4 Myths About Fruits and the Truth Behind Them

In this article, we'll talk about some of the most common myths and misconceptions about fruits. Read on!

There’s a lot of myths out there about food and eating in general. There are especially old and widespread misconceptions about fruits, even though they’re healthy and have a lot of nutritional value. That’s why, in this article, we’ll talk about the biggest myths about fruits.

One of the most common myths about fruits: avoid fruit that’s high in sugar to lose weight

Have you visited an endocrinologist or a nutritionist? Starting in the 80s and 90s, anybody who wanted to lose weight was given a list of forbidden foods. Among these were fruits such as plantains, grapes, figs, and raisins. However, times have changed and scientific evidence shows that there’s no relation between glycemic index and weight loss.

For those who don’t know, the glycemic index is your body’s response to the sugar in food. The higher it is, the faster the blood absorbs it. However, it depends on what you eat. This means that fiber slows this process, which is what happens with fruit. Therefore, you can eat up to three fruit servings a day, because they help the body fight against diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity.

Diabetics can’t eat fruits

As we previously stated, fruits are made of water and fiber, especially if they’re fresh. Besides, fruit has a lot of minerals and vitamins. It also has glucose and fructose, simple sugars of fast absorption.

If you take into account that last part, you may believe that diabetics can’t process it properly, elevating their sugar levels in the blood. However, as fruits have fiber, they help regulate glucose and the process of absorption.

A glass of juice equals a serving of fruit

When making fruit juice, we don’t get all the fiber from the whole fruit. Thus, the body reacts differently, making the sugar in blood levels go off.

This means that, after two or three hours, you’ll have more risk of suffering from a hypoglycemic attack if you have diabetes after just drinking it, and you’ll feel hungry again. This happens because you’re momentarily filled with liquid.

According to the OPS, juices are sugary and should be consumed in moderation.

It’s best to eat fruits between hours

Have you heard that fruits ferments in your stomach after you eat it? This doesn’t really happen. Usually, those that live by that statement say it’s because you also consume proteins. On the contrary, fruits like pineapples or papaya have digestive enzymes that make it easier to digest proteins. Thus, there’s no reason to eat fruits as dessert for this reason.

Another interesting aspect to take into account, when you’re in the process of losing weight or controlling stress eating, is that it could be useful to eat fruits before eating. Why? Because they’re rich in fiber, water and vitamins. This makes you feel full, and helps you stop eating between meals.

To end this myth, the main reason some people aren’t allowed to eat fruits between meals is because of fructose intolerance. This sugar is present in some vegetables and dried snacks, such as raisins.

Thus, if you eat several fruits high in fructose at the same time, your body saturates, sending the undigested excess right to your intestines. Here, bacteria ferments it, producing digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating and heaviness.

In conclusion, there are several myths about fruits that aren’t exactly true. It’s generally healthy to eat at least two or three servings of fresh fruit every day to experience all their benefits. Remember, nutrition changes through time and, what can be good today, can be bad the next day. Also, every body is different. That’s why, it’s always a good idea to assess and adapt your diet often.