are also highly recommended fruits,” Keathley said, explaining that oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes were very high in vitamin C.
Another point of agreement among the experts was that overall results were better processed, in general.
“Candied fruit, canned fruit packed in sugar, and certain fruit juices can contain higher amounts of added sugar,” Keathley said. “This is the sugar that is not found naturally in whole fruits, which poses a risk to individuals if consumed frequently and in large portions.”
Dried fruit and fruit juices, Keathley said, should be eaten in small amounts, as they contain more concentrated amounts of sugar due to their processing.
Taylor said that even pre-cut fruit is not “ideal” because: “When cut, enzymes start to break down the cell walls and the quality of the nutrients decreases over time.”
But frozen fruit can be a “great option,” she said, because it’s often picked and frozen first, and freezing preserves some vitamins and minerals.
Depending on health status, some people may benefit from certain fruits more than others, the nutritionists said.
For example, people with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance or diabetes risk may want to be more careful about avoiding sources of high-sugar fruit, such as tropical fruit, canned fruit, dried and fruit juice.
Meanwhile, Taylor recommended berries for those “who want to combat the oxidative damage associated with cardiovascular disease” or apples – the source of the sugar-fiber pectin – to improve digestion.
Godbold also said that people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may benefit from a short-term reduced fruit diet to help heal the gut.
“This is because the fructose sugar in fruit can be easily fermented and can contribute to symptoms,” she explained.
But, overall, eating fresh whole fruit was an important part of a balanced and healthy diet, they agreed.
“The bottom line is that everything should be eaten in moderation,” Keathley said.
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