Fruits are often considered one of the healthiest foods, and there’s a widespread encouragement to eat more of them. However, extreme diet trends have emerged in recent years that place fruits at opposite ends of the nutritional divide, challenging the narrative that all fruits are generally “healthy.”
While most fruits are off-limits for sugar-free, ultra-low-carb, ketogenic carnivores, raw food vegans sometimes follow a mostly fruit diet.
“Fruit has been a trending topic for a significant amount of time when it comes to nutrition,” says Sarah Keathley, registered dietitian nutritionist for Top Nutrition Coaching. Newsweek.
“While many people argue that fruit is not healthy, others claim that simply eating raw fruit provides extreme health benefits.
“Let’s set the record straight once and for all. Fruit is healthy and should be consumed in a balanced diet. It offers many vital benefits including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre.”
Keathley told Newsweek It is stated that the potassium and folate found in the fruit can help the function of nerves and cells in the body and the growth of tissues.
She said antioxidants (beneficial compounds that calm 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 the fruit is a significant source of fibre and helps support the body’s digestive system for good gut health.
But despite the overall health benefits of eating fruit, experts who spoke to fruit eaters say: Newsweek They agreed that some fruits are less healthy than others.
“Grapes, bananas, mangoes, and pineapples are all higher in sugar compared to berries and plums, which are lower in sugar,” says registered nutritional therapist Alli Godbold of Feed Your Health. Newsweek.
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He added that all fruits contain some sugar and are “probably best eaten with other foods at meals rather than as a snack alone” to prevent blood sugar spikes. Blood sugar swings can increase the risk of certain diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes.
Holistic nutritionist Nicole Taylor, a lecturer at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, agrees: “Tropical fruits like pineapple and bananas tend to cause higher glucose spikes.
“This is due to the higher carbohydrate content compared to the fiber content… For those looking to optimize blood sugar balance (which is something I recommend to most people), I would normally recommend no more than half a banana a day.”
People concerned about their blood sugar can use avocado instead of adding bananas to smoothies to add a creamy texture to their drinks but without adding sugar, Taylor said.
“As for portion sizes on fruits, I recommend limiting tropical fruits to a few times a week,” Taylor said.
So tropical fruits are rich in sugar and nutritionists recommend limiting their consumption; however, this is not true for all fruits and all three nutritionists enthusiastically recommend one category.
“Berries are at the top of the list of healthiest fruits to eat regularly,” Keathley said. “This is because they offer higher amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber than other fruits.”
Blueberries are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and good for vascular health, while blackberries and raspberries are high in fibre and therefore great for digestive health, Keathley said.
“Fruits are particularly nutrient-dense and low in sugar,” Godbold said. “They are a good source of antioxidants and I think they should be eaten daily as part of a healthy diet.”
“I usually recommend unlimited amounts of fruit,” Taylor said. She said blueberries contain compounds that are great for the brain, and cherries are very rich in vitamin C and beneficial phytonutrients.
“Citrus fruits are also among the most recommended fruits,” said Keathley, adding that oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are very rich in vitamin C.
Another point that experts agree on is that whole fruits should be preferred over processed fruits.
“Candied fruits, canned fruits packed with sugar, and certain fruit juices may contain higher amounts of added sugar,” Keathley said. “This is sugar that is not naturally found in whole fruits and poses a risk to individuals when consumed frequently and in large portions.”
Dried fruits and fruit juices should be consumed in small portions because they contain more concentrated amounts of sugar due to being processed, Keathley said.
Even pre-cut fruit is “not ideal” because “Once it’s cut, enzymes start to break down the cell walls and over time the nutritional quality diminishes,” Taylor said.
But frozen fruit can be a “great option,” he said, because the fruit is often picked and frozen while ripe, and the freezing process preserves some vitamins and minerals.
Nutritionists said that some people may benefit more from certain fruits than others, depending on their health conditions.
For example, people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, or risk factors for diabetes may want to be more careful about avoiding high-sugar fruit sources, such as tropical fruits, canned fruits, dried fruits, and fruit juice.
Taylor, meanwhile, recommended berries for those “looking to treat oxidative damage associated with cardiovascular disease” and apples, a source of the sugar-fiber pectin, to improve digestion.
Godbold added that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may benefit from a short-term low-fruit diet to help their gut heal.
“This is because the fructose sugar in fruits can easily ferment and contribute to symptoms,” she explained.
But overall they agreed that consuming fresh, whole fruits is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.
“The important thing is to eat everything in moderation,” Keathley said.
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